1862 Trent War Strategy Guide
by Ryan O’Shea
Table of Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................2
Reference Maps & Abbreviations.........................................................................................3
If You’ve Played Strategic Command Before…..................................................................6
Victory Conditions and Fighting Spirit.................................................................................8
Goals for 1862....................................................................................................................10
Diplomatic Rules................................................................................................................11
European Diplomacy and Intervention...............................................................................14
Mexico................................................................................................................................18
The Southern Blockade.......................................................................................................22
General Union Strategy......................................................................................................25
General Confederate Strategy.............................................................................................30
Other Strategy Tips & Game Notes....................................................................................33
Decision Events – Rule Variants.........................................................................................35
Other Decision Events........................................................................................................36
Fighting Spirit Event Values...............................................................................................42
European Mobilization City Locations...............................................................................47
Strategic Advice Popups.....................................................................................................48
Introduction
In November 1861, the USS San Jacinto intercepted the British mail ship RMS Trent,
which was carrying two Confederate diplomats as it sailed for Europe, sparking perhaps the
most serious diplomatic incident in the Civil War.
The Confederacy’s leaders knew that their best hope of victory lay in formal diplomatic
recognition by a European great power. Great Britain was the subject of their greatest
interest, with the British already having fought two wars with the United States, and
American jingoism during the Oregon dispute of the 1840s still cast a long (if fading) shadow
over their diplomatic relations. Trent was that opportunity they had been waiting for: British
honor had been insulted, and Lord Palmerston’s government was now demanding an apology
and the release of the diplomats.
Historically, after a tense diplomatic standoff lasting almost two months, the crisis was
resolved by President Lincoln releasing the captured diplomats, while refusing to apologize
for the incident, which Palmerston and his government found to be satisfactory.
What if things happened differently?
1862 Trent War allows you to play out an alternate history of the American Civil War, in
which the Trent incident explodes into war at the beginning of 1862.
Faced with the threat of British soldiers operating out of Canada, Lincoln orders
thousands of troops to be diverted from the upcoming Mississippi River campaign, sending
them to Vermont where they will be joined by new volunteers to form the Army of the North
under General Henry Halleck. Currently encamped less than sixty miles from Montreal, it
remains to be seen whether this army will herald the beginning of an invasion of Canada, or
whether the Union’s focus will remain the defeat of the Confederacy.
The British too find themselves engaged in a war for which they are not fully prepared.
Just 5,000 regular British troops (plus a similar number of poorly-trained Canadian militia)
held the colony at the outset of the crisis, while an invading American force could easily
reach ten times that number. Facing war, Palmerston has ordered a great reinforcement of
regulars, placed under the command of Sir William Codrington, a distinguished veteran of the
Crimean War. At the end of February, these new units have arrived in Quebec City, although
even 50,000 of Her Majesty’s finest may not be sufficient for what is sure to be a long and
bloody conflict with the United States.
Reference Maps & Abbreviations
United States of America
AL Alabama
AK Alaska
AZ Arizona1
AR Arkansas
CA California
CO Colorado
CT Connecticut
DE Delaware
DC District of Columbia
FL
Florida
GA Georgia
HI
Hawaii
ID
Idaho
IL
IN
Indiana
IA
Iowa
KS Kansas
KY Kentucky
LA Louisiana
ME Maine
MD Maryland
MA Massachusetts
MI Michigan
MN Minnesota
MS Mississippi
MO Missouri
MT Montana
NE Nebraska
NV Nevada
NH New Hampshire
NJ
NM New Mexico
NY New York
ND North Dakota
OH Ohio
OR Oregon
PA
Pennsylvania
SC South Carolina
SD
South Dakota3
TN Tennessee
TX Texas
UT Utah
VT Vermont
VA Virginia
WA Washington (state)
WV West Virginia
WI Wisconsin
WY Wyoming
New Jersey
NC North Carolina
OK Oklahoma
RI
2
Rhode Island
Illinois
1
During the period of the Civil War, the present-day states of Arizona and New Mexico were part of one territory, the
New Mexico Territory, and are marked as such on the map. All settlements shown on the map are a part of the modern New
Mexico state.
2
Oklahoma was known as the Indian Territory during the 1860s, and is marked as such on the map. All resources within
its boundaries are marked with the ‘OK’ state code.
3
Until 1889, both North and South Dakota were part of one territory, the Dakota Territory. All settlements shown on the
map within the territorial borders are part of modern South Dakota, and have been marked with the ‘SD’ state code.
Mexico
AG Aguascalientes
BA Baja California
CS
Chiapas
CH Chihuahua
CU Coahuila
CL
Colima
DF Distrito Federal
DG Durango
GT Guanajuato
GR Guerrero
JA Jalisco
MX Mexico
MH Michoacan
NL Nuevo Leon
OA Oaxaca
PU Puebla
QT Queretaro
SL
San Luis Potosi
SI
SO Sonora
TB
Tabasco
TM Tamaulipas
TL Tlaxcala
VE Veracruz
YU Yucatan
ZA Zacatecas
Sinaloa
Other
BH Bahamas
BE
Belize
BM Bermuda
CB Cuba
DR
Dominican Republic
1
GU Guatemala
HA Haiti
HBC HBC Trading Posts
JM
Jamaica
LE
NB
New Brunswick
NS
Nova Scotia
PR
Puerto Rico
QC Quebec
Lesser Antilles
ON Ontario2
1
HBC refers to the Hudson’s Bay Company, which controlled much of Canada until 1870.
Ontario and Quebec are referred to on the map by their old names, ‘Upper Canada’ and ‘Lower Canada’ respectively.
The modern state codes are used for all non-HBC settlements.
2
If You’ve Played Strategic Command Before…
To better reflect the different realities of warfare in the 19th century as opposed to the
20th, a number of basic game rules have been altered in American Civil War from previous
entries in the Strategic Command series. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and will not
cover any mechanics new to the series in American Civil War, it should provide a quick
summary for veterans of the series.
 Land spotting is now 1 for most infantry units
(was 2)
It is strongly recommended that cavalry or balloons, or
infantry equipped with the Scouts upgrade, are included in
your army when you attempt offensive operations.
 Newly purchased units can only be deployed at
cities, major cities, and capitals.
The American Civil War map has fewer railroads and
will only allow you to deploy units near the large cities.
Make sure you plan ahead!
 Prepared Attack bonus is now 40% for all units
(was 25 or 30%)
If your unit is adjacent to an enemy, and you attack
without first moving, your units will enjoy a greater
“prepared attack” bonus. Equally, in American Civil War it
is much more dangerous for your units to end their turn adjacent to an enemy.
 Hidden Attack bonus is now 15% for all units (was 25%)
The combat bonus applied to units when they “ambush” an enemy has been reduced
somewhat. This does not mean that proper reconnaissance should be neglected!
 HQs with no upgrades can now attach units up to 3 hexes away (was 5)
This can be increased with investment in Field Telegraph technology.
 HQs with rating 8 or above now increase the Prepared Attack bonus of units they
command by +10%
These extremely skilled commanders will have an orange highlight, and their on-map
name label will be written in yellow, to help you distinguish them from other HQs. HQ
ratings can be improved with Leadership technology.
 Retreat chances have been greatly increased, up to 75% for units on open
ground, 50% in towns, and 30% for larger cities.
Requirements for triggering a retreat remain the same as in previous titles: a unit will
retreat if it is damaged to below strength 5, and has zero entrenchment.
 Maximum entrenchment in most terrain has been reduced.
In American Civil War, the limit is 2 for clear, forest, hills, towns, cities and capitals; 3 in
mountains; 4 in high mountains; 6 in fortresses; 8 in major fortresses. Defensive bonuses for
units in towns, cities and capitals have also been reduced.

Rail Movement (formerly “Operational Movement”) now costs 20% of a unit’s
MPP cost (was 10%)
This can be reduced with investment into Logistics technology.
 Artillery now targets units in Resources
Civil War battles were rarely fought within the urban limits of cities, so there will be a
100% chance of hitting a unit in a resource (though not necessarily a guarantee of damaging
it), for all types of artillery units. Siege Artillery, specifically designed to attack units in large
fortifications, also receives a +1 de-entrenchment bonus when it targets units in resources.
 HQs can no longer be rebuilt with defeated generals
When an HQ unit is destroyed, you will not be able to rebuild the same HQ unit that was
lost, as the commanding general is assumed to have died in battle (for instance, if the Jackson
HQ is destroyed, Stonewall will not appear in the purchase list). Another HQ unit may be
built under a new general’s command.
 Units now have 2 APs after disembarking from regular and amphibious
transports (was 1)
Moves made in the turn that the unit was unloaded will also be exempt from the usual
movement restrictions caused by difficult terrain. This will give you greater flexibility when
conducting amphibious campaigns, making control of the sea more important than ever!
Victory Conditions and Fighting Spirit
The campaign’s victory conditions are as follows:
Union Major Victory
Confederacy has surrendered or their Fighting Spirit is below 10%
Confederate Major Victory
Union has surrendered or their Fighting Spirit is below 10%
Otherwise, victory is determined based on territory controlled on December 30, 1865:
Union Minor Victory
Washington DC, (any three of Richmond VA, Charleston SC, Atlanta GA, Montgomery AL,
New Orleans LA)
Confederate Minor Victory
Any three of Richmond VA, Charleston SC, Atlanta GA, Montgomery AL, New Orleans LA
***
As indicated by the victory conditions, Fighting Spirit (“National Morale” in previous
Strategic Command games) will be vitally important in determining whether your campaign
ends in victory or defeat.
In American Civil War, there are seven significant ways in which Fighting Spirit is gained
or lost:
 When a unit suffers losses or is destroyed, Fighting Spirit will be lost by its owner (or
in the case of minor nations, the corresponding major nation), equal to the MPP value of the
lost strength points. For instance, if a Division (cost 300 MPPs) loses one strength point, its
owner will lose 30 Fighting Spirit points.
 At the end of every turn, if an enemy controls a resource belonging to a major nation
(except for Mexico), the occupier will gain some Fighting Spirit, while the owner of that
resource will lose an equal amount. Settlements are worth 2 points per turn, Towns 5,
Fortified Towns 10, Cities/Capitals 25 and Major Cities/Major Capitals 50. For instance, the
town of Alexandria VA is Confederate territory, but if it is occupied by the Union, the Union
will gain 5 FS points a turn, and the Confederacy will lose 5 FS points a turn, until the
Confederacy retakes the town.
 Some particularly important locations, such as Washington DC or Atlanta, are marked
with a label ‘FS Objective’. If captured, these locations will greatly decrease their former
owner’s Fighting Spirit (usually by between 2000-5000 points, although Richmond and other
key locations are worth as much as 20,000 points). Should these locations be recaptured,
their owners will receive a positive boost to their Fighting Spirit, usually worth 50% of the
loss they suffered when it fell. Furthermore, some of the more valuable FS Objectives will
also reward their conquerors with a Fighting Spirit bonus.
 Some decision events (for example, the Emancipation Proclamation) can impact
Fighting Spirit. These effects will be listed when you are presented with the Decision Event
(and are listed at the end of this strategy guide).
 If France or Spain enters the war, the Confederacy will receive a large increase in
Fighting Spirit and the Union a large decrease. The penalty for the Union is greatly increased
if the Union declares war on that European power.
 From May 30th, 1861, the Confederacy will receive 500 Fighting Spirit points each
turn that they hold Richmond.
 Every turn, the Union will lose 200 Fighting Spirit points representing the effects of
war weariness. Note that this will not apply to the Union AI on Intermediate difficulty and
above.
