Matrix Games Forums

G'day everyone,

Over the last couple of weeks I've noticed a thread on steam discussing the current status of game balance in the Civil War campaigns has been seeing some activity:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1966130/ ... 201768039/

We're currently working on a new patch for the game, so if you feel there are any changes that should be made, now is a great time to share them (or if you think everything is fine the way it is, that's worth sharing too!). The more opinions I receive the better positioned I am to make the game even better, so I thought I'd share this over here and give everyone the chance to comment

- BNC

BiteNibbleChomp wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2023 1:56 pm G'day everyone,

Over the last couple of weeks I've noticed a thread on steam discussing the current status of game balance in the Civil War campaigns has been seeing some activity:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1966130/ ... 201768039/

We're currently working on a new patch for the game, so if you feel there are any changes that should be made, now is a great time to share them (or if you think everything is fine the way it is, that's worth sharing too!). The more opinions I receive the better positioned I am to make the game even better, so I thought I'd share this over here and give everyone the chance to comment

- BNC

Has anything changed with Confederate morale? I've noticed a big difference when taking the sell cotton option from the earlier patches to the present one. My morale just does not hold up like it used to in the earlier patches so was just not sure.

I'm playing my first MP game and will post anything I notice here. Really enjoying it such a great game.

There haven't been any changes to events in the ACW campaigns since 1.04 (January), and the updates before that tended to give bonuses to the Confederacy much more so than the Union, so I'm not sure exactly why your FS isn't holding up as you report.
All the specifics are in the 'VERSION CHANGES' file in the game folder.

- BNC

Any chance for more historical background image for SC menu (non-expansion)?

Current background image looks like Union reenactors take on significatly overweight CSA reenactors - certainly at 'butternut' stage of the conflict confederate soldiers with that much fat on their bodies were more than rare sight on the battlefield (not to mention their chance to actually go into melee combat without getting heartattack in the middle of it ).

Any chance for more realistic depiction?

Other than that I like most of the proposed changes.

sokulsky wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 3:07 pm Any chance for more historical background image for SC menu (non-expansion)?

Current background image looks like Union reenactors take on significatly overweight CSA reenactors - certainly at 'butternut' stage of the conflict confederate soldiers with that much fat on their bodies were more than rare sight on the battlefield (not to mention their chance to actually go into melee combat without getting heartattack in the middle of it ).

Any chance for more realistic depiction?

Other than that I like most of the proposed changes.

I thought they were kind of chubby for Confederates myself haha. If you get the DLC the background image changes to the Spanish American war. You can also always mod the image to whatever you like.

sokulsky wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 3:07 pm Any chance for more historical background image for SC menu (non-expansion)?

Current background image looks like Union reenactors take on significatly overweight CSA reenactors - certainly at 'butternut' stage of the conflict confederate soldiers with that much fat on their bodies were more than rare sight on the battlefield (not to mention their chance to actually go into melee combat without getting heartattack in the middle of it ).

Any chance for more realistic depiction?

Other than that I like most of the proposed changes.

LoL

A bunch of us had those observations about that image in some private convos. Unfortunate Son and I were analysing it and came to the conclusion the splash screen painting was based on a posed reenactment photo.
Middle aged over-weight reenactors. Note one of the soldiers is wearing modern glasses.
I have hundreds of CW images on a board on Pinterest and searched to see if I could find the photo...I didn't but found similar that could be used as a template for a painting.

All in good fun here. It's not a game breaker

Would like to see the supply rules looked at. AS both the USA and CSA as AI, the AI sends runners to the rear, and sit on a town. Unless attached they seem to use no supplies when isolated. Really frustrating and somewhat unrealistic.

Also, USA naval units as AI seem to be overly powerful. That really skews balance in the campaign games.

Otherwise, this is a really fun game to play!

Fullervc wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 11:53 pm Would like to see the supply rules looked at. AS both the USA and CSA as AI, the AI sends runners to the rear, and sit on a town. Unless attached they seem to use no supplies when isolated. Really frustrating and somewhat unrealistic.

Also, USA naval units as AI seem to be overly powerful. That really skews balance in the campaign games.

Otherwise, this is a really fun game to play!

