Scourge of War: Brandy Station Review
So after playing 3 other Scourge of War games and becoming quickly addicted to them I decided to play another called Scourge of War Brandy Station. This battle was primarily a cavalry battle with some infantry mixed in. I was very interested to play this game because for the most part the other 3 games were infantry battles. I wanted to see how cavalry worked out in The Scourge of War series. So heres my review.
Before we being I wanted to mention that the majority of this game is very similar to previous Scourge of War games SOW: Gettysburg, SOW: Antietam & SOW: Chancellorsville. No major changes were implemented so what Im going to add in this review is discuss the pros & cons this title brings to the rest of the Scourge of War series. Visit my earlier reviews for my previous Pro & Con lists reguarding The Scourge of War series.
Pros
Improved Unit Sprites
The Cavalry in this game has been improved from the previous titles. They have new animations and unit flags. Although I did run into 1 hiccup. When two cavalry units clash and duel it out I notice the animations are not fluid. Perhaps this could because they are higher quality animations and the engine had a little trouble.
Improved Game Graphics
So I did a little of comparing this game to the previous games and I noticed some of the textures and graphics have been upgraded. Particularly grass, tress, foliage, smoke, etc. look better. I really enjoy these improved graphics. They immerse you deeper into the game.
Good AI Tactics
The AI employed some good tactics in this game, as it constantly tried to flank my troops. Instead of smashing into my troops head on they moved around the left and right. Had to rethink my tactics a bit.
Mini Map
Brandy Station’s mini map is a step up from SOW: Gettysburg or SOW: Antietam, as its much easier to identify landmarks, terrain, and roads.
Cons
MIssing Unit Options
In the previous Scourge of War games I was able to tell my infantrymen to lie down when they were being shot at by artillery, unfortunately I didn’t have that option in this game. Also a few other options I noticed were missing like About Face, where I can quickly have my troops turn 180'… I had to do it the hard way of clicking the left turn button a dozen times to turn my unit around.
AI Frustration / Bug
Sometimes when the enemy cavalry attacked my dismounted troopers my guys wouldn’t jump on their horses to meet the attack, they just stood there continuing to shoot. When I tried to get them mounted they immediately reversed and became dismounted again. Seconds later the enemy swarmed into them and shattered my unit, which ran for the hills. This only happens sometimes, as the other half of the time they mount up and meet the attack. I wonder why they don’t this all the time.
Also sometimes I felt the AI took too much initiative in the game. One example is one time I had 2 cavalry regiments holding a road where a Union infantry brigade was coming down. I wanted them to hold the road as dismounted cavalry, so they can cause a delaying action giving me time I needed. Unfortunately the regimental commanders decided to do a cavalry charge into the Union forces which ended up as a disaster. Even when I took direct command of the regiments and repeatedly told them to stop charging they continued.
Recommendation
More Forest Transparency and Wider Transparent Area
I would welcome some more transparent trees and area where the camera is focused on, so I can better see my troops. I struggled to find my troops and when you have a enemy 2-3x your size attacking you on all sides… You need to find yous people Fast!
Map Command & Control
Wish there was a easy way I can command and control all my regiments & leaders from The map window. A simple click to select the unit and another click to tell it where to go would be great.
Digging In
Wish there were a feature were I could have my dismounted cavalry dig in and prepare defenses, so they could be better protected during a battle.
Conclusion
So overall I enjoyed Scourge of War Brandy Station. It’s a good game. Some of the AI and Cavalry mechanics I think need to be ironed out but overall its a cool game.
This game is listed as a expansion to The Scourge of War series, but I feel its more of a DLC than a full expansion. The reason being It has 10 scenarios which is about half of what SOW Antietam & SOW Chancellorsville contained. It is also less epic in scope than previous games, but that is due to it being a smaller battle, compared to Gettysburg or Antietam, which were massive battles. But Matrix Games and NorbsoftDev set a really good deal for this game. Currently the game sells for $9.99, which if you break it down, comes out to $1 per scenario. Now thats a great deal! Throw in some improved graphics, textures, maps, and you have yourself a great value for a game.
Brandy Station retails for $9.99. I think this is a good game and it comes with a really great price tag. I would recommend a purchase.