Owing to the huge distances that must be covered in order to capture all of the enemy’s
capitals, the Civil War is very likely to be a war of attrition, and in many cases it will be
better to focus on destroying the enemy army, with the capture of territory given only
secondary importance: the losses from a particularly bloody turn of combat can do as much
damage to the enemy’s Fighting Spirit in one turn as the occupation of a whole state would
over an entire year!
For the Confederate player, maintaining control of Richmond will be absolutely essential
to victory: the 500 points it provides each turn will offset some of the territorial losses you
are likely to face. Early in the game the bonus derived from Richmond will result in
Confederate Fighting Spirit reaching a level much higher than the Union will enjoy at the
same time (a peak at around 110% sometime in 1862 is not unusual), and this Fighting Spirit
‘buffer’ will be very important once the Union’s incredible industrial advantages mature in
the latter half of the conflict. Even as the larger Union armies begin to push deep into the
South, if you can inflict enough attrition the war can still be won outside the gates of Atlanta!
Preventing the Confederates from accumulating too much Fighting Spirit will be of
paramount importance for the Union: although the industrial disparity and greater manpower
of the Union makes it likely that you will have a tremendous military advantage over the
Confederates by 1864, if there have been no significant victories before then it is possible that
the public will have already grown too tired of the war to accept the casualties that those final
offensives will entail. Because the occupation of towns contributes to a change in Fighting
Spirit every turn, every location you are able to capture early in the game will, over the
course of the war, prove much more valuable in the long run than the capture of an even
greater area much later in the game.
Goals for 1862
The 1862 Trent War campaign begins in February 1862, with many of the war’s most
consequential decisions already made. You will begin the game with many investments
already made in technology, several units already in production, and many of the war’s
neutral powers having chosen a side. However, the hard work of your historical predecessors
will go to waste if you neglect your responsibilities as commander-in-chief, so we have
provided these general tips to ensure you continue on the right track:
Research
While the “correct” research path that you should follow will ultimately depend on your
overall strategy, four technologies in particular are extremely important and are deserving of
special mention. Note that in American Civil War, every technology can be invested in with a
maximum of two chits, and it is strongly recommended that areas of priority are given this
maximum investment.
Industrial Technology is arguably the most important technology in the entire game,
increasing the MPPs received from controlled resources in a nation’s home territory by 10%
per level. The Civil War will be a long war of attrition, and victory in the long run will
depend on your ability to keep armies intact in the field. The Union will receive a greater
increase in MPPs terms per level, owing to their larger industrial base, so research will allow
them to best exploit their greatest advantage. For the Confederacy, industrial technology is a
matter of survival: fall behind, and you will find yourself crushed under the weight of everlarger Union armies.
Infantry Equipment will allow you to improve the attack and defense stats of your
infantry, which are by far the most common units in the game. The impact of this technology
increases as more powerful units take the field, which they will do in increasing numbers
from 1862. Upgrades are worth +0.5 attack and defense to most infantry units, and +1 to
corps.
Corps Organization grants access to the most powerful unit in the game, the Corps.
Each level allows you to build an additional four Corps units, and increases the Action Point
(movement) limits of those Corps by one for every two levels researched. This represents the
ability to create larger formations with the extra doctrines, training, communications and
organization that forming Corps requires, especially in an army not used to operations on
such a large scale. While the Corps is unlikely to play a decisive role in the war before around
1863, a late-game army composed of several Corps will have an enormous advantage over
one using Divisions. Early and continual investment into Corps Organization is the only way
to ensure that your forces are prepared for those decisive late-game battles.
Production Technology reduces the cost of units by 5% per level (and as a result,
decreases your Fighting Spirit losses from casualties by the same amount). Over the course
of four years of war, this benefit will add up considerably. While the impact of production
technology is less decisive than the other three technologies listed above, we still strongly
advise early investment in this field to ensure its benefit is maximized.
Caution is advised when making research decisions. While the Union does have a great
advantage over the Confederacy owing to its larger research cap of 4000 MPPs (as opposed
to the Confederates’ 3000), and later in the game should make as much use of this as possible,
it is important not to invest so much in research early on at the expense of other priorities,
especially unit production.
Unit Builds
The Union and Confederate armies have swelled dramatically in the ten months following
Fort Sumter, but the war will not be won unless you make the maximum use of your available
manpower. For the best chance of victory, continually recruiting new units to replace those
lost in battle will be of the utmost importance.
The cornerstone of your armies at this stage in the war will be the infantry Division unit.
Compared with Brigades, Divisions have greatly increased offensive and defensive power,
and can be upgraded with 4 levels of Infantry Equipment (as opposed to a brigade’s 2),
meaning that over time the advantage they offer over Brigades will increase. Both the Union
and Confederacy are able to build more than two dozen Divisions, and throughout the whole
war it will always be a good idea to have as many as you can.
Later in the game, the more powerful Corps unit will take over the roles previously given
to Divisions, but these are not available in sufficient numbers in the early game to play
anything more than a supporting role. As soon as they become available to purchase, you
should aim to build as many Corps as possible to take full advantage of their great strength.
Your armies will also require units capable of long-range reconnaissance if they wish to
avoid repeated and costly ambushes. Cavalry is usually the best suited for this role, and can
be purchased as both a Brigade and Division-sized unit from the beginning of the game.
Alternatively, research into Experimental Balloons or Scouts will allow balloon and infantry
units to serve in this capacity as well.
If you wish to conduct the war at sea, production of Monitors and later Ironclads will be a
very good idea, especially if begun early. Ironclad warships are almost invulnerable to older
wooden-hulled ships, offering a tremendous combat advantage to the first side to use them.
With the exception of gunboats, which are exceptional convoy raiders and should thus be
built in large numbers by the Union, production of wooden warships such as Frigates is
generally not advised due to their imminent obsolescence. In the rivers, the distinction
between wooden and iron ships is far less pronounced, and river ships of all types offer a
low-cost and mobile option to support your armies in the West.
Diplomatic Rules
Indian Tribes
Native Americans, or “Indians” as the terminology of the day labeled them,
fought in considerable numbers on both sides of the war, both in their own units
and in Union and Confederate regiments. West of the Mississippi, where distinct
native units were more common, nine tribes can play their part in the war as minor nations.
Indian capitals provide their owners with the MPP value of a town instead of that of a
city, owing to the smaller populations of the tribes. As the Indians did not have their own
flags in this period, all tribes are represented by a plain orange banner.
The Five Tribes of the Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma): the Creek, Chickasaw,
Choctaw, Cherokee and Seminole, as well as the Navajo of western New Mexico are
already fighting on the side of the Confederacy at the time this campaign begins. The Osage
of Kansas are fighting on the side of the Union.
The Apache of southern New Mexico were hostile to both sides in the war, and will raid
the towns of New Mexico regardless of who controls their capital of Fort Bowie (in reality,
the Apaches had no ‘capital’ and lived nomadically, Fort Bowie was a Union fort built in
1862 to defend a nearby watering hole). With heavy diplomatic investment, they can be
brought into the war upon reaching 100% mobilization, and will contribute two Indian units
to that side.
If the Union player chooses to send the California Column via the southern route (YES to
DE 504), the Apaches will “surrender” to the Union in July 1862.
The Pueblo maintained peaceful relations with the American government after the
conclusion of the Mexican War, although they were in conflict with their Navajo neighbors.
Historically, they played no role in the Civil War and are thus likely to remain neutral, but can
join the war if they reach 100% mobilization.
If Union diplomacy has allowed the Pueblo to reach at least 35% mobilization in favor of
the Union, and the Navajo are in the war on the Confederate side, an event will push the
Pueblo a further 40-50% towards the Union.
Western Territories
During this period, a large part of the western United States was still sparsely
populated and played no significant role in the Civil War. These territories
(which had not yet become states) are represented by neutral “nations” that
cannot be occupied or invaded by either side due to the lack of sufficient infrastructure to
support the armies. Each will send a convoy representing the fledgling economies of these
regions to the Union, but will otherwise play no role in the game.
Throughout the 1860s, the borders of these territories were redrawn several times. For
clarity, the borders represented in the game are those from after 1868, which are identical to
modern state borders with the exceptions of a united Dakota Territory (which was divided
into two states in 1889), and a united New Mexico Territory (with the southern half marked
with the Confederate claim of “Arizona”. Modern Arizona state, representing the western
half of the united territory, would be almost entirely off-map).
California, which in game is assumed to include the contributions of the neighboring
state of Oregon as well, will contribute a large amount of MPPs to the Union each turn. This
convoy will continue to run as long as Spain does not enter the war, and the Confederates do
not capture Denver.
Idaho, Montana and Utah Territories will each have a gold rush sometime after 1862.
After each, they will send a moderate amount of MPPs to the Union each turn, provided the
Confederates do not capture Denver.
Kansas1, Wyoming, Dakota and Nebraska Territories will each send a small convoy to
the Union each turn.
1
Kansas was granted statehood in January 1861.
The Comanche, an Indian tribe that suffered huge population losses just before the Civil
War, are given control of the less developed parts of Western Texas where they and other
tribes lived. They function in a similar manner to the Western Territories, but have no MPP
value to either the Union or Confederacy.
External Powers
Should circumstances allow it, a number of
external powers can intervene in the United States’
Civil War.
France and Spain are extremely powerful European major nations that may enter the war
on the Confederate side, and the UK begins this campaign having already joined the war.
Further European entry will require a great amount of diplomatic effort, but will radically
alter the balance of the game if successful. Many different factors influence Europe’s entry,
and these are explained in detail in the next section of this strategy guide.
Mexico is a major nation that will enter the war on the Union side should
France intervene on behalf of the Confederacy. Mexico’s economy is weak, but
the Union can send aid to their ally via a convoy running from Denver to Paso del
Norte once the Confederates have been evicted from New Mexico.
The Mexican Empire is a minor nation that will join the war as a French
minor if France intervenes on the Confederate side. They represent the Frenchbacked Imperial faction of the Mexican civil war (or French intervention) that was
ongoing at this time, and are marginally more powerful than the Republic of
Mexico that they are seeking to overthrow. At the campaign’s beginning, the
Imperialists control only a small region of territory near Veracruz, however the borders of
Mexico and the Mexican Empire will periodically change to reflect the changes of territorial
control within Mexico.
Chile supplied the Union with nitrates throughout the war, represented by a
convoy route to Boston MA. They play no role in the game aside from this
convoy.
Haiti was a neutral nation that favored the Union. It is not possible to invest
diplomatic chits in Haiti, nor is it possible to declare war on them. They can,
however, enter the war on the Union side should Spain intervene on behalf of the
Confederates.
A convoy runs from Haiti to Newark, representing Haitian cotton sales to the
Union.
Cuba and the Dominican Republic are territories occupied by
Spain. Should Spain enter the war, partisans may rise up in these
territories. If their capitals are successfully liberated, convoys will
begin sending MPPs to the Union.
European Diplomacy and Intervention
Throughout the Civil War, President Lincoln was burdened by the constant worry that one
or more of the European Great Powers would extend diplomatic recognition to the
Confederacy, an act that would be tantamount to a declaration of war against the United
States. Great Britain, France and Spain were three of the world’s leading powers at this time,
and their intervention would have drastically altered the balance and likely outcome of the
Civil War.
Should one of the European powers enter the war, they offer tremendous benefits to the
Confederate player. All of their units are equipped with advanced technology and their
generals have proven their leadership credentials (unlike the Americans, Britain, France and
Spain all had large, professional armies, and the British and French have recently emerged
from the Crimean War!). Their navies are large, powerful and modern, worthy of the globespanning empires that they patrol and represent. If that wasn’t enough, the sheer industrial
might of a Great Power cannot be overstated.
