Forge of Freedom Screenshots

[marecone]

Maybe another screenshot? Tease us [:D] What about battlefield and units? Done?

[marecone]

Maybe army organization screen? I have seen some questions regarding it so...
Thanks

[dh76513]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.
Generals are added to these groups after they have been created, so the presence of a general doesn't make a division/corps/army, though it does make it fight more effectively.

Are campaign commands or theater commands – units larger than army commands – possible in the game? Regardless, the lack of centralized control was a strategic weakness for the CSA and there are few actual instances of multiple armies acting in concert across multiple theaters to achieve a common objective. (An exception to this was in late 1862 when Lee's invasion of Maryland was coincident with two other military actions – Bragg's invasion of Kentucky and Earl Van Dorn's advance against Corinth, Mississippi, but all three initiatives were unsuccessful.) Unlike the actual Civil War, the one main advantage in playing the South in this game is the possibility of developing a single grand strategy. Yes, marecone, I too am interested in how the game deals with military organization.

[Gil R.]

The only command unit larger than a 4/5-star general commanding an army is the player.

More screenshots are VERY close. Sometime today that final play-testing build should be up, and its graphics will be 99% complete.

[Gil R.]

The battle scene graphics you're all eager to see are almost ready, but in the meantime I'll post a few shots from the Military Advisor screen. This is where you go to look at all of your armed forces (plus blockade-runners, if playing the CSA) at once. You can then purchase weapons and upgrades for those units, and check on their stats, etc. The screen is sortable, using those buttons near the bottom.

I'll start with a basic shot of the screen, which first lists forts. Most of it should be easy enough to figure out, but you might need to know that Fort I, II and III represent forts of different strengths. Also, the "Attrib." (= Attributes) column shows the fort attributes I've purchased, representing them with those blue square icons. When one mouses over them, as I have, a tool-tip appears, telling you what they are. In this case, I had bought Rifle Pits, and still had one more upgrade slot to fill. Also note that most of these forts, it being early in the war, are armed with "Improvised" artillery, but I had already invested in some 10-inch Rodmans and other goodies.

[Gil R.]

Next, here's what happens if you click on the "Wpn" column for a fort: you get to choose which type of artillery to purchase for it. Not that I don't have enough Money for a Blakely, but can afford any gun that mostly costs "Guns" resources instead.

This is how I bought those 10-inch Rodmans I was just telling you about.

(Yes, I just noticed that "lieutenant" is not spelled right. This week I'll be proofreading the game text. I guess I just got a head start...)

[Gil R.]

Here's the same Military Advisor screen, but this time scrolled down to the Army of Northern Virginia (see that I have Lee as a 4-star general commanding it?). Most of this should be easy enough to figure out. Again we have the blue squares showing both attributes (which can be purchased) and special abilities (which are learned from generals, or assigned to "Legendary Units" when they first appear. Mousing over these tells you what they are. Also, just as one can buy artillery for forts, one can click on a weapon to upgrade that brigades weapons. (This shot was taken early in the war, so my guys don't have an enormous variety of weapons just yet. If you're curious, on one of the other threads I posted a full list of available guns.)

[Gil R.]

Finally, in the case of "Legendary Units" you can click on them to get a brief history of the unit. Here's the Stonewall Brigade. (I wrote this one, which explains why there are no typos [;)].)

Note that this brigade, being especially good, comes into the game with two attributes and two special abilities: Pioneers (adds a movement bonus, plus a defense bonus in certain terrain), Scouts (gives a bonus to sighting distance), Disciplined (changes formations more efficiently), and Heroes (restores morale to nearby brigades).

[Gil R.]

Hey, look what just came across the wire! This is the first screenshot we can show you of the detailed battle screen. This image will be used in the manual, so it is a staged shot showing lots of different types of units. The actions shots will follow in the next day or two.

Here are the labels that go with this image:
A – Indian Brigade; B – Medium Quality U.S. Infantry in line formation; C – Low Quality U.S. Infantry in column formation, with “Gatling Gun” Attribute; D – brigade with “Military Band” Attribute; E – brigade with “Signal Corps” Attribute; F – brigade with “Brigade Artillery” Attribute; G – brigade with “Sharpshooters” and the “Pioneer” Attributes; H – Freedmen brigade in column with general on white horse located to the left of the column; I – Zouave brigade; Low Quality U.S. Infantry in line with skirmish order; K – “Balloon” Attribute; L – U.S. Cavalry brigade; M – brigade with the “Scouts” Attribute and with a general (shown on the white horse); N – Low Quality U.S. brigade in column formation in skirmish order; O – brigade in line formation with the “Extra Supply” Attribute; P – brigade with the “Medical” Attribute; Q – Artillery brigade in column formation with 12 pdr. Guns; R – U.S. Supply caisson; S – Artillery brigade in column formation with Napoleon Guns; T – Artillery brigade in line formation with 6 pdr. Guns; U – Brigade with an “Engineer” Attribute; V – Artillery brigade in line formation with Parrott Guns.

[Grotius]

Oh wow, those screens look great! Keep 'em coming!

[Hard Sarge]

Hey , I still waiting for my verison

[marecone]

Wow!!![&o][&o][&o]
GREAT. I love it. I did place as my beckground on my comp[;)]
More!!! Or if you want you can start selling it[:D]

[spruce]

*** going nuts over here *** [:)][8D][;)]

[Hard Sarge]

ORIGINAL: marecone

Wow!!![&o][&o][&o]
GREAT. I love it. I did place as my beckground on my comp[;)]
More!!! Or if you want you can start selling it[:D]

let me play with it first

wow, almost system overload until we get used to it )))

[spruce]

anyhow, I have a question about artillery. Something that bothered me in the older game civil war generals 2 =
 
in civil war generals 2 - you couldn't put 2 units in the same hex - seems pretty logical ... but not very practical if you are willing to defend your artillery brigade during enemy assault. Enfin, it was cumbersome at establishing good defensive lines.
 
How is this handled in FOF ? Can you have an adjacent brigade supporting on an enemy charge. Or how is it best done ?
 
This is no critic - I'm just curious how this is handled [:)]

[slybelle]

This stuff looks great! Haven't been eager for a game this much in a long time.

I think you should think about releasing it now and we all can help be your final beta testers:) I would even pay for it:)

Once again, looking very good....can't wait.

[Hard Sarge]

ORIGINAL: spruce

anyhow, I have a question about artillery. Something that bothered me in the older game civil war generals 2 =

in civil war generals 2 - you couldn't put 2 units in the same hex - seems pretty logical ... but not very practical if you are willing to defend your artillery brigade during enemy assault. Enfin, it was cumbersome at establishing good defensive lines.

How is this handled in FOF ? Can you have an adjacent brigade supporting on an enemy charge. Or how is it best done ?

This is no critic - I'm just curious how this is handled [:)]

I'll answer this on my posting to keep this area for screen shot info

[Arditi]

Beautiful tactical screen!
  Arditi  
         ironlegions.net

[ericbabe]

Artillery screening is handled as in Crown of Glory: an enemy unit adjacent to one of your formed infantry units cannot charge one of your artillery/supply units.  This lets infantry protect artillery from nearby hexes.

[Sonny]

ORIGINAL: ericbabe

Artillery screening is handled as in Crown of Glory: an enemy unit adjacent to one of your formed infantry units cannot charge one of your artillery/supply units. This lets infantry protect artillery from nearby hexes.

Nice.[8D]