About This Game Gettysburg: The Tide Turns is a hex-based wargame set in one of the most decisive and iconic battles of the Civil War. 150 years ago, brave soldiers fought across this idyllic battlefield, and, now, we put you in their shoes. A Period PieceThe game captures the realities of 1860s combat through the granularity of hex based gameplay and an innovative randomized turn system. It is a tense and strategic package from the full, sweeping campaign to individual scenarios.Plan Your EngagementFeaturing the work of some of the best artists in the business, the game map and interface capture the period while providing the information you need as a commander.Exciting and fast paced gameplayYou will command a myriad of period units including infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Units vary in strength and morale, and, much like Battle of the Bulge, your success will depend on how you maneuver your forces and engage the enemy. Gettysburg: the Tide Turns goes beyond the "you go, I go" turn by randomizing when each division will move. This provides tension, as you must respond tactically as new opportunities present themselves.FeaturesPlay as the Union or Confederates across the entire scope of the battleTutorials and easy entry for new playersFull game rules and information for hardcore playersAn innovative movement system that randomizes turns for increased tensionBeautifully rendered maps & interfaces in period styleExtensive historical commentary & content includedPlay online, face to face, or against AI opponents 7aa9394dea Title: Gettysburg: The Tide TurnsGenre: StrategyDeveloper:Shenandoah StudioPublisher:Slitherine Ltd.Release Date: 14 Jul, 2017 Gettysburg: The Tide Turns Download Code froze up on turn 13; no way to load saved games, restart ineffective. Kind of clunky play, not smooth, kind of brainless, if you are having trouble sleeping this will help.. Eric Lee Smith designed an excellent boardgame covering five battles of American Civil War way back in 1992. The game was called Across Five Aprils, published by one of the wargaming heavyweights, Victory Games. Across Five Aprils was a light-weight wargame with an innovative chit-pull system for activating units. The uncertainty of chit-pulling reflected the chaos of battlefield wonderfully. One would never know if the enemy was going to pre-empt your plans by moving before you get to attack, or worse even, attack while your troops were still trying to form their lines. The system was one of my favourite ones, easy to play, exciting and very replayable. Unfortunately for reasons unknown, it never got used in other games.What does this has to do with Gettysburg: The Tide turns, you ask? Well, this game is straight adaptation of the game system presented in A5A. And it is designed by same Eric Lee Smith - the board game took 25 years to reach computerized form. The computer version had a painful history due to original publisher Shenandoah Games not being able to bring the game out and it moved under Slitherine's umbrella. There were apparently quite a lot of technical problems getting the game finished and finally released. I'm not going to elaborate on them, other reviews and Slitherine's comments have told the story already. All this is irrelevant to me, as Gettysburg: The Tide Turns finally brings a forgotten gem of wargaming to public reach again, and it does it very well. The rules are clear, game is easy and quick to play with varied results each time. The graphics presentation is top notch, with the living formations making a great impression on the vintage map. My only wish is that the game had born under more fortunate stars, as I would have loved to see the same game system expanded to other Civil War battles.. Unfortunately, though this seems like a good entry-level game with a lot of potential, the freezing bugs that constantly plague even the current patch of the game make this a pass. I've yet to get through the 33 turn campaign because it just freezes. Multiplayer PBEM suffers the same problem, usually at turn 11. Too bad because the game play is a good starter wargame otherwise.. Really enjoying this game. The game follows the order of battle for Gettysburg, but adds a random element to the order of troop movement and combat each turn. This keeps the game fresh, and prevents it from becoming "solveable" after learning some pet moves. As other reviews have noted, there are some minor bugs, which probably should have been detected pre-release, considering how long this has been in the works, but having bought other games from the developer, I'm confident the bugs will be addressed. More importantly, its a fun, tactical game, that keeps changing each turn. Since it is unlikely that gamers will repeat the folly of Sickles and Barlow, or Rodes' misadventures, the random order element forces you to react each turn, rethink your overall strategy, and handle the problems that crop up during a battle. Great game at a great price!. Okay, I really like Slitherine & Matrix games--as evidenced by the many I have purchased through the years. I am also a big fan of both strategic and tactical games, as well as the CW genre. And, I