GamersInfo.net

Birth of America is a turn-based strategy game made for PC by Strategy First. They also are responsible for the fantasy series called Disciples that my son Mackenzie and I enjoyed so much. When I told him that we were getting another Strategy First game, he was really excited.

We got a licensed copy of the game through Steam that actually worked well for me. Normally I avoid download managers, but this one actually helped out. After downloading the documentation, I learned from Strategy First that some people are susceptible to epileptic seizure when exposed to flashing light or light patterns. My son and I put on our sunglasses and marched forward.

The initial loading of the game took a surprisingly long time as it pulled in the textures and data. The AI was heavy, but quite good. At the highest settings, enemy troops outflanked my troops and attacked when I was at the most vulnerable, then retreating into fortified cities whenever my largest armies were in the area. There is a price to pay for getting a more challenging fight, though. My machine is a 2.4 GHz creature with 500MB of RAM, and it took quite a long time for the AI to run between game turns.

I played the tutorial first. It offered me the choice of being either the Americans or the British. The game certainly was no cakewalk. It was difficult to merge units together and put together a fleet to carry the troops. I wondered if this was a fault of using my Logitech trackball. I switched to a regular mouse and discovered drastic improvements in control. This relieved my initial frustrations. I then played the tutorial four times before I could beat it.

Your troops are one of three different types: regulars, militia, and irregulars. They have four different postures: passive, defensive, aggressive, and assault. Occasionally you will also get the opportunity to lead Indian warriors. Your different leaders get combat bonuses when they lead certain types of troops. George Washington, for example, gets an advantage when leading light infantry. Ethan Allen is adept at leading irregulars. Before playing the game, players unsure of British and American combat tactics should take a quick lesson in understanding infantry military symbols at the regimental level.

Poor leaders will be delayed when following orders, and as I discovered, they sometimes completely ignore the orders I gave them. Good leaders move quickly, retreat from devastating battles early, and give combat advantages in certain kinds of battles. The higher of rank the leader, the more troops he can lead. Set your irregulars up for an ambush. Parker’s Revenge will send the British reeling. But do it early before Parker dies of tuberculosis!

Game play does require some patience. Unlike Disciples where you lead your merry band around and use magical healing to go from battle to battle, this game requires actual rest of the troops. Each turn lasts a month, so you do get a little bit of speed up feeling, but it is slow. Make sure you get your troops into a city for the winter, or you are going to suffer some serious casualties! I made that mistake two years in a row, and it was not pleasant. It certainly stays frosty late into the new year on the northern shores of Lake Ontario. Also be prepared for wooded and mountainous terrain to seriously impair your speed on road marches.

Terrain and weather can affect your army's ability to find supplies, ambush enemies, and maneuver. It can also give them defensive bonuses. Bad weather can also affect attrition. This really gave me the feeling that I was truly battling in the 18th century. Building forts improves defenses and establishes territory. I discovered that this helps raise much needed militias. Build a depot for provisions which will help equip your soldiers with supplies.

The types of fortifications are city, depot, fort, port, and Indian village. Each has its unique attributes, and the fog of war can hide them from you.

One of the nice things about this game is that you can fight through the whole blessed campaign of the Revolutionary War, or just survive a couple cold seasons of battle. Either way, you will certainly get to know the frustrations that Washington felt as he would attack and retreat the British in New England. The conditions to winning campaigns are controlling key cities and achieving victory points in battle.

For example, one of the games I played began when The New World Gazette declared "Containing frefsheft Advices, Foreign and Domestic. General Amherst appointed to replace Abercromby as Commander-in-Chief in North America. He is expected to reach the New World anytime soon and take command of the largest British Army."

Knox's artillery arrived in Boston, and I struck early. But I lost my first battle and General Washington had to retreat into Cambridge and lick his wounds. Remember kids: don't turn a siege into an assault too early! Take advantage of your fleet and have them bombard enemy strongholds before charging.

Shortly after that, I mistakenly attacked an Indian village of Ojibwas. The local Native American population subsequently allied against me without hesitating. The follow-on Battle of Khanawake was a success for my troops, but Ethan Allen was killed in the battle.

October of 1757 brought me through Niagara, which General Washington seized with a master hand. By 1763, Quebec was mine! It was my first real game, and I had soundly whipped the French – my 2,507 victory points to their 928.

It turns out that my son didn't like the game as much as I did. This is certainly a game for adults.

I find that historical fiction and strategy make a great combination. Strategy First has another winner with this game.

“Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” –John Parker (1729-1775).