British intervention is a central part of the 1862 Trent War campaign, with the British
beginning the campaign already an active nation on the Confederate side, however it remains
possible in this campaign for the Confederates to influence France or Spain to also join the
fight.
Sponsors
In the 1862 Trent War campaign, it is assumed that the UK was chosen as the
Confederacy’s “sponsor”, and as they have already entered the war, the Confederacy will
have no opportunity to receive “supply ships” that increase the mobilization of France or
Spain.
Furthermore, in this campaign the Confederacy will not benefit from the large MPP bonus
provided by ‘King Cotton’ sales, as there has only been a short time between the Union’s
announcement of a blockade and British entry in the war, meaning that the Confederacy
cannot benefit from the higher cotton prices experienced during the later years of the Civil
War as a result of the blockade.
Bringing Europe In
European mobilization can be increased by the following four factors:
 Distance of Union armies from Richmond
If there are no Union units within four hexes of Richmond, there will be a 15% chance
each turn of each European powers’ mobilization (note, not just your chosen sponsor)
increasing by 1%. This chance increases with each additional hex’s distance that Union
armies are from Richmond, up to a maximum of nine hexes (ie. the Potomac River).
One particularly effective way to increase this chance is to capture Fort Monroe, which is
located seven hexes away from Richmond.
This bonus also requires the Confederacy to hold Richmond.
 Distance of Union armies from Nashville
If there are no Union units within four hexes of Nashville, there will also be a 15%
chance each turn of each European powers’ mobilization increasing by 1%, a chance that
increases with distance up to a maximum of nine hexes.
This bonus also requires the Confederacy to hold Nashville.
 Diplomatic Investment
Traditional investment through the Diplomacy screen can be used to bring in European
powers much like any other nation in the game. Investing a diplomatic chit in a European
nation costs 200 MPPs, and will have a 3% chance each turn of increasing that nation’s
mobilization by 7-10%. If you wish to bring a European power into the war, it is strongly
recommended that you invest the maximum of five chits into that nation as soon as possible.
 European Recognition of the Confederacy
When a European power reaches 75% mobilization, they will recognize the Confederacy
as an independent nation. This will grant a one-time bonus 4-6% mobilization, as well as an
increase of 1-4% every turn from that point until their eventual entry into the war.
If that nation was chosen as the Confederacy’s sponsor, this is when the ‘King Cotton’
sales will begin, increasing the Confederacy’s income for the next ten turns.
Keeping Europe Out
The Union player has four effective ways to reduce European mobilisation:

Prevent Confederate Gains
In addition to bringing you closer to winning the war, opposing Confederate attempts to
increase European intervention is the surest guarantee that the Great Powers will stay out.
Strong advances against Richmond and Nashville aimed at bringing the front closer to these
valuable cities (or better yet, capturing them), enforcing the blockade and diplomatic
investment of your own will slow European mobilization to a standstill.
 Capture Large Cities and Ports
The capture of various locations will reduce the mobilization of all three European
powers by a considerable amount, from 5-10% for objectives of lesser importance to as much
as 30% for Richmond. With the exception of New Mexico, all fronts have a range of
locations that can impact European mobilization, including most City hexes, most ports and
several other locations of strategic or historical importance.
The cities that affect European mobilization are listed in the section ‘European
Mobilization City Locations’ at the end of this strategy guide.
 Emancipation Proclamation
This famous proclamation declaring all slaves in rebel-held territory free appears in the
game as the decision event DE 513, and if you say YES to the decision then European
mobilization will fall by 40-60%, enough to make their future entry almost impossible.
The Emancipation Proclamation will only be offered after September 1862, if there are no
Confederate units within five hexes of Washington DC.
 Emergency Diplomatic Mission
If a European power’s mobilization reaches 60%, the Union player will be offered a “last
chance” decision event that, if accepted, will reduce that power’s mobilization by 10-20% for
a one-time cost of 500 MPPs. Though the cost is steep, it will buy some much-needed time
for you to win the battlefield victories that will keep Europe out of the war.
In addition, the Union player is encouraged in the strongest possible terms not to declare
war on a European power, even if their eventual intervention looks inevitable. Union
Fighting Spirit will fall by 10,000 points when a Great Power enters the war, but this penalty
is doubled to 20,000 if it is the Union who strikes first.
Note that the General Garibaldi decision is not available to the Union player in this
campaign, as his initial overture to the Union government was rejected in June 1861.
Benefits of European Entry
When a European power enters the war, they will automatically receive a large and
experienced army, fully equipped with the most advanced technology available in the game:
 3 HQs

4 Corps

1 Engineer

6 Ironclads

2 Ships of the Line
 12 Frigates
They will also receive a large number of Brigades to garrison their various possessions in
North America, and more units are available for purchase upon their entry into the war.
Note that the initial forces available to the British at the beginning of 1862 Trent War are
somewhat fewer than those listed above, due to the hurried nature of British entry providing
less time to mobilize forces for service in America.
The majority of France’s units will deploy at Basse-Terre in the Lesser Antilles (hex
279,191), and Spain’s units will deploy on the island of Puerto Rico (246,181). If the British
enter the war, they will have the choice whether to deploy their armies to either Quebec City
(171,5) or the island of Jamaica (179,194). These locations will also serve as the possible
deployment locations for newly purchased units.
As the British may need to defend the Great Lakes from Union river warships, they can
also purchase up to two River Ironclads and six River Gunboats, however they will not
receive any of these immediately upon entering the war, due to the great difficulty involved in
towing those ships across the Atlantic.
Each European power also receives an income of approximately 350 MPPs a turn when
fully mobilized. Unlike previous Strategic Command games, they cannot benefit from some
of this income before entering the war, and will receive 0 MPPs at the end of each turn.
The European convoys seen in other campaigns will only operate in 1862 Trent War when
the European power in question has entered the war.
The European powers, while intended to be roughly equal in value to the Confederate
player, can also take advantage of some of their own unique bonuses and events to suit their
specific circumstances. Some of these include special decision events, such as a British
invasion of the Washington Territory (modern Washington state, which is not represented on
the main map) that offer their own rewards and risks, but three bonuses (one for each nation)
are offered as a reward to the Confederacy just for gaining an ally and outside recognition:
UK: Blockade Runners operating from the Bahamas will increase their MPP value.
France: The Mexican Empire will join as a French minor, and the income from its cities
will count towards France1.
Spain: The Union will no longer receive any income from the convoy coming from
California.
1
Mexico will also join as a pro-Union major power, however the balance of forces between the two Mexican nations
strongly favors the French/Imperialists, which can benefit from advanced technology.
While Europe is extremely powerful, the Great Powers are not omnipotent. Each has
their own Fighting Spirit bar, and if the Union is able to capture significant parts of their
American territories (ie Canada, Cuba, or other Caribbean colonies marked ‘FS Objective’),
it is possible to force them out of the war, something that will greatly improve the Union’s
Fighting Spirit. As France had only a small presence in North America at the time (limited to
some islands in the Lesser Antilles within the game’s map area), they cannot be completely
forced out of the war in this way, although Union forces occupying both Veracruz and BasseTerre would prevent new French units from being deployed.
While it may be tempting to use the Europeans’ powerful navies to launch an invasion of
the East Coast and capture Boston or New York, players are warned that the Union can spawn
considerable numbers of partisans if their core territory is occupied. While this should not
discourage an attempt to seize the large cities (an act that would greatly weaken the Union’s
Fighting Spirit), it is advised that you refrain from pushing too deeply inland: Europe cannot
afford to contribute the manpower that would be needed to occupy a vast part of the United
States. Remember that you are fighting for the South’s independence, not to conquer the
Union!
On that note, it is worth reiterating that the Victory Conditions of both sides make no
mention of the European powers. The Union will win if the Confederacy is conquered or
their Fighting Spirit falls below 10%, regardless of whether a European power is in the war or
not (if one is, it is assumed they simply make peace with the USA shortly afterwards). The
Confederacy will win if the Union’s Fighting Spirit falls below 10%, but this can be achieved
both with and without help from Europe. When planning your strategies involving Europe,
remember what you are fighting for, and handle the Great Powers in a way that will further
those goals.
Mexico
In a Strategic Command first, there is another war being fought on
the map at the same time as the Civil War in America. This is the
conflict most commonly known today as the Second Mexican
Intervention, which was fought between 1861-1867. As this conflict is
not as well known as the war in the United States, a brief history has
been included at the end of this section. People wishing to learn more
about the Intervention are encouraged to read Percy F. Martin’s 1914 account Maximilian in
Mexico, which can be found on the Internet Archive for free:
https://archive.org/details/maximilianinmexi00martuoft/mode/2up
At the beginning of the 1862 Trent War campaign, the French intervention has been
ongoing for around three months, and pro-French forces (represented by the Mexican Empire
faction, or ‘Imperialists’) control a small region of Mexican territory near the city of
Veracruz.
Historically, the ‘Empire’ was not created until the fall of Mexico City in 1863, before
which the territories controlled by the armies of the Intervention were merely occupied by
France and its allies. This has been ignored in the game for greater clarity.
Approximately once every three months, an event will fire that will adjust the borders of
the Mexican Republic and Empire to reflect the changing areas controlled by each party (note
that neither will ever take control of areas outside of Mexico’s initial territory). These events
will occur exactly as they did historically. In most games, both nations will be neutral, and
thus the events will have no impact on the game beyond the cosmetic changes in the
southernmost parts of the map.
That changes if, and only if, France reaches 100% mobilization and enters the war. When
France enters the war, the Mexican Empire will automatically join it on the Confederate side,
as a French minor (ie. French MPPs, not Confederate ones, are used to reinforce and purchase
its units), and Mexico will join the Union as a major nation. Both Mexican nations will
receive armies just like the French or any other nation entering the war, but unlike other
nations, these armies will be different depending on when they enter the war, based on the
historical situation at that time. If, for example, France reaches 100% mobilization in
February 1864, the forces that they (and Mexico, and the Mexican Empire) receive will be
different to what they would receive had they instead joined in May 1863. As a rule of
thumb, the later the French entry occurs, the more favorable the situation will be to France
and the Imperialists, and the more units both sides will receive.
Note: with the exception of some of the HQs, the French units listed above in the section
on European entry will NOT be affected by the situation in Mexico - the Imperial Mexican
units are a bonus for France!
Once France and Mexico are involved in the war, the events altering their borders every
three months will cease, and fighting there will play out as it does in any other scenario.
Unlike the other major powers, resources in Mexico (including those held by the Mexican
Empire) do not cause an increase or decrease in the Fighting Spirit of either side when
occupied. Furthermore, Mexican towns (again including Imperial towns) do not contribute
MPPs each turn - only cities and capitals.
Mexican Strategy
Mexico, like the European powers, has no direct bearing on the Victory Conditions, and
even the greatest victories there will not be worth much unless they are leveraged into
victories in the War Between the States. This means that Mexico will always be a sideshow,
but it is a sideshow that can have important impacts elsewhere.
First and foremost, Mexico is another front on which troops from both sides can inflict
attrition upon the other: every soldier lost there is a reduction in his side’s Fighting Spirit and
MPPs. Furthermore, units that fought in New Mexico can walk into the Mexican state of
Chihuahua and from there the rest of the country - it is even possible for Union forces, having
conquered El Paso, to march through Mexico and strike Texas from the west. Mexico’s ports
on the Gulf coast also provide opportunities for enforcing and challenging the Union
blockade of the South, expanding your options in this theater. France’s total defeat of the
Mexican Republic will also reduce the Union’s Fighting Spirit by 10000 points, a significant
loss in a theater that may never see a single Union soldier fight.
