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Reply to Trenton NJ

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: June 07, 2004
Author: Amazon User

My husband loves these games...but couldn't get them to work when we upgraded our computer. Go to www.firaxis.com, then choose DOWNLOADS at top of the page. There is a download for the civil war games to make them compatible to Windows XP. The Gettysburg game we still get an error message, but if you choose to run it from the Programs menu, it's fine. Good luck!

A Wonderful Historical Experience

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: July 05, 2001
Author: Amazon User

My great-great-great grandfather recieved his "baptism of fire" at Antietam, and I must say, it has been amazing playing this game. I was playing the Bloody Lane scenario when suddenly the disembodied voice said "Reinforcements are comin' up!". I saw Walker's NC Brigade marching through the woods. I placed the 46th NC, my ancestor's unit in it's historically correct spot, and commanded the brigade as it flanked the Yankees.

So you may not have had an ancestor in Antietam or Gettysburg, but you still can get the amazing feeling of being a part of something large and momentous.

The gameplay can be a little confusing, but so is war. The uniforms are so realistic, and the South Mountain scenarios are a nice (yet challenging) mini-game. I seriously reccommend this game to any civil war, history, war, or wargame buff!

I waste hours playing this game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: November 27, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The folks at E.A. outdid themselves when they did these games. Unlike a previous reveiwer, I think the terrain is very realistic. It is quite obvious when you are on an elevation (though it doesn't tell you your elevation), grass, orchard, forest, etc. The commanders' personalities are fairly accurate as far as the soldiers respond to them. Also accurate, are moral and rounting conditions. You CAN designate a specific unit to attack, when to retreat etc.

There are 2 things I found frustrating:

1) When the A.I. retreats for you. They do this during a rout... that is, they are totally demoralized and are running for their lives. NO amount of general-ing you can muster will give you control of your cowardly fleeing troops at that point. Just let them go, visit them often with a general and maybe they will recover.

2) Aside from the "Auto-Retreat" feature there is practically no A.I. I would like to see a regiment or brigade press an attack on its own. There could be a "Press the Attack" command and they would attack until haulted by stiff resistence.

On harderst levels this game is very hard but no so hard that is's no fun. I've been playing Gettysburg for years and still lose regularly.

I especially liked the "what if" scenario with Gen. Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson. All and all, a good action simulation game. (...) get it and you will not be sorry.

1/2... Relive the Civil War in your PC

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: July 08, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Ready your regiments, perch the artillery high up over those hills yonder... Sid Meier's "Civil War Collection" is a compilation of the series brought forth from the groundbreaking Sid Meier's "Gettysburg!". Esteemed programmer and game designer Sid Meier created a classic with "Gettysburg!" with it's historically accurate gameplay and fine graphics. Choose whether you will command the Union or Confederate armies to glory or infamy. Learn and experience what it's like to be a Civil War General: familiarize yourself with terrain, tactics, arms, uniforms, etc. You will learn how to deal and triumph with the ruminations of mid 19th-Century warfare, with all the intricacy of it's details and challenges.

"Gettysburg!" is broken down into different scenarios from the actual battle. The nice touch of the game is that the result of each scenario you play will affect the course of the battle. Want to better Marse Robert? Then you'll have to win each scenario or if not most of them. You'll get to witness being involved in historical encounters like Little Round Top, Culp's Hill, the Devil's Den, and many more. Playing Pickett's Charge is a delight, and will enlighten one even via computer screen the horror and heartbreak those valiant Southerners underwent. One can also have the choice of choosing the "Historical" version of the battle, which will accurately situate the battles as they actually occured; and the "Variant" option, which will randomly position units and scenarios across different areas of the battlefield, adding units or subtracting from those that actually participated, offering endless replayability for the gamer. One can also decide to play different scenarios from the battle alone and even choose the size of the contest one wants to play if the grognard doesn't feel like playing the entire battle. And with a competent AI who will parry your every move and exploit your slip should you falter, then you're all set. A nice tutorial will assist the beginner, while a good story of the battle with maps will inform the reader on how the battle actually occured historically.

"Gettysburg!" also includes videos of re-enactors portraying scenes from the end of a day of battle; if you had a good day, a festive group of talented thespians in historic garb will be feasting, relating the days successes by the fireside to joyful period music; if one's tactical faculties were a bit dulled, the result would be a group of moping men bemoaning the battle's unfortunate turn of events.

"South Mountain!" and "Antietam!" are from the same game engine, and will be immediately familiar to a veteran of "Gettysburg!". There are some differences, like the uniforms are more detailed, and for "Antietam!", one can play the entire battle in the same number of hours it happened historically. They also include the text of Ezra Carman's detailed and exhaustive narrative of the battles.

