Expansion Pack / Civil War

[IsItStillThere]

I just had a fun thought after playing some land battles...US Civil War expansion pack...that would be awesome!!!

Seems like the battle engine would work well without much change. How many others might be interested?

And naval battles would be really wild...ironclads anyone?

[Rufus]

I'm guessing the expansion pack would be Napoleonic-themed, maybe also with more theaters available and (of course) an extended timeline.

The American Civil War would lend itself very well to a mission-based mini-campaign like Road to Independence, however, if they wanted to include that.

Episode 1: 1861 - Raising up armies, early battles like Bull Run, setting up/evading naval blockade, establishing early diplomatic contacts with Britain, France, etc.
Episode 2: 1862-1864 - Eastern Theater: If you're the USA, protect Washington, D.C. and keep the rebels busy in Virginia. If you're the CSA, push into Maryland and Pennsylvania and take DC, bringing in British or French support.
Episode 3: 1862-1864 - Western Theater: If you're the USA, take Vicksburg and close off the Mississippi; conquer Tennessee. If you're the CSA, use the Royal Navy's or French Navy's help to sink the Union blockade and keep the Federals busy protecting PA and NY while you push them out of Kentucky.
Episode 4: 1864-1865 - End Game: If you're the USA, force the South to submit with a scorched-earth policy in the West and Deep South and wearing them down in Virginia, eventually taking Richmond. If you're the CSA, force the Union to sue for peace after taking control of the Ohio River Valley and the Union blockade of the South is followed by a British or French blockade of the North.

[IsItStillThere]

I agree, Napoleonic seems the most likely first expansion...but I hope CA doesnt let that cloud them to other possibilities. There are a lot of civil war buffs out there who would love it.

You are right, the mission based campaign would seem a logical way to go. But I can also see it working in the style of a grand campaign, with just a more limited map (divided into territories by state), and well defined victory conditions (North-capture richmond and/or force surrender of major southern armies, South-force political solution either by holding out long enough or by capturing washington dc). The north would have an advantage in naval force, industry, and trade. The south would have better unit morale, better generals, and advantage of being on defensive (choosing terrain on which to fight, etc.).

In many ways, it would be a "cleaner" game. Many elements currently in the campaign would play no role (no point in fitting in diplomacy, religion, etc.).

[Rufus]

Definitely disagree about excluding diplomacy. If the British or French had come in supporting the South, history could have been far different.

[Quintus.JC]

CA could make an empire expansion similar to kingdoms, focusing on many different areas perhaps?

The Napoleonic era is one I'd like to see the most. The opportunity to take charge of one of the most brilliant general of all time is an offer that few could refuse, also the opposing alliance of British and Prussia also had its own share of talents, not minding some of the supreme generals the Russians were producing during that time, and that Austrian slimy Metternich... Yes, CA really can't turn down that offer.

The US Civil war has been talked about a lot as a possible expansion, the time era certainly would generates a lot of interestes from fans. For all its worth there would definitely be enough factions to make it a action-packed game, a worthy idea for the expansion indeed.

The other area that generates some interest could go round Asia, India is a possibility, a campaign circled around India would certainly remind me of the America: Campaign. With the British replacing the Spaniards and Mughals replacing the Aztecs. Other Europeans could drop in also, the idea seems ok, although the Americas expasion definitely wasn't my favourite of the kingdoms pack.

[Noncommunist]

Definitely disagree about excluding diplomacy. If the British or French had come in supporting the South, history could have been far different.

Should Mexico also be included as the Franco-Mexican war was happening at the same time? So then there could be five factions.

[IsItStillThere]

Definitely disagree about excluding diplomacy. If the British or French had come in supporting the South, history could have been far different.

Of course it would have been, but it wouldn't make for a very challenging game, would it?

The compelling thing about the civil war was the two sides, although they were very different, were so evenly matched at the start. In other words, the outcome could have gone either way. So the game is challenging regardless of the side you choose. Bring a foreign power in on one side or the other and the situation is completely unbalanced.

[Grapeshot]

Mmm, Monitors...

I wouldn't mind a 17th century prequel. There's already some 17th century style units at the beginning of the campaigns. You may need to rebalance pike-musket-cavalry but it could be done with minimum changes under the bonnet.

Now back to RtI. I've got to capture Quebec.

[Rhyfelwyr]

I would be happy if the expansion didn't even have any new campaigns, but instead just some new map/trade theatres. If the gameplay was extended until say 1837, which was the beginning of the Victorian era, that way new land theatres could be added for Southern Africa and Eastern Asia, with perhaps a new trade theatre around the Red Sea.

[Bob the Insane]

I would be happy if the expansion didn't even have any new campaigns, but instead just some new map/trade theatres. If the gameplay was extended until say 1837, which was the beginning of the Victorian era, that way new land theatres could be added for Southern Africa and Eastern Asia, with perhaps a new trade theatre around the Red Sea.

Sounds good, they could even go up to the end of the 19th century as there would no real revolutions in miltary tech until the great war... Just more powerful and efficient version of what they had (artillery, rifles and such). You could even open up Africa for colonization...