To prevent such a loss, the Union player can send up to 10% of their income to Mexico (it
may not sound much, but remember that Mexico’s economy is much smaller than the
Union’s!), via a convoy running from Denver to Paso del Norte on the Mexican-American
border. Furthermore, Mexico can conduct a limited amount of research to improve their
forces.
While the Civil War was being fought with division- and corps-sized formations, in
Mexico the most common unit of infantry was still the brigade. This means that every unit,
no matter how small, that you send to the Mexican theater is going to have a much greater
impact than that same unit would have in the United States: a single corps, while powerful,
isn’t likely to drastically impact the front in Virginia in 1864, but it has the power to shatter a
huge part of the Mexican army on its own if you send it there.
A Brief History of the Mexican Intervention
The later half of the 1850s had been a difficult time for Mexico. After the ousting of
dictatorial President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna in 1854, the new liberal government wrote
for the country a new constitution and began implementing a series of reforms that, among
other things, would weaken the power of both the church and the military over the state.
Members of the Conservative Party, opposed to these reforms, responded by using the army
to take over Mexico City in 1857, a move that sparked a civil war between the two factions
that spread across the entire country. The liberals, now led by President Benito Juarez, would
eventually recapture their capital at the end of 1860, but only after a bitter - and expensive struggle.
In receiving the surrenders of the Conservative leaders, Juarez had removed one threat to
his government (at least for the time being), but another problem loomed large on his mind:
Mexico’s debts to Great Britain, France and Spain. These had been incurred both before and
during the war, but with his country’s infrastructure and economy devastated by the war,
Juarez knew he would not be able to meet the creditors’ demands immediately. In July 1861
he announced a two-year suspension of payments. The three Europeans responded with a
meeting in London, in which they agreed to form a military expedition to seize Mexico’s
ports. If Juarez refused to pay, they would get their money by force.
Veracruz, Mexico’s largest port in the Gulf, was occupied in December 1861 by a
tripartite army under Spanish General Prim. After moving as far inland as the city of
Orizaba, Prim met with Juarez’ foreign minister, who explained the country’s difficult
financial situation and promised that the suspension of payments was only temporary. Britain
and Spain would withdraw their forces from Mexico within a few months without ever firing
a shot, and this explanation was one reason. The other reason, possibly the more important
one, was that it had become clear that France’s Emperor Napoleon III was seeking to conquer
Mexico for himself.
In March 1862, more than 6000 French troops landed in Veracruz, and in violation of the
terms agreed by the Europeans, began to push inland. The city of Puebla, two-thirds of the
way to Mexico City, was their first objective, and by the beginning of May they had reached
the city’s outskirts. The French commander, with his highly trained ‘zouave’ soldiers and
rumors of pro-French sympathies in Puebla’s garrison, was confident of an easy victory.
Instead he suffered a shocking defeat, and the French found themselves forced to retreat from
the city. The First Battle of Puebla remains an inspirational event for many Mexicans, who
celebrate it with the Cinco de Mayo holiday to this day.
Napoleon III, far from being deterred by the Mexican victory, sent 30,000 reinforcements
to Mexico, while his fleets began bombarding and then occupying Mexico’s other ports. In
December 1862, the reinforced French army expanded their control over the Veracruz area by
taking the town of Jalapa, and then followed up their victory with another march into the
interior. Puebla was again placed under siege in early 1863, and fell to the French a little
over a year after the first battle. With the defeat of the Mexican army, the road to Mexico
City was open, and the capital fell on June 7th, while Juarez was forced to flee to the north.
French Marshal Forey followed up his triumph by appointing the ‘Junta Superior’, who then
declared the formation of a Second Mexican Empire.
In the middle of 1863, the Empire had no Emperor, but that would soon change. As early
as 1859, the brother of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, Archduke Maximilian had been
approached by Mexican monarchists (who were aligned with the Conservatives) aiming to
make him their leader. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the house of Habsburg had ruled
Spain (and thus Mexico, then a Spanish colony), and with Franz Joseph on the throne it was
unlikely that Maximilian would ever rule Austria. He had turned them down then, and did so
again when Napoleon III approached him in 1861, but after years of persuasion Maximilian
finally agreed to take the crown of Mexico in October 1863.
Though Maximilian tried his best to be a good ruler, his reign was troubled from the
outset. The Conservatives, who had aligned with the French as they revived their struggle
with Juarez, were upset by Maximilian’s decision to maintain many of their opponents' liberal
reforms. Maximilian oversaw the organization of an Imperial Army, but it remained the
French forces who provided most of his military support, and Napoleon’s demands for
payment grew increasingly exorbitant (at one point, Napoleon demanded the mineral-rich
state of Sonora be annexed into France, a demand Maximilian admirably refused). Despite
the Emperor’s efforts to improve the fair collection of taxes within his territories, corruption
remained rampant and his reforms often served only to increase the opposition against him.
By 1864, the situation in Mexico might have reminded Napoleon III of his uncle’s
disastrous campaign in Spain fifty years earlier. Juarez’s liberal armies were scattered and
unable to do much more than defend their own states, while the President was forced to move
his government first to San Luis Potosi and then Chihuahua, but that did not mean that
Maximilian truly controlled the increasing swathe of Mexico that his armies had conquered.
His treasury, much to the frustration of Napoleon, was depleted, and liberal resistance to his
rule was increasing on both sides of the front lines. Yet despite reverses at Villa Hermosa and
Monterrey, in 1865 there was still little serious danger to Maximilian’s position. The French
continued to win victory after victory on the battlefield until they controlled the majority of
the country. In August 1865 the Imperial banner flew over Chihuahua city, forcing Juarez to
flee to the American border, and marked the furthest reach of France’s power in Mexico.
Then everything changed.
The United States had opposed the European intervention in Mexico from its beginning,
seeing it as a violation of the Monroe Doctrine. Until 1865 it had been consumed by its own
civil war, and had thus been unable to offer any meaningful support to Juarez, but with the
surrender of the Confederate armies, suddenly the balance of power had shifted. The Union
Army was more than half a million strong, outnumbering the forces backing Maximilian
more than 7:1, and had amassed large stocks of weapons and supplies. President Andrew
Johnson and his government began to talk more openly of intervention, knowing that
American support would be decisive. Already some of those weapons, no longer needed
against the Confederates, were being “lost” on the Mexican-American border, finding their
way to Juarez’ forces.
In early 1866, Napoleon saw that his war in Mexico had become a lost cause, and ordered
his army to begin withdrawing from the country. The effect was immediate: Chihuahua was
recaptured by the liberals in March and Juarez’ forces had reached Guadalajara by July.
Maximilian’s French government officials resigned from their posts late in the year, and
urged their Emperor to return to Europe with the last units of the Army. He refused, insisting
he would remain with his loyal supporters, and his forces were soon besieged in the city of
Queretaro. The city, and with it the Mexican Empire, fell on May 15, 1867.
Maximilian was captured, and soon sentenced to death. European officials pleaded that
the Emperor’s life be spared, but Juarez felt there was no other choice. Juarez personally
held Maximilian in high regard for his efforts to be a good governor of the Mexican people,
but only Maximilian’s execution would send the message to the world that Mexico would not
tolerate the imposition of a foreign ruler. His execution on June 19th marked the end of the
war, and his Conservative supporters, now defeated in two wars, found themselves
discredited. Juarez would rule as President until his death in 1872, with his later years being
seen as a sort of golden age of Mexican democracy.
The Southern Blockade
The Confederacy will receive hundreds of MPPs each turn - approximately 30% of its
total income - from the ‘blockade runners’. These small, fast ships carried no weapons and
burned the nearly-smokeless anthracite coal to reduce the chance of detection, while they
slipped out of Southern ports filled with cotton, and returned bringing arms, food and other
vital supplies.
In the game, the blockade runners are represented by eight convoy routes, running from
various British and Spanish possessions in the Caribbean to every major Confederate port
between Galveston TX and Elizabeth City NC. The MPPs they bring to the Confederacy will
be of vital importance to the South’s independence efforts, and the Confederate player should
make every possible effort to keep as many blockade runners in operation as possible. For
the Union, every blockade runner intercepted, and every port that is captured, will
significantly improve your chances of victory. Used properly, your navies can play a decisive
role in the game, so do not neglect them!
The most important part of a successful Union blockade will be the humble
Gunboat. These ships are cheap, and the Union is able to produce them in very
large numbers (and some have already been placed in your production queue).
To enforce the blockade, move them to hexes on or adjacent to the red lines
marking active Confederate convoy routes, and set them to ‘Raider’ mode. Gunboats are far
and away the best raiding ships in the game: a single turn of blockade duty by one will
typically see them reduce Confederate income by 10 MPPs, and this can be increased by
investing into Naval Tactics technology.
Note: a distinction should be made between the ‘Gunboat’ and ‘River Gunboat’. These
are functionally very similar ships, with one important difference: River Gunboats cannot
leave the rivers and enter coastal waters, and thus cannot be used on blockade duty.
Gunboats have two significant limitations. First, their small size prevents them from
entering waters far from the coast (typically, “coastal” waters extend four hexes from the
shoreline). If you wish to enforce the blockade further from Confederate ports (and coastal
defenses!), ocean-going ships such as Frigates, Ships of the Line, and Ironclads, will be
required. These ships will be less effective raiders than Gunboats are, but their ability to
serve on the high seas means that they cannot be targeted by Confederate coastal ships,
especially Monitors (unless of course, they are in coastal waters!).
Secondly, Gunboats are warships only in the broadest possible sense of the word. Unlike
Frigates and Ships of the Line, carrying dozens of cannon apiece, or the heavily armored
ironclads, Gunboats carry only a small gun and no armor. In the game, they have a maximum
strength of just 5, and limited offensive and defensive strength. If they are attacked by
anything heavier than themselves, they are almost certain to be destroyed. For this reason,
we strongly recommend you escort your Gunboats with larger ships such as Monitors.
The most effective blockade of all is one where it is impossible for the blockade runners
to operate in the first place, and the only way to achieve this is by using amphibious landings
to capture the ports that blockade runners operate from. Such landings are risky, and will
require the use of substantial forces to succeed, but the rewards for doing so are great: no
blockade runners will operate from a Union-occupied port, allowing your gunboats to
concentrate on the other routes, and the capture of a port will reduce the mobilization of the
European powers considerably!
In addition to Elizabeth City, whose blockade runner convoy has already been
permanently stopped by the Union’s capture of Fort Hatteras in August 1861, the port of
Savannah can also be shut down to blockade runners without being directly captured. If the
Fort Pulaski Defenses unit is destroyed (hex 142,109), DE 520 will be offered, which you can
say YES to to immediately capture Fort Pulaski. As long as a Union unit occupies Pulaski,
the port of Savannah will be reduced to zero supply, preventing blockade runners from using
it.
For the Confederate player, the naval aspect of the game will almost certainly be one of
reacting to the Union’s moves. The Confederacy does not have the industrial capabilities to
build as large a navy as the Union can afford, and is likely to have more pressing research
priorities, so the resources committed to the Navy should be used with one goal in mind:
keeping as many blockade runners operating for as long as possible. An offensive naval
strategy is unlikely to be profitable, for the Union is not vulnerable to naval blockade in the
same way that the Confederacy is, so resources should not be wasted on one.
The best use of Confederate resources is likely to be the production of Monitors. The
slow speed of monitors is not a problem for the Confederacy, for they will not be operating
far from their home ports, while they are heavily armored and practically invulnerable to
warships lighter than themselves. No unit is more cost-effective or better suited to the
destruction of Union gunboats, and this should be your aim.
