observations from another game

[spruce]

this game as CSA I chose to play coming fury (not the balanced economy) and I choose captain difficulty level, no bonuses for neither CSA nor USA.

- Grant appears with a huge army in Virginia late 1861. This should be tweaked. There's no way he would command a very big army to go after Richmond in 1861.

- The Union seems to be very relentless for 1861. Is this intended - they come with various armies - it's seems quite overwhelming. I must say that the battle strength for the CSA feels very real ! I had about 55.000 in Virginia and 55.000 in Tenessee - roughly. Union numbers seem to be - too high that early in the game. Others comment is usefull here,

- Kentucky joined CSA - the Union takes the capital of Kentucky and then I can't recruit any more troops in Kentucky (I'm still holding on to 2/3's of the entire state - holding the city with the highest amount of pops.

- my blockade runners didn't take a scratch until july 1862. I was considering it to be ahistorical - then the Union blasts one of my runners out of the game. I've seen a similar behaviour in previous game - I mean that my runners are untouched for a very long time without taking any damage. I would consider to have them take more damage early game - but no extreme damage please,

- this time I took 2 casualties during one year of game time (instant battles constantly) - I lost also Jackson at corps command - now that's historical ! So battle casualties feel better, but still too few brigade generals,

- about the small Confederate cities with 1/1 (pop numbers). Why not make them 1/2 at the start of the game ? That means, if you are somewhat lucky in 1862 - they'll grow to 2/2 and you can get some infantry out of them. It's just a little weird to build artillery and cavalry - for various reasons - in those small towns. F.e. Talahassee can't build an infantry brigade later in the game ?

- during winter time I had a Union division on the loose behind my lines. My division couldn't catch them - due too bad weather and insufficient railroad stock. But that Union division take my trains each turn and went deeper South. Even when it was completely cut off ? Can't this be changed - this is very nasty and very ahistorical - it's not that they bring the trains with their back packs I guess,

[Drex]

I would think they would destroy the trains. That would be historical.

[Walloc]

ORIGINAL: spruce

this game as CSA I chose to play coming fury (not the balanced economy) and I choose captain difficulty level, no bonuses for neither CSA nor USA.

- Grant appears with a huge army in Virginia late 1861. This should be tweaked. There's no way he would command a very big army to go after Richmond in 1861.

Could i ask what u mean by large army?
Us have what 60 70k or so troops in PA and surrounding for starters. Thne the AI will start mustering right away.
U have to do same. U imidtately need to start mustering in the states with supporting governours to make an army. This represents the fact that both sides jumped in forces from summer to late 61. Cant remember the figur but CSA at First manassas had 22k troops and then in nov the ANV is 3 4 doubled if i remember right. If u dont muster u cant really oppose the US since u will have a much smaller army than them and by historic means.

The design atm is such that u can promote any general u have to any position giving the player very high degree of freedom in leadership. More so than historic IMO but again IMO since u play both with free hands political and military leadership there is some reasoning behind that. U control the economy very freely too. Personally would like see implimented a more advanced promotion system than now.
Some thing to be wished for in teh wish list thread i guess.

- The Union seems to be very relentless for 1861. Is this intended - they come with various armies - it's seems quite overwhelming. I must say that the battle strength for the CSA feels very real ! I had about 55.000 in Virginia and 55.000 in Tenessee - roughly. Union numbers seem to be - too high that early in the game. Others comment is usefull here,

Again the answer is mustering. I'd say that atm because of all the mustering the US can build a bit larger armies than historic and again cuz of more relaxed general rules will be able to utilize them rapidly. Ur advantage is u can beat the crab out of them in HW.
This touches on a issue i've thot about. When the games came with only balanced scn ppl complained. US should have 10 times the industry base. Ok so 10 times industry base was implientd in historic scn's. Did US have 10 times as many men in the fields as CSA? No, but since just implimenting the fact that ppl requested the historic industrial base. Now US can build lot faster, if not 10 times.
What do u do?
In some sense where is the balance. I think Foote described it well saying that US fought with a hand behind its back and would have been able to utilize if needed, but never did.
So where/how exactly do u make/is the historic balance. Good question.

- Kentucky joined CSA - the Union takes the capital of Kentucky and then I can't recruit any more troops in Kentucky (I'm still holding on to 2/3's of the entire state - holding the city with the highest amount of pops.

Again thats the design. Capital = govenour = can do stuff in said province. Just saying thast how it is, not judging.

- my blockade runners didn't take a scratch until july 1862. I was considering it to be ahistorical - then the Union blasts one of my runners out of the game. I've seen a similar behaviour in previous game - I mean that my runners are untouched for a very long time without taking any damage. I would consider to have them take more damage early game - but no extreme damage please,

This is mentioned by many. I suggest to think about what will happen if u cant destoy one out right. Btw in my experience that only happens every other time or less. Rest of the time u can go back to port for repair.
Then u just go back to base repair every time and go out again. The effect will be that CSA never ever will lose runners, that isnt particular historic too. U will keep getting runner gifts through out the war with out any costs or having to buy new ones.

Kind regards,

Rasmus