Matrix Games Forums

Bo Rearguard wrote: Fri May 08, 2026 2:14 am I think a lot of the rebound in Fighting Spirit comes from the positive events that come soon after selling the cotton. Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina eventually joining the Confederacy at some point add 20,000 FS altogether. Plus, Richmond as the new national capitol kicks in at some point with it's bonus of 500 a turn. Then you get the additional 25 a city for holding the southern state capitols (marked with the blue stars).


FS bonuses.jpg

Tanaka wrote: Fri May 08, 2026 2:30 am But since all of these positive events happen it makes the decision to sell the cotton a no brainer since your FS is hardly effected at all! This is the issue!

Bo Rearguard wrote: Fri May 08, 2026 4:09 am

Tanaka wrote: Fri May 08, 2026 2:30 am But since all of these positive events happen it makes the decision to sell the cotton a no brainer since your FS is hardly effected at all! This is the issue!

I believe the "No" decision to selling the cotton is for those players who want to exchange the short term pain (of being short of war funds at the start) for the long term gain of a better shot at winning a European sponsor. I guess it depends on what type of game challenge you want. The FS bounce for more states joining the Confederacy is gonna happen either way. From what I've read if the South finally does get that sponsor on its side, the Union is toast.

I've always felt the chance of European intervention in the ACW was something of a pipe dream. Yes, they liked the cotton, but they liked food even more. Most of them were dependent on substantial sales of grain from the Union Midwest. Plus, whatever mischief Imperial Russia (which sympathized with the Union) was up to at the time much closer to home was always deemed more dangerous. But the game gives you the option to try anyway.