Blockade Runner MPP Values
The following table lists the MPPs per turn provided by each blockade runner route by
default:
Destination Port
MPP
Destination Port
MPP
Galveston TX
20
Savannah GA
40+201
New Orleans LA
80
Charleston SC
50+201
Mobile AL
50
Wilmington NC
60
Elizabeth City NC
20
Jacksonville FL
1
50+20
1
These blockade runner routes will increase their total MPP output per turn steadily upon the entrance of the UK into
the war, up to a maximum of an additional 20.
When these locations are captured, or other conditions likely to interrupt the blockade
runner routes (such as the capture of Fort Pulaski) are met, some of the MPPs will begin
being carried via an alternative blockade runner route.
Additionally, each European power has a convoy that sends further MPPs to the
Confederacy depending on their mobilization level (provided each nation has entered the
war). These routes begin in the eastern Caribbean and end in Wilmington (UK route), New
Orleans (French route) and Charleston (Spanish route).
These routes can be set to vary the amount of MPPs sent, from 0% to 50% of each
nation’s income per turn (set to the maximum 50% by default). While it may be worthwhile
to reduce these convoys once a given nation enters the war (so that that nation has more
MPPs to use for its own forces), we do not recommend that you reduce these convoys while
they are still neutral, as neutral European powers will not receive any MPPs at the end of the
turn.
Note that when these convoys are set to the maximum 50% of income each turn, the
Confederacy will receive approximately 160*mobilization% MPPs from each convoy.
General Union Strategy
The Union’s greatest advantage in
the game is its large industrial base.
As long as strong investments in
Production and Industrial Technology
are maintained, the Union’s factories
will be able to produce more
weapons, ships and uniforms than
their Confederate counterparts, and
this gap will widen the longer the war goes on until your advantage is tremendous. As long
as the enemy’s losses are at least as heavy as your own, you will win a war of attrition.
While a war of attrition will help bring the Confederacy down, it is not your end goal.
Your objective as the Union is to defeat the Confederacy’s Fighting Spirit, and above all else
this will mean invading and conquering the Confederacy state by state. While it may seem
appealing to wait until your industrial advantage is overwhelming before launching your
attacks, the people, and especially the European Great Powers, will be less than impressed as
Southern independence looks more and more like a fait accompli. Every turn that they hold
Richmond, the Confederates will receive 500 points of Fighting Spirit, so the longer you wait
to invade, the harder your task will become in the long run.
Technological Strategy
The Union has a research cap of 4000 MPPs (the largest ever offered in a Strategic
Command game), and with its large industrial base, the Union has the opportunity to invest in
a wide range of technologies. This opportunity is something that you should definitely take
full advantage of, as in the long run it will mean that your troops are equipped with advanced
weapons where your opponent cannot afford to, but a word of caution is advised. While it is
true that you have an industrial advantage, in the first half of the game that advantage is not
so great as to tip the balance of the war all on its own. Investing too much in technology too
soon will leave you with too few troops to fight the war, and you may find yourself defeated
before those investments have the time they need to yield results.
As highlighted in the “Goals for 1862” section, your immediate research priorities should
be Infantry Equipment, Corps Organization, Production Technology and Industrial
Technology. Without them, your armies in the late game will find themselves outgunned and
possibly even outnumbered, so you are strongly encouraged to continue investing in all four
technologies throughout the entire game.
Beyond the essentials, the Union has many options, and the resources to invest in almost
all of them. While it is not the purpose of this strategy guide to outline the pros and cons of
every possible decision (the effects of each technology are outlined in the game’s manual, and
their value will often come down to the strategy you are pursuing), some technology
categories may be of particular interest to the Union player:
Skirmishers increase the demoralization stat of your infantry units, increasing their
power on the offensive. While less urgent than Infantry Equipment, this will be useful when
the time comes to invade the Confederacy.
Naval Weapons increases the offensive firepower of your warships (both ironclad and
wooden). While you will have a large numerical advantage over the Confederate Navy,
improving your naval guns will reduce losses (and thus the Fighting Spirit of your people) in
a way that more warships cannot.
Field Telegraph increases the range and unit attachment limits of your HQs, allowing
your armies to cover more ground while remaining in range of their supplies. This could
prove useful in allowing you to keep the initiative once a major Confederate army is broken.
Leadership is one of the few technologies where the Confederates begin with an
advantage. Union generals, especially before the arrival of Sherman and Sheridan later in the
war, tend to be less capable than their Confederate counterparts (even before the bonus
offered by Leadership), and investment here will even the field somewhat.
Naval Tactics, in addition to improving the morale of your warships, improves the
blockading ability of your raiding ships (especially gunboats!). A strong blockade will deny
your opponent hundreds of MPPs a turn, making this technology very valuable to the Union.
Amphibious Warfare increases the number of amphibious transports that may be loaded
at one time. While you begin the game with several (and three levels of technology), further
investment may be worthwhile if you intend to launch large-scale amphibious operations.
New Mexico
It would be easy to think of the war’s westernmost battlefields as something of a
distraction, with little bearing on the eventual result. Even the area’s largest settlements,
Santa Fe and Denver, only have populations of a few thousand each, and with the exceptions
of the copper mines in Arizona and the goldfields near Pike’s Peak, there are few resources
worth capturing. Despite this, the sparsely populated area on the eastern of the Rocky
Mountains should not be ignored.
The importance of New Mexico (which hereafter includes the Colorado Territory as well)
lies in its position between the West Coast and the East. A decade before the Civil War,
California experienced a massive gold rush that brought industry and workers to the state, but
California’s men and supplies will be of little use to the war effort unless they are brought
back East. As the game progresses, gold will also be discovered in the Utah, Montana and
Idaho Territories, and the income from these discoveries will be transported over the Western
Trails.
This income, which will eventually add up to around 200 MPPs per turn, is the true value
of New Mexico: as long as the territories are held, the convoys can operate safely. If Denver
falls, the convoys will cease: California will need its industry for home defense, and
prospectors will abandon the goldfields for less dangerous jobs away from the Confederate
armies.
At the beginning of the campaign, the Confederate invasion of New Mexico has advanced
deep into the territory, reaching as far north as Albuquerque, and the quick destruction of this
army should be one of your first priorities, to ensure that the transport of gold from the Utah
Territory is not interrupted. Fortunately, the outnumbered Confederate force is not supported
by an HQ while your forces are led by General Canby, meaning that you are likely to have
the advantage in the coming skirmishes.
The Confederates are not the only threat to your position in New Mexico: hostile Indian
tribes are likely to take advantage of the disruptions caused by the Civil War to increase their
own attacks. The Apache in the south are the most active, raiding throughout New Mexico
and reducing the supply of towns in their path (regardless of whether it is Union or
Confederate forces occupying them), and may strike at your armies as well. The Navajo are
also fighting on the side of your opponent, so it would be advisable to have a unit guarding
the forts near their encampment in the Canyon de Chelly, to prevent them linking up with the
Confederates.
In early 1862, you will be offered an important decision, allowing you to choose where to
send a group of Californian recruits (the so-called ‘California Column’). One option,
generally the recommended one, is to send them via a southern route to Fort Bowie. They
will force the local Apaches to surrender before deploying in the game (rendering any
diplomatic investment there wasted), but once they arrive they will be perfectly positioned to
outflank the Confederate forces in New Mexico. Alternatively, they can be sent to Denver,
and from there will be able to join your other forces as you prepare to march south.
Once you have gained the advantage over the Confederate forces in New Mexico, you
should press this advantage all the way to El Paso. Only by capturing the Confederate supply
base can you prevent enemy reinforcements from arriving, and put a permanent end to the
threat in the territories.
Trans-Mississippi Theater
Although it is unlikely that a decisive victory west of the Mississippi will be enough to
win the war on its own, the Union’s production advantage means that the more fronts you
fight on, the more you stretch the Confederacy’s resources and the greater your chances of
overall victory.
The fighting in Missouri, Arkansas and the Indian Territory will be characterized by the
limited options for deploying reinforcements faced by both sides. In addition to the camps of
friendly Indian tribes, the closest cities large enough for the deployment of new Union units
are Jefferson City and St Louis, which are likely to be several turns’ march from the
frontlines. With the exception of far-off San Antonio TX, the Confederates are limited to
deploying units in Little Rock, and it follows that the capital of Arkansas should be the
primary objective of a campaign west of the Mississippi.
Geography in this area is dominated by the Ozark Plateau, a large hilly region covering
much of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Sparse settlement and poor infrastructure
mean that any large-scale offensive into Arkansas will have to go around the Plateau, either
by an eastern route from Fort Davidson and Cairo towards the Arkansas Post, or a western
route through the Indian Territory and then Fort Smith. The eastern route offers the
possibility of using your warships in the Mississippi, and the river itself could even serve as
an invasion route for amphibious forces. A western invasion, meanwhile, will allow you to
defeat the Five Tribes of the Indian Territory, preventing the Confederacy from recruiting
local warriors there.
Beyond Little Rock, this theater offers many options for where to go next. An advance
down the Mississippi would be well advised to continue to Vicksburg, a formidable fortress
whose capture would have a drastic impact on the Fighting Spirit of both sides, and could
potentially march all the way down to New Orleans and the sea. Further west, Shreveport
and Fort Worth are both FS Objectives, and could herald the beginning of a full-scale march
into Texas.
Western Theater
The states of Kentucky and Tennessee occupy a key central position on the map. Well
served by railroads, three large rivers and many cities suitable for unit deployment, it is likely
that these states will be the scenes of some of the largest armies and greatest battles of the
war. The situation here often serves as a bellwether for the war as a whole, and a decisive
enough victory in the West may even cause the collapse of the Confederacy without the need
for a victory in the East.
As in Arkansas, your priority in Tennessee should be to secure the Confederacy’s cities,
Nashville and Memphis, preventing them from deploying new units in the immediate area.
Four Confederate fort defenses control entrance into the state’s three rivers, and these should
be destroyed quickly - as the game progresses, the Confederates are likely to upgrade their
forts with Fort Modernization, which will make their destruction much more difficult and
expensive. We recommend that you continue the construction of a river fleet, as river ships
are well suited to destroying these forts and can open the waterways as a potential route for
an amphibious invasion.
This campaign begins with Nashville recently captured, and this key city is well
positioned to be the starting point of an offensive to follow up Grant’s recent success. There
will be many directions in which you can press your victory: a drive down the Mississippi, a
campaign through Alabama to capture the Selma Arsenal and the old capital Montgomery, or
perhaps a march through Georgia to the sea?
Amphibious Possibilities
During the Civil War, the Union conducted no fewer than fifteen amphibious invasions,
striking everything from outposts on the islands of Cape Hatteras to the cities of New
Orleans, Mobile and Wilmington, as part of broader efforts to isolate the Confederacy from
outside support - the so-called ‘Anaconda Plan’.
Amphibious operations offer the Union great strategic flexibility, and should be
considered as soon as resources can be spared. Many coastal locations are defended only by
forts (at least before the Confederates have had the chance to reinforce them), which are
extremely vulnerable until they are upgraded with Fort Modernization technology. The
capture of the Confederacy’s ports can result in the fall of Confederate Fighting Spirit and a
decrease in European mobilization, as well as preventing blockade runners from using the
port. Opening additional fronts also allows you to stretch the Confederacy’s limited
manpower, something that your opponent can ill afford.
