A. P. Hill

To some degrees true. Though I think your assumption is that the machinery at Harper's Ferry wasn't removed from the armory there until the Maryland Campaign in September of 1862. According to wiki, (which I hate as a reference source,) it does back up your claim when researching Fayetteville Rifles, that the Harper's Ferry manufacturing equipment was sent to North Carolina, (in contrast to some of my other readings stating that it went to Tredegar in Richmond,) not saying either are wrong, otherwise why would they name a rifle produced in Richmond after a city in North Carolina?! Your timing is in error however. The Virginia Secession Convention voted April 17th 1861 to secede from the union, and within 24 hours Virginians from the area of Harper's Ferry seized the Armory. The Virginia Secession Committee informed R.E. Lee that removing the equipment was a top priority. Governor Letcher assigned T.J. Jackson to command of the troops assembled at Harper's Ferry, and R.E. Lee instructed Jackson that the machinery needed salvaging and moved immediately. One week after his arrival at Harper's Ferry, April 29th, 1861, Jackson informed Lee that 2/3rds of the machinery had been moved to Winchester awaiting further transfer. The article in the wiki search said that some time in February 1862 the editor of the Fayetteville Observer wrote he was shown a weapon manufactured at the new Armory in town. I doubt that the first run of this equipment was enough to start supplying troops, but it appears the equipment was operational by February 1862. My problem is ... How would Union troops even have access to this weapon, and in any kind of numbers? Especially given that the rifle was manufactured in the South and barely in telling numbers. Now granted I don't play a lot of Union Campaigns so I don't know if it is considered a "stock" Union weapon. But to allow the Union troops use of this weapon is a serious error of history.

AI also needs to be more consistent. It can't be reduced for one battle and not touched on a second or third battle. Any and all changes to AI need to be across the board for all engagements. So Devs have some work to do ... let's make sure you put some routine in for correcting weaponry. If a battle is played before a particular weapon is available then the program should default back to weaponry of the time not some undeveloped and unreleased weapons.

Your statement would be fairly true for Union Cavalry. At Antietam for example all of Pleasanton's cavalry had 3 inch (10lb) Ordnance rifles. However Confederate Cavalry were noted for having 12lb Napoleons as well as Blakely's. At Fredericksburg, Stuart is noted for holding off Meade's attack on Jackson from his flanking position with just 2 guns, both 12lb, a Napoleon and a Blakely. The Blakely was eventually put out of action but Pelham kept up the firing using his Napoleon and doubled the crews using the men from the disabled Blakely.

Yep. There's no doubt that a lot of work still needs to be done to this early release of the game.

Also as you select a unit, the information panel to the lower left list the properties of the unit selected. One of those includes division. You can thus aide in your organizational sorting.

June 26th 1862, around 15:00 hours ... "Three O'clock having arrived and no intelligence from Jackson or Branch, I determined to cross at once, rather than hazard the failure of the whole plan by deferring it ... It was never contemplated that my division alone should have sustained the shock of the battle." A.P. Hill as he crossed Meadow bridge north of Mechanicsville VA.

Days before June 10th 1862 J.E.B. Stuart wrote of Gen'l Robert E. Lee, "... with profound personal regard for General Lee, he has disappointed me as a general." General Joseph E. Johnston commenting on President Davis' choice of R.E. Lee after Johnston was wounded at Fair Oaks, "The shot that struck me down is the very best that has been fired in the Southern cause yet. For I possess in no degree the confidence of our government, and now they have in my place one who does posses it!"

WTG!

AND .... the best restaurants are not the large chain owned type. There are so many simple home types where the Mrs. converted the residence into an eatery ... Those are the absolute best. Well lately, I'm in Maryland, but originally Western Southern tier of NY State. Lived a good chunk of my life on the Mechanicsville Battlefield, just off the NPS preserved park land where Meade's PA Reserves held the left flank. Otherwise, my employer has the nasty habit of sending me all over the world, that's how I discovered NOLA eatin!

How bout including an option? I'd rather prefer to direct my command staff as well. (Though, that follow option is kinda cool too.)

You forgot drinking A&W while watching a Canadian sex tape! AND ... NOLA IS the place to go for food!!!

Best definitive research library. Use it online because it is searchable through all 70 volumes. Official Records of the Rebellion. That said, I happen to own this library in its entirety in book format.

The definitive work on the Army of Northern Virginia, "LEE'S LIEUTENANTS" by Douglas Southall Freeman. Yeah it's 3 volumes and well over 5000 pages but it is extremely riviting and well researched and written. You'll breeze through it before you know it.

For those of you who 'question' the use of individual Division/Brigade commanders and having to micromanage them ... keep an eye on the AI and how it uses mounted command entities. Now I know in many of my battles, I don't have enough mounted officer corps to go riding around instilling bravery and boosting egos and confidence in my troops. If I had a mounted officer's corps for each brigade it could be a blessing.

Hell I remember playing board games without the boards, we used 1/4 graph paper pencils and figurines .... It's called Dungeons and Dragons Table Top Games!!!!

It depends on what you consider "old".

Quite possibly.

This is a rail mounted siege cannon that fired 8 to 10 inch rounds depending on the gun mounted. In early 1862 General Magruder had one in front of Richmond during McClellan's drive at seven pines / fair oaks. During Petersburg siege Grant mounted a 15 inch mortar on a rail car. I am unfamiliar with mounted gun use in any other battle including Phillipi. (sp) But it was a thing once or twice.

Just remember this:

I always restart after each update ... could explain why I've never made it past 2nd Manassas ...

Not that it ever was a thing, but now so much harder apparently to flank the AI?

Let's not forget about the war for Texas, and the ensuing Mexican - American war! Many of our current commanders had a hand in that bit of history.

Don't know. I just automatically start over with each update. I want all the goodness from the beginning, not in the middle of a campaign. All that other stuff you describe sounds too much like work!

My mind is going ... I couldn't put a spin on it at the time.

Not only capture them, but you need to possess them for a particular duration of time. If the battle timer runs out before your possession time does, I believe you get kicked back.