The Grand Commander **CAUTION: Viewers may be subject to reading.**

[psmith]

Uhh WOW.  Love it.  Would lose my job and wife playing the game then 

[MrBeasty127 (Brown)]

One of the best things about line battles on NW is the skill in knowing where your enemy are and having a soldier's perspective. Having a map like Total War sounds cool, but it's not what the game is about. One of the biggest problems in the American Civil War was vision, so this would harm the game's realism. This also would take ages to make and implement into the game, so it's unlikely I'm afraid. However, I do like the idea giving regiments orders from a supreme commander. Maybe in line battles commanders could stand on a hill top and give regiments movement commands using markers and formations commands using trumpets?

[TheBoberton]

Something I would love to see implemented is the ability for someone to simply be the general on the battlefield.

Already in NW, you say?

Not quite. I would love to see an actual staff present. People to actually carry orders to the regiments present on the field, fellow general officers to give advice, etc.

"Runner, inform the 8th Georgia that they must fall back swiftly, before they become encircled. Move quickly, lad, they haven't got long."

[McEwan]

Something I would love to see implemented is the ability for someone to simply be the general on the battlefield.

Already in NW, you say?

Not quite. I would love to see an actual staff present. People to actually carry orders to the regiments present on the field, fellow general officers to give advice, etc.

"Runner, inform the 8th Georgia that they must fall back swiftly, before they become encircled. Move quickly, lad, they haven't got long."

There is a staff of sorts (in the N&S mod at least) which gives a good variety of command units, but not the command abilities, as you are suggesting. Trust me, I want to see that as much as you do. 

The "Total War" idea could be an option, not the singular game mode, of course.

[TheBoberton]

The problem with North and South is that it goes so far as to give the general's staff 'rankers', whereas it should simply be the general and his various aides. And the abilities shouldn't really be forced, to be honest. Insubordination was and remains present on a battlefield, and it really should be up to the regimental commander's intuition as to whether or not directly following the orders is worth the risk.

[McEwan]

The problem with North and South is that it goes so far as to give the general's staff 'rankers', whereas it should simply be the general and his various aides. And the abilities shouldn't really be forced, to be honest. Insubordination was and remains present on a battlefield, and it really should be up to the regimental commander's intuition as to whether or not directly following the orders is worth the risk.

I agree, but those things you are specifically suggesting are wholly organic, based off the intuitions and thoughts of each commander against the personal skill of that commander, among various factors of the battlefield. You can't exactly code processes of mind into a game.

But if the game is made in such a way that reflects those things, then they could be a very possible outcome.

[TheBoberton]

I agree, but those things you are specifically suggesting are wholly organic, based off the intuitions and thoughts of each commander against the personal skill of that commander, among various factors of the battlefield. You can't exactly code processes of mind into a game.

But if the game is made in such a way that reflects those things, then they could be a very possible outcome.

That's what I'm trying to say here.

It'd be best to just put in the general class/staff, and let the players do the rest.

[Ryno2626]

I think this is the best idea I have ever seen posted on this forum

[Furnardan]

Cool idea, but I think such a gamemode would warrant it's own game entirely, like perhaps Total War could just make an official American Civil War game and call it at that.

Going on about Total War though, I'd love it if there could be more than 4v4 players, say 10v10, and each player commanded a single unit... it would be a step up from commander battles withe lack of facing direction command or walk/run and etc... >.>

[Aksei]

i still like the idea, but played too much battlefield 2 to believe its used^^ in bf2 at the end only arty was used, because waypoints on public dont work well and in events its still better to use teamspeak for general orders. but maybe with the regiment system it would work.

hmmm how do you select a commander?

[Galadhion]

A system similar to Arma II's conquest mode could work, combined with some other perks and quirks. Players get to vote one person as general, who will get access to a special class that only the elected person can use. And when riding around in his swanky general's uniform he can place markers similar to positioning troops in commander battle. If you want to go all-out realism you could even include the requirement that once a marker is placed, a player within range of the general (part of his staff) would have to ride within hearing range of the ordered battalion for the actual marker to appear. This avoids the god-like "every order is followed instantly" that occurs in Total War games and could even pose tactical opportunities where you'd send your cavalry to hunt down enemy messengers on their way to deliver orders.

[saturnplanet]

Cool idea

[Hugonaut]

That would be the coolest thing ever in a video game. When a commander would become "Enticed" with the idea of playing the game from a command point of view they would acquire regiments to fight their wars as they see fit! For example regiment 1 likes to obey orders and holds their ground until death. the commander would be inclined to get them on his team as a guard unit. Time passes and he realizes he can count on them a lot to do some heavy lifting.  Some are weak, some are good shots. It would be like a card game of commanders and regiments are the cards. And being they are all individual regiments with their own special sets of skills it would play a large part in the whole advancement and depth of the game mode/game.

[ColdSniper45]

Well put hugo, I believe Battlefield 2 had something like this. Where one player would be the grand commander, who controlled everything. I think it would be awesome if each regiment had some sort of skill sets, like the rock-paper-scissors system where a regiment would counter another regiment, but get brutally murdered by yet another. And then be able to take matters into your own hands by being able to take control of any of the ground units! Maybe some day, we will get a game like this!

[ClearlyInvsible]

I dunno, doesn't seem like it'd fit well.