Gettysburg Released (not the Secret Project)

[PolarisGL]

This scenario begins on Day 2 of Gettysburg.

http://members.xoom.com/civpolaris/gettysburg.html

This is not the Secret Project; just wanted to release v1.0 before I leave for Egypt.

[Shaka Naldur]

men I lost the motivation to finish my scenario after I saw yours, it looks awesome

is ok if I borrowed a few ideas and graphics????

[BeBMan]

Looks great, to bad that I haven´t MGE...

[PolarisGL]

Shaka, I would think it would motivate you even more.

You can use any thing, just make sure to leave the "*" on the conversions (those took me hours to put into Civ2 format) and mention my name/website in the readme.txt.

Bernd, use the FW converter; not sure if it will work though.

A lot of people do not have MGE these days

All of my scenarios, including the secret project, are done in MGE, but perhaps if I have enough time, I can make it into FW.

[Prometeus]

To No-MGE USERS

Don't worry!!! I've read somewhere on Scenario League home page about a software... reversing MGE scenarios into FW ones!
Just try... perhaps this stuff works for good!!! Anyway, i've MGE on my PC .
[This message has been edited by Prometeus (edited June 26, 2000).]

[Cam]

I'd be the last one who wants to "burst anybody's balloon", but Angelo's converter only seems to work some of the time. One hic-up has been event size (or at least I'm lead to believe this) in that FW has allegedly a smaller capacity than MPGE - and as such events must at least comply with this more restricted limit. Scenario authors not using FW but MPGE instead (grrr) should be at least mindful of this.

[Leonidas]

PolarisGL:

I downloaded Gettysburg and played 5 turns last night (it took 2 hours!). Here are my initial impressions:

1) Awesome scenario! You have captured the feel and size of the historical battle.

2) The ranged artillery - terrific idea! Works very well.

3) Use of hills, towns, fortifications - are all well done and look good - authentic look and feel to them.

4) Your brilliant idea to take your units from Civil War Generals 2 was inspired! It gives the scenario a wonderful look.

5) It would make a very interesting multiplayer scenario, with 2 or 3 people handling each side.


Suggestions:

I realize this is only the first version - so what I say is not a criticism, but only suggestions for future improvement.

1) The AI did not use the ranged artillery even though I had many units within range (I played as the Union against the Confederates). Perhaps it might be best to set up this scenario as Captain Nemo did with Red Front? That is, have the human player take only one side (Confederates?) and tweak the AI (union) to make it very aggressive and tough - and get it to learn to use ranged artillery. Then, the scenario could be reversed (have the human player be the union, and the AI be the Confederates). Two scenarios in one!

2) As the Union I felt that I had too many units - I was literally killing 4 or 5
Confederates for every 1 Union unit I lost. At this rate (if both sides have equal forces), the Confederates just won't have many units left to sustain the attack. But this is the fault of a stupid AI, since many of my Union troops should have been destroyed by the Confederate ranged artillery.

3) In the game Civil War Generals 2 - the infantry had up to 6 movement points (depending on terrain) and the artillery was horse drawn. I'm wondering if the movement rates for infantry should be increased by one or two movement points, and have artillery horse drawn (so it also has 2-3 movement points). There are many units in this scenario, so to reduce player frustration, either have Union and Confederate forces already in place, or increase the movement rates.

Overall, a wonderful scenario! I hope this scenario will be the beginning of many historical battles that will be done for Civ II.


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Go tell the Spartans, passerby:
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.

[This message has been edited by Leonidas (edited June 26, 2000).]

[Shaka Naldur]

men, I CAN´T PLAY IT

it happens always the same, I have MGE but I can´t play it... it happened the same with Ansteig and Holy wars of Stefan, so I guess that...

it could be because the size of the events file?

it looks awesome, though
I´ll try with the convertor to FW and see if it works

thanks for letting me use the graphics

[Leonidas]

Shaka:

I have MGE and it works fine for me. Have you changed your original files in any way? Or added some mod files that you may have forgotten about? Also, is MGE different for European vs North American versions?

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Go tell the Spartans, passerby:
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.

[PolarisGL]

Leonidas, I hope your comments cause others to play it; I am at turn 27 as the Confederates, a quarter through Day 1. Basically, I have taken key Union positions and I am already driving to Cemetery Ridge.

I stop every time once I get my supply reinforcement (every 9 turns for Confederates, every 10 for Union).

I think in 2.0, I will take your suggestions and make two scenarios. I will also add a new unit; fortified infantry. You see, I made the unit fortified artillery by looking at troop maps. If artillery positions did not move from day 1 to day 2, in real life, I made them a unit called Fortified Artillery (which I forgot to literally fortify, but I did give them a defense of 8). I could do the same thing with infantry. I think I need to do the following:

Tone down the Scout defense
Infantry movement = 3
Artillery shell movement = 6-10 (which one?)
Artillery movement = 2
Scout movement = 3 w/Alpine

New Units:
Fortified Infantry
Officers (moving horse units)

As for the CWG 2 graphics: I love CWG 2. It is one of my favorite games of all time. So, I decided to use them. Unit placement alone took over 1 month, so why waste time on drawing units when I have great graphics open to me? On 2.0, I will most-likely draw my own Civil War units. Basically, I will do the same thing by bunching many of them into one unit and call it CSA/USA Infantry.

Leonidas, are you on an easier difficulty? On the hardest, as the Union, the Confederates charged me after the 5th turn on Culp's Hill. Eventually, my shelling took half their attack force out, but they still took one flag and one command post. West of Cemetery Ridge, they took a flag and command post, and burned tons of houses (I will also have a graphic with a burning house over the swamp graphic).