Perhaps the most attractive target for an amphibious operation would be the city of New
Orleans, which was historically captured in early 1862 in the beginning of a campaign that
resulted in total Union control of the Mississippi River. Three forts guard the approaches to
New Orleans: Fort Proctor, located to the east of the city; Fort Jackson (which also represents
the historical Fort St Philip), located near the mouth of the Mississippi River; and Fort St
John in the city itself. The former two can be easily destroyed by naval bombardment once
you have deployed a fleet in the Gulf, while the latter will require the landing of ground
forces, either via the river (as was done historically), or via an overland march following a
landing to the city’s east (the same route that was used by British forces in their unsuccessful
1815 attack). Forces for this invasion are already in place and await only the order to
disembark, however
If the Confederates have reinforced New Orleans, it may be worthwhile considering a
strike against the city’s levees (DE 523), flooding the city and forcing the defenders to flee or
drown. Doing so will result in a hefty Fighting Spirit penalty and will greatly reduce the
political benefits from the city’s capture, but it will all but guarantee a successful invasion provided you have troops ready to swiftly occupy the city. Flooding the city will require you
to begin a turn with a warship in hex 96,128 (the marked hex south of New Orleans) - this
will either be a gunboat that has entered the Mississippi from the Gulf of Mexico, or a river
ship, which can be moved into the Mississippi via the marked hex near New York.
Eastern Theater
Although it covers far less ground than the battlefields of the west, the Eastern Theater is
very likely to be the place where the war is won or lost. The two capitals of Washington and
Richmond are separated by just ten hexes, and the capture of either will dramatically shift the
balance of power, with the victor receiving a great boost to their Fighting Spirit, and the
vanquished an even greater loss.
The ultimate goal for a campaign in the Eastern Theater is the capture of Richmond, a city
unequaled in its value as an objective. Three routes to the city exist: approaching from the
west via the Shenandoah Valley, approaching from the North via Fredericksburg, and
approaching from the east, with a naval campaign along the James River.
A campaign in the Shenandoah Valley is likely to be the most difficult approach if your
goal is the capture of Richmond specifically, for the roads connecting Staunton and
Richmond pass through a heavily forested region and include few towns for supply (bringing
one, or preferably several, HQs will be a must!), but a campaign through the Valley can be its
own reward. The Shenandoah Valley is home to three mines, and their capture would deprive
the Confederacy of much needed income. The town of Staunton is a small but still valuable
Fighting Spirit objective, and of course every Confederate unit killed in the Valley is one that
cannot defend more vital objectives!
The central route is the most direct, envisioning a march through those ten hexes between
the capitals, but this directness also makes it the most obvious move to your opponent.
Despite the short distance, expect the space between Alexandria, Fredericksburg and
Richmond to be heavily defended (likely with fortifications), and for every hex gained to be
paid for in blood. Of course, with the Union’s production advantage, perhaps an expensive
war of attrition is your key to victory.
Two cities can serve as the starting points for an eastern offensive. Fort Monroe, already
under your control and protected by two fortifications, is likely to be the safer option, but the
shape of the terrain there may allow an offensive to be more easily contained by the
Confederates. Alternatively, a follow-up offensive beginning from Norfolk (and possibly
Elizabeth City as well) could offer a second route, although the many swamps and forests of
this region mean that such an offensive will be a risky endeavor.
Note that should Richmond prove too heavily defended, in the short term it may be a
better idea to seek the capture of the nearby city of Petersburg instead. All of the raw
materials that supply Richmond’s foundries and ironworks reach the city via the Petersburg
railroad, so the capture of Petersburg is sure to reduce the capital’s supply value. With
Petersburg under your control, Richmond’s capture will be only a matter of time.
General Confederate Strategy
The task of the Confederate player can be
compared to the efforts required to prevent a
dam from bursting. Unless you are blessed
with extremely good fortune, you will be
facing a foe who holds many advantages.
The Confederacy has a smaller industrial
base, and much of its income comes from
easily-intercepted blockade runners. Fewer
men are available to wear the gray than the blue, and oftentimes they will be less well
equipped as well. You have thousands of miles of borders, both land and sea, that require
defending, and a loss anywhere can easily spiral into a loss everywhere.
While this may sound daunting, remember that you do not need to conquer or defeat the
Union outright, only to prevent them from doing so to you. The conditions for victory are
merely to survive until the end of 1865, or inflict enough casualties on the Union that they
surrender sooner. Your Fighting Spirit will increase every turn that you hold Richmond,
while your opponent must conquer in order to maintain public support in the face of heavy
losses. If you can hold your borders, and stand like a stone wall, victory will be yours.
The Union’s Advantages
Taking the role of the defender means that you will likely spend much of the war reacting
to your opponent’s moves, and it is for this reason that we strongly recommend a Confederate
player read the previous section - on Union strategy - to best understand the Confederacy’s
priorities. The locations that the Union is encouraged to prioritize for capture - such as Little
Rock, Memphis, Nashville and Richmond - are the same locations that you should place the
greatest focus on defending, and for exactly the same reasons.
While your opponents’ geographic priorities will vary between games (and your
responses to them should match those priorities), the Union’s greatest advantage will not.
The Union has a marked advantage in industry, one that will only grow over time as new
research and Western gold rushes make their presence felt. Late in the game, this advantage
will become enormous, but in 1862 it is not yet overwhelming. The early years, when you
have the ability to meet the Union offensives on something approaching equal terms, are the
most important part of your game, for they are your best opportunity to prepare for the
coming onslaught.
As outlined near the beginning of this guide, Fighting Spirit is the ultimate measure of
victory in the Civil War. Now that Richmond has been named the capital of the Confederacy,
you will receive 500 FS points every turn that you hold it. Early in the game, when casualties
are low, this may result in a net increase in Confederate Fighting Spirit, or at the very least,
see it fall more slowly than the Union’s. The Union’s only reliable way to increase their
Fighting Spirit, and make up for their losses, is to conquer. The longer you can keep the
enemy armies as far north as possible, the more ground they will have to take, and the fewer
losses they will be able to afford before their Fighting Spirit collapses completely.
One of your greatest advantages is that ages-old strategy of the defender: the ambush. In
American Civil War (and unlike previous games in the series), un-upgraded infantry can only
spot units in the hexes directly adjacent to them, making them quite vulnerable to ambush.
For this reason, armies seeking to attack typically rely on their cavalry to spot their enemies,
and that makes cavalry an inviting target for your counter-attacks: destroy them, and you will
shatter your opponent’s offensive momentum.
Cavalry are also one of the few fields where the Confederacy holds a true advantage at
the start of the game, beginning with two levels of Cavalry Tactics, and JEB Stuart’s Cavalry
Division already deployed on the map. While the Confederacy has less need for offensive
actions compared to the Union, the ability to counter-attack is something you should not
neglect, and investment into Cavalry Equipment is advised if you wish to keep your
horsemen more advanced than their opposition. Cavalry Equipment will also allow you to
upgrade your Indian troops, which will strengthen your position west of the Mississippi and
potentially in New Mexico as well.
Technological Strategy
With an investment cap of just 3000 MPPs, one quarter less than the Union’s limit,
Confederate research will be on a tight budget. As you will not be able to compete with the
Union in a large number of research categories at once, it is important that you use your
limited resources carefully, both inside and outside the research screen: over-investing in
research, particularly at the beginning of the game, may seem appealing, but it will leave you
without enough units to take advantage of the new technologies that you develop.
The “four essentials” of Infantry Equipment, Corps Organization, Production
Technology and Industrial Technology are just as vital for the Confederacy as they are for
the Union, as they allow you to make the most basic upgrades to your most common units
(the infantry), and ensure you will have the funds you need to fight the war, but beyond them
the Confederacy has different priorities (fighting largely on the defensive as opposed to the
offensive), and will benefit more from different categories to the Union.
Cavalry Equipment allows the upgrade of your cavalry units, which as highlighted
above are one of the few fields in which the Confederacy begins with an advantage early in
the game. Investment here will allow you to prolong the period in which this advantage is
held.
Ironclads allows you to increase the defensive strength of your monitors and ironclads,
units which represent your most cost-effective answer to the Union blockade. Notably, this
technology will reduce the damage that your iron warships suffer, reducing the cost of
defending your coastline.
Fort Modernization is a cheap technology that allows you to significantly improve your
fortress Defenses, which defend many vital locations including several blockade runner ports.
Upgrading your Defenses to at least level 1 will significantly reduce the chance of
amphibious landings succeeding against these targets, making it important that you develop
this technology as soon as possible.
Experimental Submarines and Buoyancy Tanks improve your submarines. While
submarines are still very much an experimental technology in this time period, they are also
very cheap and can do considerable damage to unsuspecting Union ironclads. If the funds
can be spared, they may prove well worth the investment.
Logistics will greatly bring down the cost of rail movement, which at the beginning of the
game is very expensive, especially for the Confederacy. Investment here will give you more
flexibility with how you deploy and move your units, which will become increasingly
important as the Union gains strength.
Offensive Possibilities
Occasionally, the balance of power may shift sufficiently in your favor to allow you to
take the offensive. While the opportunities available to you at that time are highly dependent
on the situation in the game, four locations deserve mention as potential targets for
Confederate offensives.
Along the Ohio River, and further north in Indiana and Ohio, the Union has a number of
Fighting Spirit Objectives, whose capture would prove to be a rude shock to the public. Far
from your supply bases in Tennessee, it is unlikely that you would be able to march an entire
army across the river and deep into the northern states without first utterly annihilating the
Union forces there, and even more unlikely that you could remain there for long, but even a
short raid across the river can prove effective in weakening the Union’s Fighting Spirit. If the
opportunity presents itself, seize it!
In the Eastern Theater, two targets deserve attention. The first is Fort Monroe, at the end
of the Virginia Peninsula east of Richmond. Although it is well protected by fortifications
making it difficult to capture quickly, there are numerous benefits to doing so. First, like the
Ohio ports it acts as another Fighting Spirit Objective, bringing you slightly closer to final
victory, and unlike the Ohio ports, it will not be easily recaptured once the Union has a
chance to rebuild their forces. Its capture also denies the Union the option of an overland
offensive from the fort towards Richmond, and if you are able to retake Norfolk, also
prevents Union gunboats (and amphibious transports!) from entering the James River.
Finally, Fort Monroe is located seven hexes from Richmond, so its capture will greatly
increase the possibility of European entry, provided the Army of the Potomac is not having
too much success further north.
If the Army of the Potomac can be pushed all the way to, and over, its namesake river, it
may be possible to launch an offensive towards the most lucrative targets of all: Maryland,
Pennsylvania and Washington DC. The mere act of Invading the North (with at least five
units) will increase your sponsor’s mobilization by 7-10%, and as long as the invasion
continues the chance of further increases is quite substantial. Furthermore, the large cities of
Maryland and Pennsylvania are worth thousands of Fighting Spirit points each, and the
capture of any one of them will drastically improve your chances of overall victory. This is
an invasion fraught with risk, as you can expect the Union to commit every available resource
to the defense of their capital, but the glory and prestige of victory there will be unmatched
on any other battlefield!
Other Strategy Tips & Game Notes
Naval Tactics
This technology is particularly valuable to the Union (and a Confederate player seeking to
raid the Union’s convoy routes from South America), as it will increase the opponent’s MPP
penalty from the raiding of a convoy route. Ironclads and monitors will become 20% more
effective at raiding per level of Naval Tactics, Gunboats 25%, and wooden ships such as
Frigates 33%.
Resource Changes
Indian Capitals are worth only 0.25 MPPs per strength point, instead of the usual 1 MPP.
Mexican Towns (including those owned by the Mexican Empire) are worth 0 MPP per
strength point, instead of the usual 0.25 MPPs.
Only resources owned by the Union, Confederacy, the UK, France and Spain contribute
to Fighting Spirit counts. Occupying resources belonging to other nations, such as the Indian
tribes, will have no impact on the Fighting Spirit of either side, except where that resource is
a marked ‘FS Objective’.
Research of Major Powers
The UK, France and Spain all begin the game with very high levels of most technologies,
and cannot invest any MPPs into research.
Mexico has a research cap of 500 MPPs, with each research chit costing half what it
would for other nations, and it is limited to level 1 or 2 in most categories. Note that Mexico
may still invest up to two chits in all eligible research categories.
