Battleplan: American Civil War
- July 4, 2014
- The Mustard Corporation
Get on SteamBattleplan: American Civil War is a real-time/turn-based strategy game set during the American Civil War. Command Union or Confederate troops in 10 historical battles, managing battle plans and troop supply in strategic warfare. Its fast-paced gameplay and adjustable difficulty make it suitable for both casual and experienced players.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Good strategic game with a lightweight design, making it easy to pick up and play in short sessions.
- The game features interesting mechanics like the messenger system for issuing orders, adding a layer of realism to the command structure.
- Offers a decent historical context with battles and unit details, appealing to fans of the American Civil War.
- The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including freezing, crashing, and unresponsive controls, making it frustrating to play.
- AI behavior is often poor, with units randomly retreating or failing to follow orders, which detracts from the strategic experience.
- The gameplay lacks depth, focusing more on capturing points rather than engaging in meaningful combat, leading to repetitive and shallow experiences.
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Battleplan: American Civil War" is characterized by its lightweight strategy mechanics and a focus on historical accuracy, though it suffers from minimalistic graphics. Players appreciate the depth provided by various combat mechanics, such as units occasionally refusing orders, which adds a layer of uncertainty. While the tutorials effectively introduce the game's systems, some mechanics, like artillery, require further refinement. Overall, the game offers a compact yet engaging wargaming experience.
“During gameplay, feedback is good.”
“+ includes a multitude of mechanics that showcase the uncertainty of combat; depending on various factors, for example, units can refuse orders, or delay their implementation.”
“All in all, Battleplan: American Civil War is a meaty pocket-sized wargame that trades graphics for depth of gameplay.”
“Lightweight strategy title with fairly simple mechanics.”
“Battleplan: American Civil War could get by with its minimalistic graphics if, upon closer inspection, it had some real depth in the gameplay by the way of ultra historically correct maps and commander and unit details.”
“The artillery mechanics need a lot of work.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Battleplan: American Civil War" are minimalistic and not graphically intensive, reflecting a boardgame style that prioritizes gameplay depth over visual fidelity. While some players appreciate the simplicity and ease of use, others may find the graphics lacking compared to more complex titles. Overall, the game is designed for wargaming enthusiasts who value strategic depth over high-end visuals.
“While this isn't the most graphical of games, it does reflect the 'board game' style of wargaming pretty well.”
“All in all, Battleplan: American Civil War is a meaty pocket-sized wargame that trades graphics for depth of gameplay.”
“It's not a high-end, graphics-intensive game.”
“The graphics are kind of bare bones, which is fine with me, and the interface is very simple and easy to use.”
“Battleplan: American Civil War could get by with its minimalistic graphics if, upon closer inspection, it had some real depth in the gameplay by the way of ultra historically correct maps and commander and unit details.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is reported to be relatively stable, with most users experiencing smooth performance and minimal bugs or crashes. While some minor glitches are noted, they are not considered game-breaking, contributing to a generally positive stability rating.
“The game is relatively bug-free, providing a smooth experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the game runs; it rarely crashes.”
“The overall stability of the game enhances my enjoyment.”
“Never loads or freezes. I've verified cache files and redownloaded it, but it has never worked.”
“Some glitches, but none are fatal. Overall, the game is historically accurate and challenging, though kind of short.”
“The game frequently crashes and is unplayable at times, making it frustrating to enjoy.”
- music2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is appreciated for its civil war themes, but players express a desire for a greater variety of civil war era tracks to enhance the strategic experience.
“The game features a great selection of civil war music that enhances the overall atmosphere.”
“Strategy is the name of this game; I just wish it had a wider variety of civil war era music playing in the background.”
“The music really immerses you in the historical context of the game.”
“Strategy is the name of this game; I just wish it had a variety of Civil War era music being played in the background.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is characterized as a straightforward mission list, lacking depth compared to more complex war games. However, it appeals to players seeking a simple and direct combat experience without intricate narrative elements.
“The campaign is really just a mission list that you play through.”
“I have plenty of more complex war games such as Combat Mission and Grigsby's Humongous War in the East, but sometimes I just want a short, no-nonsense battle, and this game fits the bill.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Replayability is limited due to the absence of multiplayer options and additional game modes, with most players finding the campaign the primary draw. However, the AI's varied battle plans provide some depth, allowing for a degree of replayability within the existing framework.
“No multiplayer, variance in objectives, or additional game modes; this does little to help increase replayability beyond the campaigns.”
“The AI has a number of battle plans that they use against you in any given battle, and while that is where the depth ends, it is still enough for replayability.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is criticized for being intrusive, as users report frequent and disruptive advertisements, particularly for historical books, which detracts from the overall experience.
“This game is frustratingly filled with ads, and it feels like I'm constantly bombarded with historical book advertisements.”
“The monetization strategy is so aggressive that it ruins the overall experience of the game.”
“I can't enjoy the game because every few minutes I'm interrupted by ads trying to sell me something.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is reported to be well-optimized, running smoothly without any noticeable bugs, glitches, or crashes.
“+ The game seems to run smoothly with no obvious bugs, glitches, or crashes.”
“+ The optimization is impressive, allowing for a seamless experience even on lower-end hardware.”
“+ I appreciate how well the game performs; it maintains a steady frame rate and quick load times.”
