Matrix Games We Play - American Civil War

Gettysburg: The Tide Turns

Gettysburg: The Tide Turns is a hex-based wargame set in one of the most decisive and iconic battles of the Civil War. 150 years ago, brave soldiers fought across this idyllic battlefield, and, now, we put you in their shoes.  

A Period Piece

The game captures the realities of 1860s combat through the granularity of hex based gameplay and an innovative randomized turn system. It is a tense and strategic package from the full, sweeping campaign to individual scenarios.

Plan Your Engagement

Featuring the work of some of the best artists in the business, the game map and interface capture the period while providing the information you need as a commander.

Exciting and fast paced gameplay

You will command a myriad of period units including infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Units vary in strength and morale, and, much like Battle of the Bulge, your success will depend on how you maneuver your forces and engage the enemy. Gettysburg: the Tide Turns goes beyond the "you go, I go" turn by randomizing when each division will move. This provides tension, as you must respond tactically as new opportunities present themselves.

Features:

  • Play as the Union or Confederates across the entire scope of the battle
  • Tutorials and easy entry for new players
  • Full game rules and information for hardcore players
  • An innovative movement system that randomizes turns for increased tension
  • Beautifully rendered maps & interfaces in period style
  • Extensive historical commentary & content included
  • Play online, face to face, or against AI opponents

 

Civil War II

Civil War 2 is the definitive grand strategy game of the period. It is a turn based regional game with an emphasis on playability and historical accuracy. It is built on the renowned AGE game engine, with a modern and intuitive interface that makes it easy to learn yet hard to master.

This  historical operational strategy game with a simultaneous turn-based engine (WEGO system) that places players at the head of the USA or CSA during the American Civil War (1861-1865).

You take the part of the military and political leadership, trying to lead your nation to victory, in the midst of some of the toughest operations of the Civil War. You will build, organize and command your armies over one of the largest maps of the USA ever made for a Civil War game. There are a host of real military leaders to appoint with their own strengths and weaknesses and choosing the right man for the job is crucial. However you are not just a military leader and must make vital economics and political decisions. These can have far reaching effects and you can even influence foreign intervention from the French & British who were constantly intervening in America for power and prestige.

Each turn lasts 2 weeks and you must issue your orders in advance, planning on where the enemy will be, not where they are now – which is called a WEGO system (We Go at the same time). Orders are executed simultaneously in 14 phases – 1 per day. Battles are resolved on the day they occur so scheduling the arrival of your forces and planning the logistics or your army are key to success. You can send a massive force to assault an enemy position but if you do not carefully plan the attack you can have you troops arriving piecemeal and being easily dispatched. The WEGO system adds excitement and suspense and is far more realistic than traditional turn based games.

This is must have game for anyone interested in the period or grand strategy games in general.

Features:

  • Setting: the game covers all of the USA, from the Eastern seaboard to the Rockies, from 1861 to 1865. Mexico and the Northern Caribbean are also in 
  • Game map is divided into more than 3,000 regions, with a variety of terrain, climates and development level.
  • Scenarios: 2 tutorial and 5 main scenarios from Shiloh all the way up to the Grand Campaign.
  • Historical leaders: Over 400 historical leaders each rated on their abilities and over 1,000 different types of units from sharpshooters to cavalry and artillery and even Ironclads!
  • Production: Control your nations spending on the military without worrying about micro managing the economy.
  • Regional Decision Cards: The game has an innovative card system that lets you trigger events such as Indian raids and partisans attacks, which used wisely can affect the flow of a campaign.
  • Detailed game model includes features such as Weather, Attrition, Supply and Fog of War Historical Event are triggered throughout the game giving the player crucial decision points. These cover anything from local uprising to foreign intervention.
  • Battlefield Tactics allow the player to make decisions that can turn the tide of battle.
  • Sieges and Naval warfare are all covered in detail in the game.
  • Chain of Command allows units to be organized in to brigades, division, corps and armies and leaders put in command of them.
  • Navigable rivers which played a crucial role during the Civil War are represented.
  • Scenario list Two Tutorials scenarios 1861 First Manassas (Battle of Bull Run) 1862 Shiloh 1862 Sibley (New Mexico Campaign) 1861-1865 Our Hearts were Touched with Fire April 1861 scenario (THE multi-theater Grand Campaign) 1861-1865 The Blue and the Gray July 1861 scenario (accelerated start campaign)

 

Civil War II The Bloody Road South

AGEod’s Civil War II The Bloody Road South provides players with a grand set of new historical campaigns in the era of the American Civil War. This expansion uses the latest game patch (1.03) for enhanced gameplay and requires ownership of the original Civil War II game. This is not a standalone product.