They will have supply if they are in a town and not dealt with. Also ranger units do not run of supply like the regular Cav do. Confederate raiders is pretty historic if the Union does not protect his rear and overextended supply lines as well as Union raiders in the unprotected South...my own hometown was a victim of such a group of Union raiders that Sherman detached:

https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/artic ... eaus-raid/

8.1.8. Rangers
Rangers were small semi-regular cavalry formations often used as scouts
and to attack enemy targets behind the front lines, such as supply trains. The
most famous example of these is Mosby’s Rangers, a Confederate unit active in
northern Virginia, although similar units were also seen on the Union side as well.
Rangers, like Partisans, have a minimum supply value of 3, and have a 25%
chance to evade damage from combat, making them ideal for raiding behind
enemy lines. Unlike other infantry units, Rangers also can spot land units two
hexes away.

Ok a few things I've noticed as I play my PBEM. I was holding the lines pretty well but the Union morale is a lot higher than mine and I cannot figure out why as I have not really given up anything so I am falling back in Kentucky and Virginia as they grind away at me. Maybe this is because I sold the cotton at game start?

My opponent tried to guard the Evansville river crossing against my raiding Cav with naval units but I could pass right through his naval units with my Cav. I'm assuming this is WAD?

Also the city of Dover, TN is missing a RR connection to the south. You can only RR to it from the north. But there was a southern connection. Thus I cannot reinforce this city as Confederacy.

OldCrowBalthazor wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 8:12 pm

sokulsky wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 3:07 pm Any chance for more historical background image for SC menu (non-expansion)?

Current background image looks like Union reenactors take on significatly overweight CSA reenactors - certainly at 'butternut' stage of the conflict confederate soldiers with that much fat on their bodies were more than rare sight on the battlefield (not to mention their chance to actually go into melee combat without getting heartattack in the middle of it ).

Any chance for more realistic depiction?

Other than that I like most of the proposed changes.

LoL

A bunch of us had those observations about that image in some private convos. Unfortunate Son and I were analysing it and came to the conclusion the splash screen painting was based on a posed reenactment photo.
Middle aged over-weight reenactors. Note one of the soldiers is wearing modern glasses.
I have hundreds of CW images on a board on Pinterest and searched to see if I could find the photo...I didn't but found similar that could be used as a template for a painting.

All in good fun here. It's not a game breaker

I expect very cool YT art for our future SCACW PBEM game! And don't call me General Fatty!

Tanaka wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 3:00 am

I expect very cool YT art for our future SCACW PBEM game! And don't call me General Fatty!

Oh I will roleplay the $#+t out of this.
How about General Slaver?

Tanaka wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 3:52 pm I thought they were kind of chubby for Confederates myself haha. If you get the DLC the background image changes to the Spanish American war. You can also always mod the image to whatever you like.

OldCrowBalthazor wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 8:12 pm LoL

A bunch of us had those observations about that image in some private convos. Unfortunate Son and I were analysing it and came to the conclusion the splash screen painting was based on a posed reenactment photo.
Middle aged over-weight reenactors. Note one of the soldiers is wearing modern glasses.
I have hundreds of CW images on a board on Pinterest and searched to see if I could find the photo...I didn't but found similar that could be used as a template for a painting.

All in good fun here. It's not a game breaker

They were cartmanized to some extent.

sokulsky wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 3:07 pm Any chance for more historical background image for SC menu (non-expansion)?

Current background image looks like Union reenactors take on significatly overweight CSA reenactors - certainly at 'butternut' stage of the conflict confederate soldiers with that much fat on their bodies were more than rare sight on the battlefield (not to mention their chance to actually go into melee combat without getting heartattack in the middle of it ).

Any chance for more realistic depiction?

Other than that I like most of the proposed changes.

Just noticed this modder changed some of the menu screens. Looks very good will be using myself!

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&t=388639

sokulsky wrote: Sat May 06, 2023 1:50 pm

Tanaka wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 3:52 pm I thought they were kind of chubby for Confederates myself haha. If you get the DLC the background image changes to the Spanish American war. You can also always mod the image to whatever you like.

OldCrowBalthazor wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 8:12 pm LoL

A bunch of us had those observations about that image in some private convos. Unfortunate Son and I were analysing it and came to the conclusion the splash screen painting was based on a posed reenactment photo.
Middle aged over-weight reenactors. Note one of the soldiers is wearing modern glasses.
I have hundreds of CW images on a board on Pinterest and searched to see if I could find the photo...I didn't but found similar that could be used as a template for a painting.

All in good fun here. It's not a game breaker

They were cartmanized to some extent.

Beefcake Beefcake!