All units, every single one, is placed historically to the 2nd day of Gettysburg. I have a book with troop placements and I searched the Internet to further my knowledge of the battle; very interesting!

Leonidas, battles are excellent for Civilization II games. Multiplayer for this is a good reason to leave this scenario, and maybe have three scenarios in all: One for Confederates, one for Union, and one for multiplayer. I don't know if I can go through all that though.

As for artillery shells, I know the AI does not use them. If on Deity, the recommended difficulty level, they will, however, use their defensive artillery (6 defense) and their infantry very, very wisely. I actually had them bombard me on turn 11 after their supply freights arrived (I was Confederates, they were the Union).

Personally, I love playing as the CSA; more of a challenge.

Thank you for the comments!

[Leonidas]

PolarisGL:

The map is huge! I wasn't expecting such a detailed and large battle. Very nice.

You're right, it is probably best to play as the Confederates since the Union is "entrenched on the high ground."

Infantry movement = 3 (yes - sounds good)

Arty shell movement = 6 (I think any farther and the poor Confederates will be eliminated before they leave the starting gate!) By the way, how far can you make the arty shells move? More than 10 hexes?

Arty movement = 2 (sounds good)

Scout movement = 3 (yes)

CWG2 is one of my favourite games as well. You really have captured the flavour of that game as well as the battle.

I did play on the recommended level (hardest), but I think I blunted the Confederate attack by moving ALL of my arty shells to the front lines and just blasting the Rebels to bits.

The Confederates were definitely attacking, but with the infantry having only one movement point, they would move next to my union troops, and then I would blast them. With the increased infantry movement, the Confederates will now be able to move AND attack in the same turn (which I think is a necessary thing to have in this scenario - in order to give the Rebels any fighting chance at all).

Also, if you are going to do separate battles for Gettysburg, then may I suggest this: For example, if the human player takes the union side, then tweak the AI for the Confederates to be VERY aggressive (Captain Nemo was able to do this in Red Front). Also, is there a way to teach the AI to use ranged arty? Plus, give the attacking Confederate infantry a higher attack strength (because they will be confronting an entrenched union army). Finally, through events, maybe add more Confederate troops to the line, to really give the human player the fight of his life.

Excellent job. I will continue playing as the union side, and then I'll switch over as the Confederates , and I'll let you know as I progress.

Let me know when you make the next version, and I'll be happy to playtest it for you (maybe even write up some historical background to the battle itself?).

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Go tell the Spartans, passerby:
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.

[PolarisGL]

Leonidas, thank you, once again! This input is excellent.

Good ideas; I just may put them in. I think for the AI, I will give them artillery that can move 4-5 spaces and then make it attacking artillery or some thing like that.

Ah, Leonidas, this is indeed not the end for my line of battle scenarios.

I plan to do the following over a large span of time:
Antietam (already in work!)
Fredricksburg
Wilderness
The Atlanta Campaign (with the Union ships and every thing)

Pehraps only time for Antietam and Fredricksburg.

To playtest, you will have to contact me (I do not have your e-mail). And as for historical background, it would be great, although I might as well write some my self and we can combine it into one document.

Remember, I will be gone until July 5-6 starting tomorrow, so if you do not get a response, you know I am gone.

As for the map: Of course, and yes, the game is 200 turns, the 101th turn begins the 2nd day.

And as for events: my events.txt file is completely filled up! There is not enough memory to include other things. Although I am sure I can pull out some "dead wood" as writers call it.

Wow, on turn 29 as the Confederates, some difficult situations popped up:

1.) Apparently, the VI Corps from the Union reinforcements was not all destroyed yet. They have begun an operation to re-take Culp's Hill, which has already destroyed six of my infantry units (the bulk of my force is over by Meade's HQ fighting viciously).

2.) I had nine units stacked on the same hex on the road. Apparently, about ten Union infantry units snuck behind my lines and came down on the road and took all nine out!

3.) Heth's reinforcements were caught in a skirmish with some of Gibbon's II Corps (I believe; they are coming from the general Meade's HQ area) and it was very bloody. I won, but with nearly half of Heth's reinforcements destroyed! Now Longstreet's troops will be defending Big Round Top and Little Round Top by themselves as the rest of Heth's reinforcemetns head east to flank a Union force heading up near Early, Ewell, Rodes, O'Neal, Ramseur, Iverson, and Doles whose troops I have combined into a decent attack force.

Keep up with the excellent input!

[Fast_Eddie]

Thank god you guys are playtesting this scenario! I think I moved about 10 units and then gave up.

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[PolarisGL]

[Leonidas]

I am now into turn 13 as the union side. All is going well. I have received copious arty shells as reinforcements and will ship them to the front lines shortly.

I have blasted those poor Rebels almost into oblivion - but still they keep coming...

I am heavily reinforcing my center, the Round Tops sector, and I am currently advancing in four areas: 1) I am about to take one Rebel flag in the left center; 2) I am about to enter the Gettysburg town; 3) I am advancing upward on the far right with a strong union army which I am about to reinforce with elements holding Cemetary Ridge.

I almost forgot: What is morale used for? Can you buy anything with it? Is it used as part of determining victory?

Also, you included some very fine sounds, but I can't get them to work at all. I have MGE. All I get are the standard game sounds. Is there anything I need to do to make them work?

Keep up the excellent work.



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Go tell the Spartans, passerby:
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.