The expansion pack includes two battles scenarios, focusing on the turning points of the Civil War: the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of Atlanta.

It also includes two grand scenarios dedicated to year 1862 in both Eastern and Western fronts.

There are also three Grand Campaigns spanning a wider timeframe and covering the entire front of the war.

All scenarios can be played from both the Confederate and Union sides.

Here is a list of playable scenarios:

Battle Scenarios

• 1863 – Thunder at the Crossroads (Battle of Gettysburg)

• 1864 – Make Georgia Howl (Battle of Atlanta)

One Theater Annual Campaign Scenarios

• 1862 – Eastern Theater

• 1862 – Western Theater

Grand Campaigns with all Theaters Scenarios

• 1862-1865 – Struggle for the Heartland

• 1863-1865 – Triumph & Defeat

• 1864-1865 – Bloody Roads South

Brother Against Brother

 
“Brother against Brother” is a turn-based series of games which simulate the battles of the American Civil War at the regimental level. 
 
The first release, “Brother against Brother:  The Drawing of the Sword,” is devoted to the opening battles of the war:  the first major battles of 1861 in both the eastern and western theaters, 1st Bull Run and Wilson’s Creek, as well as the first battles of 1862, Mill Springs and Williamsburg. 
 
“Brother against Brother” boasts scrupulous attention to detail in the preparation of maps and orders of battles; Western Civilization Software did years of primary research, pouring over national archives, consulting with a dozen experts, and exploring every inch of the actual battlefields.  
 
The maps themselves are vast, some as large as 50 square miles, and at 75 yards per hex are rendered in intricate detail.
 
The game engine presents the player with a novel system of movement and issuing orders that emphasize the difficulties of wielding command-and-control over Civil War era regiments.  
 
The units themselves are accurately simulated not only in their strength and level of training, but also in such details as their sub-commanders and weapons.  Many units have special qualities in the game that represent the qualities which made them famous during the war, and some units have special attachments like Zouaves or sharpshooters.  The engine models hundreds of details with an easy-to-grasp user-interface: weather, formation, supply, skirmishers, brigade orders, dismounted cavalry, division activation, corps intelligence... even battlefield smoke. 
 
Providing a wide range of historical and alternative-history scenarios, “Brother against Brother” lets players refight the major battles of the Civil War at an unprecedented level of depth and detail.

Get a look to the full manual here!

-  Battle of 1st Manassas Map and Order of Battle available! - Download now
Click here to view the map online
 
-  Battle of Wilson's Creek Map and Order of Battle available! - Download now
Click here to view the map online
 
- Battle of Mill Springs Map and Order of Battle available! - Download now
Click here to view the map online
 
- Battle of Williamsburg Map and Order of Battle available! - Download now
Click here to view the map online

  Scenario List

1st Battle of Bull Run/Battle of 1st Manassas, July 21, 1861
1st Manassas (9:20am Start)
1st Manassas (What if #1 - Sudley Springs Ford defended)
1st Manassas (What if #2 - Multi-pronged Union attack)
1st Manassas (Blackburn's Ford (small scenario))
1st Manassas (What if #3 - Blackburn's Ford (small scenario))
1st Manassas (2 Player only version)
1st Manassas (Mid-battle (12pm) scenario)
1st Manassas (Standard Scenario)
 
Battle of Wilson's Creek, August 10, 1861
Wilsons Creek (What if #1 - Single Union attack column)
Wilsons Creek (What if #2 - Sigel delayed)
Wilsons Creek (Mid-battle (7 am) scenario)
Wilsons Creek (Standard Scenario)
 