The downside of the series is it's age and the improvements needed, particularly for "South Mountain!" and "Antietam!". The graphics, as good as they are, creak with the passing of time. "South Mountain!" and "Antietam!" could use good AI co-management, for trying to control each and every unit in a large battlefield is like trying to grasp a handful of water in a shower. And the game needs a good revamp for ongoing computer changes, like the one for Windows XP and it's Service Pack 2.

Enjoyable, thrilling, frustrating, and challenging, the "Civil War Collection" is the best in the market. A landmark in gaming and RTS wargaming for PC, it has yet to be surpassed in the genre.

One of the best War between the states game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: June 18, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the greatest war games ever. The detail they put in the terrain and the regiments is incrdible. Both southern and northern armys has every regiment,brigade,division and corp in it. The regiments may not have 300 actual men in them but they are put to scale. The detail of this game is incredible. You can play all the small battles in the battle. So you can play Picketts charge at Gettysburg or you can play The Bloody Lane at Antietam. When I first got the game I did nothing for 2 days. I did not eat.all I did was sleep and go to the bathroom. Get this game.

How it all started

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 25
Date: July 04, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Sid Meier has but has name on some of the best games ever. These two games are now exception. Gettesburg started it all. Antietam took it a step further. In these two games you can change history as you bravely direct your troops. You can make them form a battle line, charge of fall back. Trap enimeny units as you flank them. These are to great games from a great game maker.

What I always wanted

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: September 11, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I wish I'd known about this earlier, but it's my fault for not reading the fanzines. As someone who dabbled in tabletop wargaming years ago I've spent a fair amount of money looking for a tactical simulation that isn't: (a) turn-based with gameplay as exciting as reading the phone book; (b) some weird fantasy scenario which frankly turns me off; (c) trivial to win once you learn a few tricks. This is it : eminently playable, faithful to historical detail, and so addictive you can lose a weekend without noticing or caring.

There are several dozen historical scenarios and endless randomized ones, all based around three meticulously researched Civil War encounters. Playing with the AI set to the top level and working hard I find I can win about half the time. On the other hand, it's always possible to lose control and go down to a crushing defeat. This can happen with the greatest ease, so you get an inkling of how some of those old generals felt.

I have only two criticisms/suggestions:

(1) As a budding Stonewall Jackson I don't want to have to do the job of every C.O. down to colonel; if you look away for a minute you can have regiments routed without knowing what happened. I would like to see the option of more initiative built in at unit level.

(2) It is a pity that such a superb battlefield engine has not, so far as I know, been developed into a full campaign game. That would be brilliant. Also, let's have some Napoleonic and seventeenth century settings (I know about the Waterloo spinoff and hope to try it).

Finally, a health warning: do not, repeat not, acquire this product unless you have a very, very understanding partner.

Great game from a great designer!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: February 10, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game because a review on this site said a patch allowed you to play it on windows xp. I found the patch and it workded so dont listen to the people who say it doesn't work on xp. Ok now to the game, the game is very fun and it lets you command either Federal of Confederate troops at the battle of Gettysburg Antietam and South Mountain. The games graphics are so so but the gameplay and sound more than make up for it. The sound is very good, it's great to hear bugle calls and fifes as the troops march. The gameplay is equally good it gives a complete feel of control over the entire field of battle, my only gripe is that I seem to have a problem with cowards in my army, every time I charge or double time a confederate position my troops scream and run in the other direction, this dosent always happen but it occurs more often than not. Sid Meier is very good at designing games and this game is a testament to his sucsess.

One Of The All-Time Greats

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: February 14, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Sid Meier's turned in a gem with Gettysburg (and the follow-up, Antietam). It's been about 7 years since this title was released, and I have yet to play another Civil War game that can come close to it. The AI in this game is among some of the most challenging you will ever face in any game. Moving through each scenario gives you a sense that the battle is has some significance, with each confrontation building towards defeat or victory. This appears to be one of the early 3d games as well, allowing hills, topography, and valleys to all play a key roll in determining who has the advantage. The graphics are not spectacular -- though they were when it was released. It's a decent sounding game, although some of the actors that do the audio lay it on a little thick at times (but I sort of like that for a game). Ok, I'm done gushing.
Don't forget to the compatibility patch available on the firaxis website, modern operating systems will not work without it (like XP, 2000, Me).

Amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 11
Date: January 09, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I am 13 years old and when I first played this game I found the civil war a neat thing to learn about. Now, every spare moment I have I am playing Gettysburg. You learn the history of the civil war like the landmarks, leaders, and you still get to enjoy the excitement of a real time war game. From the bugle calls to the reinforcements, anyone and everyone is sure to love this game.

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