Storms
As warships of this era were less resilient to inclement weather compared to their 20thcentury counterparts, the destructive power of storms at sea has increased significantly
compared to previous Strategic Command titles. You have been warned!
The 1864 Election
The November 1864 Presidential Election between Abraham Lincoln and George
McClellan has been the subject of much discussion and debate in the last century and a half,
with some arguing that it (or at least, the capture of Atlanta two months earlier) represented
the last possible chance for a Confederate victory in the war. Although it is something of a
staple event in Civil War games, we have ultimately chosen not to include it in Strategic
Command: American Civil War, although it is still mentioned in a popup event. There are
two reasons for this decision.
The first, and by far the most important, is how it would be implemented in the game if it
were to be added. Including the election would require the creation of a system to measure
the Union public’s perception of the war’s progress (using the assumption that this is the
driving factor behind Lincoln’s election), and a success or failure check on the November
1864 turn. A system such as this already exists, in the form of Fighting Spirit (or National
Morale, as it was formerly known), and creating a second system would likely be redundant
or even confusing. If we were to instead use Fighting Spirit itself as the deciding factor (by
setting a value that the Union must be above in order to re-elect Lincoln), then the Union’s
Victory Condition becomes “have more than X by 1864, and more than Y by 1865”. Chances
are, if the Union is able to meet the earlier condition, they will also meet the later one. If it is
not, that means the game is close (and thus more exciting), and we would not want it cut short
for the sake of what amounts to an arbitrary deadline. Because we want there to be the
possibility of the game extending into 1865 (if for no other reason than that’s how long the
actual war lasted), including the election does not really fit with the rest of the game
mechanics.
The second reason relates to the candidates, and the way politics operated in the United
States at the time. Although the election is typically characterized in the form of “if Lincoln
loses, the Democrats seek peace”, this logic is questionable. Although members of the
Democratic Party were opposed to the war’s continuation, this was not a unanimously held
position among the party’s ranks. McClellan himself was one of the so-called “War
Democrats”, and there are grounds to believe he may have continued the war in spite of his
party’s wishes had he been elected. Furthermore, following the March 1865 inauguration of
the new President, Congress (which had the final say in the negotiation of peace) did not sit
until December 4th - one turn before the end of the game. Had events in the war played out
differently, one or more of these events may have changed, but if that is the case then the
argument for the election’s inclusion also breaks down - if circumstances are so bad for the
Union that a “Copperhead”, or Peace Democrat, is able to defeat Lincoln, then it follows that
the Union’s Fighting Spirit has also fallen so low that the game will be lost anyway, in which
case the November 1864 deadline becomes irrelevant.
In short, there is no compelling reason for the election’s inclusion as a game mechanic
that is not already served by existing systems, and too little historical foundation to
necessitate its implementation. We believe the game is more fun without the election playing
a major role, even if the historical events themselves are very interesting.
Decision Events – Rule Variants
The 1862 Trent War campaign includes six special Decision Events allowing you to
enable or disable certain sets of events with a single click. These can be found and
enabled/disabled when setting up your game by going to Advanced -> Decisions -> Scripts,
and are found at the top of the first page.
DE 1000: Disable to Play Without European Entry
While we believe that the inclusion of European powers makes this game more
interesting (and is thus the default game rule), some players would prefer to have a pure war
of North vs South. Disabling this decision event will turn off all events related to European
entry, including the war in Mexico, European convoys to the Confederacy, “King Cotton” and
its associated mobilization conditions.
If this Decision is left enabled, all events related to Europe will fire as normal.
Note that this decision, if disabled, will not affect the British in any way. If you wish to
play the campaign beginning in 1862 without British involvement, we suggest you play the
1862 Scott’s Great Snake campaign.
DE 1001: Disable to Play Without Partisans
When certain areas of the map are occupied but left without a garrison, partisan units may
appear from time to time. If this Decision is disabled, no partisan units will ever appear, nor
will “bushwhacker” events cause damage to resources in Missouri and Kentucky.
For game balance, disabling this Decision will result in the Union instead having their
income reduced by 10 MPPs per turn when they occupy certain Confederate-owned locations
where partisans would typically spawn, up to a maximum of 130 MPPs a turn, to simulate the
cost of units that would garrison these regions in a normal game.
DE 1002: Disable to Hide All Historical Popups (American Civil War Events)
Occasionally popup messages will inform you of historical events occurring during the
1861-65 period. Disabling this Decision will mean that you will not see such messages
relating specifically to events that have some relevance to the Civil War (for instance, the
retirement of General Winfield Scott).
This decision has no direct impact on gameplay.
DE 1003: Disable to Hide All Historical Popups (Other Events)
Occasionally popup messages will inform you of historical events occurring during the
1861-65 period. Disabling this Decision will mean that you will not see such messages
relating specifically to events that occur outside the area of the game map (for instance, the
opening of London’s Westminster Bridge in 1862).
This decision has no direct impact on gameplay.
DE 1004: Disable to Remove All Strategic Advice Popups
Occasionally popup messages will provide strategic advice relevant to the present
situation in the game, for instance suggesting that the Confederate player begin an invasion of
New Mexico Territory. Disabling this Decision means that you will not see those ‘Strategic
Advice’ popup events (although it will not hide any messages that provide information about
events in the game, such as the arrival of a European supply ship that increases European
mobilization).
This decision has no direct impact on gameplay.
DE 1005: Disable to Hide Diplomatic Warning Popups
When the mobilization value of a European power reaches 30%, and then every 10%
threshold thereafter, a short message will appear in the game informing you of this, in the
form “British Mobilization Reaches 30%”. Disabling this Decision means these popups will
be hidden.
This decision has no direct impact on gameplay.
Other Decision Events
This list includes every decision event that will appear as a message inside the game,
requiring the choice of either the YES or NO option. Unlike the ‘rule variants’ listed above,
the game has not been designed in such a way as to accommodate the disabling of some of
these events, so while it is possible to disable them, we strongly recommend you do not do
so. (This is especially true for Decision events with numbers less than 100, or above 1012,
which are essential for the correct operation of other game events).
Confederacy
DE 106: Build the “Land Merrimac”?
Event Fires: On or after March 20, 1862, if there is at least one Union unit
within three hexes of Richmond VA.
Cost of Accepting: 150 MPPs for the next two turns.
YES: A Railroad Battery unit deploys in Richmond VA.
NO: Nothing.
DE 108: Raid the Arizona Silver Mines?
Event Fires: On or after September 1, 1862, if Fort Bowie NM and El Paso TX are
controlled by the Confederates.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: Receive 40 MPPs for the next five turns.
NO: Two Rangers units, at strength 5, deploy in Fort Bowie NM.
DE 112: Admit Maryland to the Confederacy?
Event Fires: On or after January 1, 1862, if Hagerstown MD, Frederick MD, Washington
DC, Annapolis MD and Baltimore MD are controlled by the Confederates.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: The Confederacy will annex the state of Maryland and the Virginian Eastern Shore.
Confederate Fighting Spirit will increase by 8000 points, while Union Fighting Spirit falls by
8000 points. The Union receives three Divisions in Philadelphia PA.
NO: Nothing.
DE 113: Continue the Partisan Ranger Act?
Event Fires: On or after January 1, 1863, if there are at least two Union units within
(seven hexes of 153,78) or (seven hexes of 151,83) or (eleven hexes of 137,94) or (nine hexes
of 115,106), and DE 1001 was not disabled.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: A number of additional partisan hexes in the Deep South will be able to spawn
units. Confederate Fighting Spirit will fall by 50 points every turn for the rest of the game.
NO: Nothing.
DE 114: Admit Kansas to the Confederacy?
Event Fires: On or after January 1, 1862, if every Union-owned resource in Kansas is
controlled by the Confederates.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: The Confederacy will annex the state of Kansas (with the exceptions of Osage and
neutral hexes). Confederate Fighting Spirit will increase by 2000 points. The Union receives
three Rangers units in Omaha NE. Union units within twenty hexes of Fort Garland CO will
suffer a one-time 25-40% loss of morale.
DE 115: Invest in Civilian Goods?
Event Fires: If Confederate Fighting Spirit has fallen below 50%.
Cost of Accepting: 100 MPPs a turn until the end of the game.
YES: Confederate Fighting Spirit increases by 200 points every turn for the rest of the
game.
NO: Nothing.
DE 116: Invest in Civilian Goods?
Event Fires: If Confederate Fighting Spirit has fallen below 25%.
Cost of Accepting: 100 MPPs a turn until the end of the game.
YES: Confederate Fighting Spirit increases by 200 points every turn for the rest of the
game.
NO: Nothing.
DE 117: Declare War on Mexico?
Event Fires: If Mexico is in the war.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: Confederacy and Mexico will be at war with each other.
NO: Nothing. Confederate forces will be unable to enter Mexican territory.
DE 124: Raise Texas Volunteers?
Event Fires: If there is a Union unit within fourteen hexes of Austin TX, eight hexes of
Laredo TX or twelve hexes of Fairfield TX.
Cost of Accepting: 150 MPPs for two turns.
YES: Confederacy will receive the Magruder HQ and an infantry Brigade in Austin TX, a
Cavalry Brigade in Houston TX and Fort Worth TX, and a Rangers unit in Nacogdoches TX.
NO: Nothing.
DE 125: Pass the Tithe Act?
Event Fires: On or after April 24, 1863, if Confederate Fighting Spirit is below 85%.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: Confederacy will receive 150 MPPs each turn until the end of the game.
Confederate Fighting Spirit will immediately fall by 5000 points.
NO: Nothing.
UK
DE 202: Attempt to Capture the Pacific Northwest?
Event Fires: 20% chance each turn if the UK is in the war.
Cost of Accepting: 100 MPPs for four turns.
YES: 50% chance that the Union will lose 6000 Fighting Spirit points (with a 25%
chance each turn of being informed whether this check has been successful or unsuccessful).
NO: Nothing.
France
DE 301: Should France Annex Sonora?
Event Fires: On or after November 15, 1864, if France and the Mexican
Empire are in the war on the Confederate side, and Mexico City DF is
controlled by the Confederates.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: France receives 100 MPPs each turn until the end of the game. Union Fighting
Spirit increases by 3000 points. Sonora is annexed into France (although visible, this has no
practical effect in game).
NO: Nothing.
Spain
DE 401: Should Spain Declare War on Haiti?
Event Fires: On or after March 1, 1862, if Spain is in the war on the
Confederate side, and the Union said NO to DE 512.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: Haiti enters the war on the Union side. Their army consists of one HQ and four
Brigades.
NO: Nothing.
Union
DE 504: Send California Column to New Mexico or Denver?
Event Fires: On December 12, 1861, if Denver CO is controlled by the
Union.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: The effect of this depends on the status of Fort Bowie NM on July 15, 1862. If Fort
Bowie NM is controlled by the Union on that date, the California Column (Carleton HQ, 2
Brigades and 1 Cavalry Brigade) will deploy there on that date. If Fort Bowie NM, and the
Apaches, are not in the war, the Apaches will surrender to the Union and the California
Column will deploy in Fort Bowie NM. If Fort Bowie NM is controlled by the Confederates,
the California Column will deploy in Denver on January 1, 1863.
NO: The California Column will deploy in Denver on October 1, 1862.
DE 506: Raise Ohio/Indiana Volunteers?
Event Fires: On or after January 1, 1862, if there is at least one Confederate unit within
thirteen hexes of 102,64 or ten hexes of 123,57.
Cost of Accepting: 50 MPPs for three turns.
YES: Union receives a Division, a Brigade and a Cavalry Brigade in Indianapolis IN, a
Brigade in Salem IL, and a Brigade in Chillicothe OH.