Battle of Mill Springs, January 19, 1862
Mill Springs (What if #1 - USA badly picketed)
Mill Springs (What if #2 - USA badly picketed (no rain))
Mill Springs (Mid-battle Scenario (Zollicoffer in peril))
Mill Springs (Standard Scenario)
Mill Springs (Standard Scenario (no rain))
 
Battle of Mill Springs, at Beech Grove Encampment
Mill Springs (Beech Grove) (What if #1 - Union attack) (Set on January 20, 1862)
Mill Springs (Beech Grove) (What if #2 - CSA attacks first)
 
Battle of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862
Williamsburg (What if #1 - Faster reinforcements)
Williamsburg (What if #2 - Improved defensive line)
Williamsburg (Hancock vs Early (small scenario))
Williamsburg (Hancock vs Early (STARTER SCENARIO))
Williamsburg (Standard Scenario)
Williamsburg (Standard Scenario) (no rain)

Pride of Nations - The American Civil War 1862

This scenario starts in 1862 with theUnionand the Confederacy locked in a titanic struggle for supremacy in a divided nation. It’s a challenge to the finish, where each side has it’s well-known strengths and weaknesses, but where sound strategic planning and operations will decide who shall prevail… Most of the key aspects of the ACW are here, including possible foreign intervention in the conflict.

Works only with a version of Pride of Nation - Not a standalone Product

American Civil War The Blue and the Gray

In AGEOD's American Civil War - The Blue and the Gray, players are military and political leaders trying to lead the troops of their nations (armies and fleets) to victory, in the midst of some of the toughest operations during those five years of wild campaigning throughout a divided nation.

Most of the individual years of campaign between 1861 and 1865 are playable via a separate scenario. Advanced scenarios will allow recreation of some yearly and/or theatre campaigns, and there will be of course the complete Grand Campaign covering the whole war.

Features:

  • Upgraded BoA engine with improved Military AI
  • The game is played in alternating phases of giving orders followed by simultaneous execution (known as WEGO system)
  • Easy to play, hard to master, play a scenario over a few hour or a full X-turn Grand Campaign following in Grants or Lee's footsteps!
  • A large selection of Scenarios (11) and Campaigns (5)
  • The largest Civil War map ever, with unequaled look and detail levels
  • 2 playable nations, dozens of different troops, hundreds of events, over 300 historical leaders with unique abilities
  • Organize divisions, armies and corps, manage supply and morale, use sea, riverine and rail moves, and put the best leaders in command (if politics allows)!
  • Fight to reconcile the nation (USA) or ensure independence (CSA): victory can be military or political, as national will plays a crucial role.
  • AGEODs recognized dedication to historicity, realism, and good-looking games!

 

Gary Grigsby's War Between The States

"We must do more than defeat their armies, we must destroy them!”

From the legendary team at 2 by 3 Games comes a new grand strategy masterpiece: Gary Grigsby’s War Between the States. Taking gamers back to the American Civil War, this innovative grand strategy game allows players to experience the trials and tribulations of the role of commander-in-chief for either side.  Historically accurate, detailed and finely balanced for realistic gameplay, War Between the States is also easy to play and does not take months to finish.

Promote and cultivate talented young colonels or brigadiers to build Corps and Army commanders that will help you fight and manage the war effort from battles to training of recruits with the utmost efficiency and success.  An innovative multi-faceted rank promotion system allows leaders to gain in abilities and power based on their successes, while also simulating the historical progression of leaders during the war.  Each decision you make must be weighed carefully, as promoting and demoting leaders, entering neutral states, raising troops and many other actions cost you the political capital that will determine your ability to achieve victory.

Explore the historical tactics of the day to find the best way to win. Use cavalry to raid the enemy supply depots and conduct reconnaissance to determine the best place to strike and then engage the enemy head on and watch the epic push and pull of battle unfold in front of you. In between battles, the mighty Union navy or brave Confederate raiders can strangle and disrupt supply flow at critical times in your campaign.  Build river gunboats and transports to exploit the strategic value of the Mississippi and entrench and fortify key locations to deny passage to the enemy.

Test your mettle and strategic vision in one of the most bitterly fought contests in history – the War Between the States.

Features:

 

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