Karle

I would also like to see the possibility of variable appearance of units, perhaps arriving on different roads or different times to make things a bit more unpredictable just like in real life. As for formations of brigades, in the game they are always in a line. However, in actual battles, depending on the situation, the actual line could be formed like an "L" especially when on the defensive. This reduces the fire to the front, but also provides a better defense against the side which is refused or bent back. Another is to send some "skirmishers" forward to "find" the enemy. I would also like to see brigades form in accordance with natural formations such as stone walls or along ridges etc. I have a sense in the game that these natural defensive positions are kind of ignored in the positioning of the formations. Last, when a unit is instructed to "charge" I have a sense that I have little control over in what direction or against which unit they charge. I have had units charge off in a different direction that I intended. These are just ideas. Do not get me wrong. I love the game. Karle

I think it is good that units can assault multiple times as this recreates what actually happens in the battle. Units normally will attack and if unsuccessful, regroup and assault again. However in the game when a unit assaults and the other unit is routed sometimes the assaulting unit also is routed. I believe that when a unit has a successful assault and the other teams retreats, the successful unit should get a morale boost. The same is true when a unit successfully repels a assault. Without this one could never recreate an assault like Barksdales in the battle where he went through a number of different brigades..

My comments really were meant to apply to only infantry skirmishers and cavalry videttes. The cavalry skirmishers are really not "skirmishers" per se at all but rather dismounted cavalry fighting in skirmish mode. Normally when infantry skirmishers and cavalry videttes encounter an infantry brigade they are not very effective in slowing them down or stopping them but are rather swept aside. At Gettysburg Buford used his videttes more as an early warning system to alert him to the approach of the Confederate troops. That is why the videttes were posted farther ahead on the roads both West and North of his position. Buford's dismounted cavalry (labelled skirmishers in the game), on the other hand, fighting in skirmish mode were effective against the Confederate infantry as they were armed with Spencer repeating rifles.

I have just started playing the game and am overall very happy with it. I have noted that the infantry divisions and cavalry regiments have skirmishers and videttes gathered as separate units which can act independently of their parent unit. This is more akin to Napoleonic times when the light companies of the various regiments would be gathered together into a "light battalion". I cannot recall any instances in my reading where skirmishers were sent far afield from their base unit to circle around enemy forces like might have happened with the light battalions of old. It may make for a more interesting game, but to me such actions by skirmishers are not realistic to the Battle of Gettysburg. In the Civil War generally the skirmishers came from a company or two selected at random which was sent 100 to 300 yards or so in front of the base unit when such a unit was stationary. These were not special companies. Their role was mostly one of harassing the enemy forces. When the enemy forces advanced, they would retreat back to their base unit. When their main unit advanced they would stay put and absorb back into the unit when it reached them and then join the advance. The companies of skirmishers would spread out in front of the base unit and take pot shots at the opposing troops. Since they were "hiding" in many cases in brush where available they were harder to hit. On the other hand, the damage they inflicted on the opposing forces was also minimal. It was more psychological than anything else. Yes, the skirmishers did inflict casualties, but not in any significant amount. Instead their major impact was to reduce the effectiveness of the fire of the unit which they were firing at. Thus, an infantry brigade or artillery battery under skirmish fire ought to be less effective and inflict less casualties than a unit not under such fire. Thus, to me it would be more realistic if instead of having separate skirmish units each brigade when stationary would send out a few soldiers (maybe 10%) in front as skirmishers which would act appropriately based on the brigade's actions and the actions of the enemy. However, that would require a major change in the game. Those are my thoughts at least. Karle