really want to like this game--and will likely keep investing lunch hours into it--but, at this point, there are just too many frustrations to recommend it.Pros----I love the graphics and simplicity of the tactical map and unit configurations. They are reminicent of the old Avalon Hill boardgames. The way the lines form to connect is a really nice touch. It really gives the look and feel of the period.I'm also captured by the chit draw mechanic which can really complicate trying to coordinate attacks and movements. This is esp. effective at relating some of the stress related to that particular historical battle.I turned off the music, but I kept the sound on and wow--nice touch w\/ the effects of both the guns in battle resolution as well as the tense atmosphere established during enemy movement. LOVE IT!I like the undo feature on moves which gives you the ability to see what is likely to happen if you do this or that, and then take it back. This is esp. a needed feature given the limited tutorial help the game gives.I appreciate the arrows which clearly indicate the likely results of combat. These do a nice job of informing you as to whether you should advance or retreat w\/o complicating the visuals or taking away from the feel of the game.I like the advance and retreat mechanics prior to and after combat.I like the way cavalry units 'may' choose to automatically w\/d before combat.So many historical touches make this game a real gem in the realm of potential--esp. since there's a multiplayer option.Cons----I have yet to finish a game due to game-breaking bugs. I have started 5 campaigns now, and been unable to complete even one of them. Granted, I started playing on the day of release. I also understand the history behind the development of this game and how Slitherine rescued this potential gem from the discarded pile. But, I haven't just his one snag--but many. I've had units that couldn't move so I couldn't finish my turn, enemy units that couldn't decide to advance so I couldn't finish their turn, combats that didn't resolve so... you guessed it... I couldn't finish a turn.Frankly, I can't even comment on the AI or combat mechanics or balance issues, b\/c I've not gotten more than 13 turns into a campaign yet. I'm still trying, b\/c the game really has my eye. But, dear friends and neighbors, it's really hard to like a game when you can't finish a turn.Now, multi-player is another issue I'd love to explore. However, I'm not excited about playing a game w\/ a friend (much less a random match) when there's a good chance the game will break before we can finish. What's more, I did look online to see the lobby and see how many people might be available, and there wasn't a single person listed. Now, it is still the first week... but still... This just confirms for me that I need to come back to this in a month and see what's up then.So, I'm at 2.8 hours game time at this point--the better part of 3 lunches in 7 days. But, I don't recommend it at this time since I can't affirm a title--even in EA--when I can't make it through a full game w\/o a crash or turn locking up. BTW, you can only save when it's your move, which makes trying to do repeated saves to prevent a crash really a challenge. Additionally, the save game screen is far from simple or streamlined. It is very awkward and if you're not careful, you can go to the save screen and then click the wrong option to go back only to find you've exited your game.If this had been released as an EA or EA Beta, I'd be sending in my feedback and cheering them on. As it is, I'm very disappointed in the state of the product at it's release. Slitherine is historically very professional and reliable in my experience, so check back in October and read the new reviews. For now, avoid the thrill of disappointment and embrace the agony of holding fast to your money until the game works.. Amazing game! I would recommend it to others. I always play as the confederates because it is harder to win as them even though I am glad the union won and definitely would have fought for the Union had i loved back then. My history professor said a confederate win at Gettysburg would have forced the union to the negotiating table. What do you think?. This is not a game for dedicated wargamers, especially those with a deep familiarity with the battle of Gettysbug. There is not much to recommend; a lot against a recommendation favorable to the game. I played 2 games as the South, one lasting 24 turns and the other 16 turns, before the game hung each time. In both cases the south was on the verge of an overwhelming victory.Here is a list of points, with full discussion of each point following the list:Game ending freezesBugsDesign concept: ChitsDesign concept: VictoryDesign concept: No fog of warBehavior: Artillery moves and shootsBehavior: No fatigueBehavior: Units move effortlessly through other formationsBehavior: Zones of control do not hinder movement as they should.1. Game ending freezes. In the 30 turns I played, the game froze six times. By this I mean the game stopped in the middle of an action with the wait wheel spinning. Four times I was able to resume the game by