NO: Nothing.
DE 507: Raise Pennsylvanian Volunteers?
Event Fires: On or after January 1, 1862, if there is at least one Confederate unit within
nine hexes of Harrisburg PA.
Cost of Accepting: 50 MPPs for three turns.
YES: Union receives a Division, a Brigade and a Cavalry Brigade in Harrisburg PA, and
one Brigade in each of Lewistown PA, Bedford PA and Gettysburg PA.
NO: Nothing.
DE 510: Admit West Virginia as a State?
Event Fires: 10% chance each turn after May 13, 1862, if every town in West Virginia is
controlled by the Union and there are no Confederate units within ten hexes of 157,51.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: Union annexes West Virginia. Union Fighting Spirit increases by 3000 points.
Towns in West Virginia will suffer a one-off loss of 2-5 points of supply. Confederacy will
receive at least one Brigade, and up to two Brigades and one Cavalry Brigade (all at strength
8), in Staunton VA.
NO: Nothing.
DE 512: Should Haiti Enter the War?
Event Fires: 50% chance each turn after March 1, 1862, if Spain is in the war, and Haiti is
at least 10% pro-Union.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: Haiti will join the war on the Union side. Their army consists of one HQ and four
Brigades.
NO: No immediate effect. The Confederate player will be offered DE 401, allowing
Spain to declare war on Haiti.
DE 513: Issue the Emancipation Proclamation?
Event Fires: 25% chance each turn after September 1, 1862, if there are no Confederate
units within five hexes of Washington DC, neither the UK, France nor Spain have entered the
war.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing.
YES: Union Fighting Spirit will fall by 5000 points, and then increase by 125 points each
turn for the rest of the game. UK, France and Spain will all shift 40-60% towards the Union.
NO: Nothing.
DE 515: Send an Emergency Delegation to Paris?
Event Fires: If Washington DC is controlled by the Union, and French mobilization is
greater than 60% but they have not entered the war.
Cost of Accepting: 500 MPPs for one turn.
YES: France will shift 10-20% towards the Union.
NO: Nothing.
DE 516: Send an Emergency Delegation to Madrid?
Event Fires: If Washington DC is controlled by the Union, and Spanish mobilization is
greater than 60% but they have not entered the war.
Cost of Accepting: 500 MPPs for one turn.
YES: Spain will shift 10-20% towards the Union.
NO: Nothing.
DE 517: Support a Rebellion in Cuba?
Event Fires: On or after July 1, 1863, if Washington DC is controlled by the Union, Spain
is in the war, and Cuba is in the war on the Union side and has surrendered.
Cost of Accepting: 50 MPPs for one turn.
YES: A number of partisan hexes in Cuba will be able to spawn units.
NO: Nothing.
DE 518: Institute a Draft?
Event Fires: 20% chance each turn after March 1, 1862, if New York NY is controlled by
the Union, and Union Fighting Spirit is less than 90%.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: Union Fighting Spirit falls by 2500 points. Union receives a Division in each of
New York NY, Detroit MI, Chicago IL, Philadelphia PA. Each of those cities may also suffer
a draft riot (loss of 5-9 supply points) in subsequent turns.
NO: Nothing.
DE 520: Capture Fort Pulaski?
Event Fires: If Fort Pulaski GA is controlled by the Confederates, but no Confederate
units occupy the hex.
Cost of Accepting: 125 MPPs for two turns.
YES: Union annexes Fort Pulaski GA. A Brigade deploys in Fort Pulaski GA.
NO: Nothing.
DE 521: Invest in Civilian Goods?
Event Fires: If Union Fighting Spirit has fallen below 50%.
Cost of Accepting: 100 MPPs a turn until the end of the game.
YES: Union Fighting Spirit increases by 100 points every turn for the rest of the game.
NO: Nothing.
DE 522: Invest in Civilian Goods?
Event Fires: If Union Fighting Spirit has fallen below 25%.
Cost of Accepting: 100 MPPs a turn until the end of the game.
YES: Union Fighting Spirit increases by 100 points every turn for the rest of the game.
NO: Nothing.
DE 523: Destroy the New Orleans Levees?
Event Fires: If the Confederacy controls New Orleans LA, and there is a Union warship
unit in hex 96,128.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing.
YES: The city and port of New Orleans LA, and all Confederate units within one hex of
the city, will be extremely heavily damaged. Confederate Fighting Spirit increases by 10000
points. UK, France and Spain each shift 10-20% towards the Confederacy.
NO: Nothing
DE 524: Crack Down on Speculators?
Event Fires: 40% chance each turn after January 1, 1862, if the Union has a unit located
in either Nashville TN or Memphis TN.
Cost of Accepting: Nothing
YES: Union Fighting Spirit falls by 2000 points. UK, France and Spain each shift 5-12%
towards the Confederacy. The Confederacy will no longer receive Speculator Trade income
worth 40 MPPs each turn.
NO: The Confederacy will continue to receive Speculator Trade income worth 40 MPPs
each turn.
Mexico
DE 601: Sell Baja California to the Union?
Event Fires: On or after August 15, 1863, if France and Mexico are in the
war, and Denver is controlled by the Union.
Cost of Accepting: 150 MPPs for two turns (Union MPPs)
YES: Mexico receives 300 MPPs for two turns. Mexican Fighting Spirit falls by 4000
points.
NO: Nothing.
Fighting Spirit Event Values
Cities:
City
Annapolis MD
On First Capture
On Liberation
Union
Confederacy
Union
-5000
2500
2500
Confederacy
Arkansas Post AR
1000
Atlanta GA
5000
Augusta GA
2000
Austin TX
-5000
2500
-5000
2500
Baltimore MD
-5000
2500
Baton Rouge LA
1000
-5000
Boston MA
-10000
8000
Buffalo NY
-5000
2500
Cairo IL
-3000
1500
Charleston SC
2500
Chattanooga TN
2000
Cincinnati OH
-5000
Columbia SC
2500
Columbus OH
-5000
Corinth MS
1000
Culpeper VA
1000
Cumberland MD
-2000
Decatur AL
1000
Denver CO
-3000
Detroit MI
-5000
Dresden TN
1000
El Paso TX
2500
2500
5000
-2000
2500
2500
-5000
2500
2500
2000
1500
2500
-2000
1000
Erie PA
-5000
2500
Evansville IN
-3000
1500
Fayetteville AR
1000
Fort Leavenworth KS
-5000
2500
Fort Monroe VA
-3000
1500
Fort Smith AR
-2000
1000
Fort Worth TX
-2000
1000
-2000
1000
-2000
1000
Frederick MD
-2000
Fredericksburg VA
1000
Galveston TX
Gettysburg PA
-2000
Hagerstown MD
-2000
Harrisburg PA
-3000
3000
1500
Indianapolis IN
-5000
Jackson MS
1000
Knoxville TN
1500
Little Rock AR
2500
-5000
2500
1000
-5000
2500
Memphis TN
1500
-2000
1000
Meridian MS
1000
Milledgeville GA
2000
-5000
2500
-2000
2500
-5000
2500
Mobile AL
Montgomery AL
2500
Murfreesboro TN
1000
Nashville TN
2500
New Albany IN
-3000
New Orleans LA
5000
-2500
New York NY
-10000
8000
5000
Newark NJ
-10000
8000
5000
Norfolk VA
1500
5000
-500
1000
1000
Petersburg VA
2000
-2000
Philadelphia PA
-10000
8000
Pittsburgh PA
-5000
Providence RI
-10000
Quincy IL
-3000
Raleigh NC
2500
-5000
2500
Richmond VA
10000
-20000
5000
Rochester NY
-5000
San Antonio TX
5000
2500
8000
5000
1500
2500
-2000
1000
Santa Fe NM
-2000
2000
Shreveport LA
1000
-2000
Springfield MA
-10000
8000
Staunton VA
1000
-2000
1000
-3000
2500
Tallahassee FL
1000
1000
5000
Toledo OH
-5000
2500
Vicksburg MS
5000
-5000
Washington DC
-15000
10000
7500
Williamsburg VA
1000
Wilmington DE
-5000
2500
2500
2500
Union
UK
Union
UK
Halifax NS
-5000
2500
Hamilton ON
-3000
1500
Kingston JM
-5000
2500
Kingston ON
-5000
2500
-20000
10000
Nassau BH
-5000
2500
Ottawa ON
-5000
2500
Montreal QC
5000
Quebec QC
5000
-15000
7500
Toronto ON
2500
-5000
2500
Union
Spain
5000
-20000
5000
Puerto Principe CB
-5000
2500
San Juan PR
-5000
2500
Santiago de Cuba CB
-5000
2500
Santo Domingo DR
-5000
2500
Havana CB
Other FS Events:
Union
Admit West Virginia to the Union: 3000
Secession of Maryland: -8000
Emancipation Proclamation: -5000, then +125/turn
France Annexes Sonora: 3000
Union Draft: -2500
Crackdown on Speculators: -2000
France Enters the War: -10000
Spain Enters the War: -10000
Declaration of War Against France: -10000
Declaration of War Against Spain: -10000
UK Surrenders: 15000
France Surrenders: 15000
Spain Surrenders: 15000
Mexico Surrenders: -10000
Navajo Surrenders: 1000
British Capture Washington Territory: -6000
Confederates Occupy Washington: -500/turn
Consumer Goods Decision: +100/turn (x2 events)
Union
Spain
War Weariness: -200/turn (Does not apply to Union AI on Intermediate or above)
Veteran AI: +100/turn
Expert AI: +150/turn (in addition to the Veteran bonus)
Confederacy
Hold Richmond: +500/turn
Secession of Kansas: 2000
Secession of Maryland: 8000
Partisan Rangers Decision: -50/turn
Destruction of the New Orleans Levees: 10000
France Recognises the Confederacy: 2000
Spain Recognises the Confederacy: 2000
France Enters the War: 10000
Spain Enters the War: 10000
UK Surrenders: -15000
France Surrenders: -15000
Spain Surrenders: -15000
Mexico Surrenders: 3000
Consumer Goods Decision: +200/turn (x2 events)
Tithe Act/Agriculture Tax: -5000
Destruction of Fort St John (New Orleans): -7500
Destruction of the Mount Vernon Arsenal (Mobile): -3000
Destruction of the Charleston Citadel: -3000
Destruction of Fort Fisher (Wilmington): -2000
Destruction of Fort Blakeley: -1000
Veteran AI: +100/turn
Expert AI: +150/turn (in addition to the Veteran bonus)
France
Mexico Surrenders: 6000
Mexico
Sale of Baja California: -4000
Neutrality: -50/turn as long as Mexico is not in war (after December 1861)
European Mobilization City Locations
The capture of the following cities by Union forces will reduce the mobilization of all
three European powers (regardless of which nation is chosen as the Confederacy’s sponsor).
Note that these events will only take effect if the city in question is occupied by a Union
unit at the end of a turn.
City
Mobilization
City
Mobilization
Atlanta GA
5-11%
Montgomery AL
5-11%
Augusta GA
5-11%
New Orleans LA
20-30%
Charleston SC
10-20%
Norfolk VA
10-20%
Chattanooga TN
5-11%
Pensacola FL
5-11%
Fort Worth TX
5-11%
Raleigh NC
5-11%
Galveston TX
5-11%
Richmond VA
20-30%
Georgetown SC
5-11%
San Antonio TX
5-11%
Jacksonville FL
5-11%
Savannah GA
5-11%
Little Rock AR
5-11%
Shreveport LA
5-11%
Memphis TN
10-20%
Vicksburg MS
5-11%
Mobile AL
10-20%
Wilmington NC
5-11%
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