Tanaka wrote: Sat May 06, 2023 7:05 pm

sokulsky wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 3:07 pm Any chance for more historical background image for SC menu (non-expansion)?

Current background image looks like Union reenactors take on significatly overweight CSA reenactors - certainly at 'butternut' stage of the conflict confederate soldiers with that much fat on their bodies were more than rare sight on the battlefield (not to mention their chance to actually go into melee combat without getting heartattack in the middle of it ).

Any chance for more realistic depiction?

Other than that I like most of the proposed changes.

Just noticed this modder changed some of the menu screens. Looks very good will be using myself!

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&t=388639

Great picture, alas not the best framing (Stonewall's face is covered by the subtitle)! However the Union background is what I had in mind (hopefully this does not infringe any licensing rights to this art ).

Is there a way to change just the menu background (I actually like the original fake-3D units)?

sokulsky wrote: Sun May 07, 2023 10:09 am

Tanaka wrote: Sat May 06, 2023 7:05 pm

sokulsky wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 3:07 pm Any chance for more historical background image for SC menu (non-expansion)?

Current background image looks like Union reenactors take on significatly overweight CSA reenactors - certainly at 'butternut' stage of the conflict confederate soldiers with that much fat on their bodies were more than rare sight on the battlefield (not to mention their chance to actually go into melee combat without getting heartattack in the middle of it ).

Any chance for more realistic depiction?

Other than that I like most of the proposed changes.

Just noticed this modder changed some of the menu screens. Looks very good will be using myself!

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&t=388639

Great picture, alas not the best framing (Stonewall's face is covered by the subtitle)! However the Union background is what I had in mind (hopefully this does not infringe any licensing rights to this art ).

Is there a way to change just the menu background (I actually like the original fake-3D units)?

Yes this bothered me as well. Easily fixed by reverting from DLC screen to original screen. I doubt the Devs are going to redo the original menu background but you can mod it to whatever you like or get the DLC for the Spanish American war background.

Tanaka wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 2:35 am Ok a few things I've noticed as I play my PBEM. I was holding the lines pretty well but the Union morale is a lot higher than mine and I cannot figure out why as I have not really given up anything so I am falling back in Kentucky and Virginia as they grind away at me. Maybe this is because I sold the cotton at game start?

My opponent tried to guard the Evansville river crossing against my raiding Cav with naval units but I could pass right through his naval units with my Cav. I'm assuming this is WAD?

Also the city of Dover, TN is missing a RR connection to the south. You can only RR to it from the north. But there was a southern connection. Thus I cannot reinforce this city as Confederacy.

Well maybe I stand corrected. Ageod CW2 also has no southern RR connection to Dover, TN. They do have a RR connection to Fort Henry however...

Tanaka wrote: Sun May 07, 2023 7:06 pm

Tanaka wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 2:35 am Ok a few things I've noticed as I play my PBEM. I was holding the lines pretty well but the Union morale is a lot higher than mine and I cannot figure out why as I have not really given up anything so I am falling back in Kentucky and Virginia as they grind away at me. Maybe this is because I sold the cotton at game start?

My opponent tried to guard the Evansville river crossing against my raiding Cav with naval units but I could pass right through his naval units with my Cav. I'm assuming this is WAD?

Also the city of Dover, TN is missing a RR connection to the south. You can only RR to it from the north. But there was a southern connection. Thus I cannot reinforce this city as Confederacy.

Well maybe I stand corrected. Ageod CW2 also has no southern RR connection to Dover, TN. They do have a RR connection to Fort Henry however...

Well looks like you got it right after all. The RR does appear to go below Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, and Dover, TN. I stand corrected!

Nice research Tanaka!
It's a rare thing now days for folks to post a self-correction.
Curiously, I've been in a RR line rabbit hole researching Russian rail-lines in the Caucasus in and just before WW1.
Found statements in a wiki conflicting with period maps of the region concerning a key RR line that was built to the Black Sea port of Butumi.
Seems that maps are usually more factual then some article written in modern times about the history of a particular railroad line.

That railroad has been annoying me for three years I don't know how many times I've looked at maps of Tennessee from 1860/61, none of them agree with each other and some have rails going through Dover, some have them going near Dover, some have nothing there at all

Because one of your maps has the Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville RR going near Dover (realistically, within the hex), which plainly isn't the same line as the one going through Nashville, and because I already made the change before you put your retraction out, I'm just going to leave the change in, and say that it's the M,C&L line. The soldiers can just walk the short distance to Dover.

- BNC