quitting to windows and the reentering the game. Twice nothing I did would resume the game.2. Bugs. Sometimes my infantry units would not move toward an enemy infantry unit that was within attacking range. My units were in full form without any reason to not move toward the enemy.Design Concepts.Chits. Without a doubt this is the main problem with the game. Each unit (division for CSA; Corps for USA) on the battle field gets one movement chit, and each army gets one battle chit. This chits are put into a "bag" at the beginning of a turn and drawn one at a time in random order. Thus the player has no control over the order in which his units move. With the exception of the battle chit a drawn chit presents a use it or lose it situation. For example,Two divisions are in column approaching the battle field on a road. You draw the chit for the trailing division first. That division has to leave the road to move forward as the leading division is in the way. You cannot delay the movement or replace the chit for later drawing.Your movement into enemy zones of control is countered if the enemy chit is draw before you get your battle chit. One of your divisions has the opportunity to hit an enemy unit on three sides so you advance three units next to the enemy unit. The next chit drawn is the enemy unit's chit, so the enemy unit moves away. No fire is exchanged. Had your battle chit been the next drawn, you could have attacked and destroyed the enemy unit.This is only a couple of examples of where the chit system makes the battle unrealistic and skews tactics so the success of careful planning is more luck than skill.Victory ConditionsThe victory conditions are simple: The South wins if they control two or more victory locations; The North wins if they cause more confederate casualties that the north suffers. I guess it's a tie if both sides fulfill their condition.My problem with the victory conditions is that there are victory locations that the South must seize. Assigning victory locations assumes that the armies should be interested in the same locations there were historically considered vital. In some cases, and Gettysburg is one, locations should be secondary to the main important aspects -- those aspects being open to the players choice. In this battle, the North's victory condtion is partially valid -- destroy more of the enemy than they do of you. However, the victory condition should be layered, with complete victory only coming when the confederate army has been destroyed (e.g., 70% casualties.) The confederate victory conditions are not valid, as they force the South to pursue the same basic strategy that was actually used. The Southern victory condition should be either "get your forces off the southern edge of the battlefield so that your army survives" or better still, destroy the union army. No Fog of WarYou can see every enemy unit on the battlefield and plan accordingly. The computer either has a limited capability to see your units (or is an idiot).No FatigueUnits zoom about the battlefield never getting tired. I've watched Union units move from top of the hook to the base of little round top in one turn and in the next turn the same units move back to the top of the hook. There appears to be no loss of movement or combat ability due to the fatigue of moving (or fighting for that matter). Artillery Moves and ShootsI find it inconceivable that artillery can move its full movement, unlimber, set up, and fire in one turn. Each turn is an hour, sure, but in some cases artillery moves from one side of the battle to the opposite side and then back in two turns, firing both times. Artillery should only be able to fire when a percentage of its movement is saved for that purpose.Units Move Effortlessly Through Other FormationsThe computer may position its units in mass with layers of units five or six deep. But units on either side of this formation may move through the center of the mass with impunity. Thus a unit on the east side of the formation may move through the mass, including downhill and uphill, to position itself on the west side of the formation. In one turn, multple units move to and fro through the mass. In my experience, moving one formation through another is difficult much less doing that while other formations are moving through the same area. The problem with this is that it allows unlimited us of interior lines. With the enemy approaching from the west, position half of a corps' units on the west side and half on the east side. In battle, the west side units get damaged. In movement, move the west side units through the mass to east side and the east units to the west to replace the damaged units. Considering the mass of troops in the interior, the damaged units should not be able to retreast and the east units should not be able to replace\/reinforce.There should be a movement penalty incurred for each formation that a unit moves through.Zones of Control do not Hinder Movement as They Should.Zones of control in the game hinder movement in that a unit must stop moving when it enters an enemy ZOC, and a unit may not move directly from any enemy ZOC into another enemy ZOC.The problem is