Civil War II

Civil War II is a turn-based regional strategy game about the American Civil War of 1861–1865. You lead either the USA or the CSA as its military and political leadership, building, organizing and commanding armies across a map spanning the United States. You also make economic and political decisions that can have far-reaching effects, including influencing possible French and British intervention.

The campaign

The map covers the United States from the Eastern Seaboard to the Rockies, as well as Mexico and the Northern Caribbean. It is divided into more than 3,000 regions with varied terrain, climates and levels of development. Navigable rivers, important during the war, are represented alongside detailed systems for weather, attrition, supply and fog of war.

You can appoint more than 400 historical leaders, each rated for their abilities, and command more than 1,000 types of units, from sharpshooters and cavalry to artillery and Ironclads. Chain of Command lets you organize units into brigades, divisions, corps and armies, with leaders placed in command. You manage military spending without having to micromanage the economy.

Planning and battles

The game uses a simultaneous-turn WEGO system. Each turn covers two weeks: you issue orders in advance, anticipating where the enemy will be, and both sides’ orders are then executed simultaneously over 14 daily phases. Battles resolve on the day they occur, so coordinating arrivals and planning army logistics are important; a poorly timed assault can leave troops arriving piecemeal and vulnerable.

Regional Decision Cards can trigger events such as Indian raids and partisan attacks, which can affect the course of a campaign when used strategically. Historical events also create decision points, from local uprisings to foreign intervention. Battlefield Tactics let you make decisions during battles, and the game includes sieges and naval warfare.

Scenarios

The game includes two tutorial scenarios and five main scenarios, ranging from the battle of Shiloh to the Grand Campaign:

• Two tutorial scenarios
• 1861 First Manassas (Battle of Bull Run)
• 1862 Shiloh
• 1862 Sibley (New Mexico Campaign)
• 1861–1865 Our Hearts were Touched with Fire, an April 1861 multi-theater Grand Campaign
• 1861–1865 The Blue and the Gray, a July 1861 accelerated-start campaign