The US was busy moving west, and had the how civil war thing.... Europe was full of conflict...

I like...

(I also think the 17th century shot & pike idea was good too, but I think we will see that from modders)...

[Graphic]

I have to vote for a Kingdoms-style expansion too.

Napoleonic Wars - Think Alexander: Conquer X in Y turns.

U.S. Civil War - I'm thinking very zoomed in on the eastern half of the modern U.S., but still quite large in terms of actual space to move on map, with lots of territories. This one would be very tactical and less strategic since most of the cities will be highly developed, and you wont be doing a whole lot of teching within such a short time period. The turns could be set to just around a month, that'd come out to almost 50 turns. It would be a fast and furious campaign with lots, and lots of action. Oh, and GATLING GUNS!

Mexican War of Independence - I'm not an expert on this but it seems like it'd be fun. Pretty long conflict, plenty of guerilla warfare AFAIK.

Meiji Restoration? - Could be very interesting, a campaign focused more on nation management than constant fighting. Would have to modernize while trying to contain disgruntled Samurai.

China? - What going on in China during the Empire period and beyond when it came to colonialism and warfare?

Oh, and one thing I'd love for them to include in the vanilla Grand Campaign, AFRICA! It's a huge black hole, Africa not being there in a game about colonialism. I can see why they didn't get around to it, the game took forever to make as it is, but an expansion would be a perfect opportunity to complete the picture.

So many more possibilities, it makes me excited just daydreaming.

[Incongruous]

The Sun King's Ambition! So many wars and so many enemies, from the end of the Thirty Years War to the end of The War of Spanish Succession, in fact a Thirty Years War would be a good expansion, interesting time in terms of politics, millitary advancement and may also add more justification to the Religious aspect of ETW.

[NimitsTexan]

Texas War for Independence! Alamo TW!

[Necceh]

Hoping for a Bonnie themed era, i know its the most obvious but the guy just totally sums up this era for me.

[Dayve]

I'd say Napoleon. The only people who really want an American civil war are Americans, whereas the whole world finds Napoleon fascinating. Same with the English civil wars, nobody cares about them but the English.

In general, of course.

[yankeefan05]

The Civil War Expansion would be a great idea. Definetly the most action (sadly) of any other ideas that would be considered for an expansion for ETW. Im sure there will be mod packs for other great ideas.

[Lord of the Isles]

Hoping for a Bonnie themed era, i know its the most obvious but the guy just totally sums up this era for me.

Bonnie & Clyde weren't born till the 20th century; seems a little late for an expansion.

[Guillaume le Batard]

Thirty Years War or English Civil War would get my vote. The ACW and Napoleonic wars were just so huge in scale, I'm not sure that TW could do them justice, scale-wise, imho.

[Subedei]

Yes, the Thirty Years War would be very interesting. Mercenaries, pikes, a couple of canons/ guns....and the apocalyptic riders all over Europe!
Yet, I don not know if CA would go back in time though...

[Tsavong]

I would be happy if the expansion didn't even have any new campaigns, but instead just some new map/trade theatres. If the gameplay was extended until say 1837, which was the beginning of the Victorian era, that way new land theatres could be added for Southern Africa and Eastern Asia, with perhaps a new trade theatre around the Red Sea.

Yeah sounds good maby seting it up so you can play from 1700 to 1837 and haveing the opction jumping in at the late 1700s at the start of the Napoleonic wars.

anyway i only got the game yesterday so more intrested in that now than any posable addon.

[Grumfoss]

I would love to play the American Civil War especially the naval battles. However I do think that the Naval AI would have to be improved as a lot of the battles were on rivers and enclosed waters and I could see formations of ships getting grounded. also there would be a lot of ramming done as many of the ships of this period were designed to either have a large rams or Spar torpedoes ( basically a large explosive charge on the end of a stick which was dropped under the water and detonated just before the boat was rammed)

It would be cool tho.

I'm from the UK and would love to play this time frame.

[Meneldil]

Honestly, Civil War is pretty much unknown outside of the US. I'm not sure CA would release an civil war-only based expansion.

Furthermore, it would only allow 2 main factions, with possibly a few more (France, Britain, Mexico, though neither of them had a really big impact). If an expansion taking place in the Americas was to be released, it would have to not only focuse on the Civil-War, but also on the Republic of Texas, on Mexico, and on the independence of Southern American States (Bolivar is obviously an interesting character who deserves to appear).

On the other hand, the Napoleonic Wars offer an interesting setting, pretty much known by everyone. And though most of the fighting took place in Europe, the US fought in the 1812 war.
Moreover, a Napoleonic era would probably require a lot of cool new options, like setting your brother as monarch of another country, or offering 'national ideas' a la EUIII.

I could settle with any of these (though I'd prefer a Napoleonic era one, as a frenchman), but I'd rather not have a Kingdoms-like expansion. At the end of the day, most new campaigns were watered down, with only a few factions, and were far frow challenging.