most evident when a point of entry for reinforcement is blocked. For example Heth's division has moved south and blocks the Emmittsburg road approach for union reinforcement arriving up that road. When the reinforcements arrive the first unit stops immediately, following unit ship to the right or left on hex and enter, again stopping on their hex of entry. All these units stop because they have arrived in one of the ZOC hexes of the Heth's division.My expection is that the next turn these units will have to engage Heth to try to break through. In fact the union units slide left\/right though the ZOC hexes a march away from Heth, effectively negating the fact that their approach onto the battlefield was blocked.This ZOC movement problem could be minimized with an "Ambush" rule. The Ambush rule should be that when a unit enters the ZOC of an enemy unit the enemy unit should fire immdiately on the moving unit without suffering return fire.. I am a wargamer who enjoys this style of game. Let me just say for $10 this is a great deal. I have had little problems with glitches or game freexzing. The few times I had these problems the 1st patch fixed them. There are still a couple such as artillery pointed in wrong direction, artillery targeting arrows remaining on screen, etc.. I have played over 26 hours and played all scenarios twice except the campaign. Positive:-Game is quick and not overly complicated-Very fun to play but can be frustrating due to mechanics-Graphics and sound affects are solid-Great value for the price-Quick response from the company to address any issues which is very importantNegatives:-Mechanics of the game with Chit Draw is iffy at best (CSA always manages to get 4 draws in a row during key turns) I like the concept but should modify where one side can only get 2 chit activations in a row. It is almost impossible for the Union to win when the CSA gets 4, 5, or 6 straight chit draws which happens all the time. -Play balance when moving into 2 or 3rd Star difficulty level is not good. There is no change to the AI. They simply add additional strength points to your opponents units which throws off any type of realism and makes CSA units super strong (CSA already start the game off too strong) .. One suggestion for play balance is to keep the same requirements of objectives hexes held and reduce the total number on the board. This will help the Union player focus in on these key hexes. For the CSA player either add more objective hexes on the board while keeping the requirements for victory the same. - Passage of Lines** this is my number 1 complaint with this game which makes a very good game average. Due to the chit draw moving process you are stuck with weak units on the front line holding objective hexes with fresh full strength units lined up behind them unable to move into the hex because the depleted unit is in the hex and it is not allowed to move. This should be an easy fix where a unit can simply move into any hex if occupied by a friendly unit (even if not in the same Corps) thus taking its place and the replaced unit goes to the hex the previous unit occupied thus switching hexes. It is frustrating to see the whole Union line shattered while you have a fresh Corps lined up right behind it. Maddening- Unoppossed movement. The CSA can move directly in front of Union units in their ZOC freely with no penalty. ZOC does not exist for movement. They should either be forced to stop or defending units should be able to get a free shot at them. -Not a real problem but the whole battle revolves around the 3 objective hexes right next to Gettysburg. Most of the CSA moves into Gettysburg with little movement towards Culps Hill or to the South toward the Round Tops.-Even more minor is that a N (North) arrow should be on the map for simply orientation. As well as marking Devil's Den on the map due to its iconic part of the battle.Overall I like the game and recommend it. There are several large mechanic issues with the game but for the price, quick and easy format, and most importantly it is fun, this is a great deal.. This is a lovely little game. A board wargame at heart. Imagine being sat across the table playing someone with the computer conveniently sorting out all the rules for you. Movement, combat and morale are all dealt with seemlessly, without a table or chart in sight. (The tables and charts are there, but you just dont see them as the computer deals with the trivial for you ) It still feels a little early in development but at the price Im not complaining.Online play works well and I havent experienced the bugs previous players are talking about. But I've actually had the most fun sat playing a live face to face game on the same pc. Probably because you can banter, mock more easily :-)Chat mode in online multiplayer please? Default settings have all sound switched off which is a little odd, but once id switched on the effects it felt more alive somehow ( leave the music off obviously ) I expect there will be a few patches addressing the occasional niggle but the core game works well.A nice attempt to make a very accesible ACW.
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