DESCRIPTION

Now is your chance to relive the American Revolution as you seek to free the thirteen colonies from British rule. You'll play the part of Commander-in-Chief George Washington, leading your forces against Thomas Gage and his army of Redcoats. Or if you prefer, rewrite history and lead the British to glory as Gage!

No matter which role you choose, the goal is essentially the same: to effectively manage your men and resources while fighting within the 53 districts composing North America. To win, you must either eliminate the entire enemy force or cause the opposing government to admit defeat. Of course, each side poses a different challenge due to the variations in troops and available resources.

In order to succeed, you'll need to review your funds, request additional support (if necessary) and allocate money to the following areas: officer salaries, fleet budget, mercenaries, and regiment support. After finalizing your budget for the season, you can then send officers into battle (along with the appropriate amount of rations, powder kegs, and gold).

Reinforcements can also be requested if you are near friendly garrisons, and you may assign different officers to lead them. Once you are ready to engage the enemy, you'll be taken to a battlefield screen where you can position your divisions. The units at your disposal include infantry, cavalry, guerrillas, boats, and artillery.

The enemy will appear after you've finished placing your troops, and multiple data screens will show information for both sides. The turn-based battle system relies on a number of statistics to influence results, including your soldiers' morale, training, and number of arms, as well as your officer's leadership, tactical expertise, reputation, and discipline.

As Commander-in-Chief, you'll also have to deal with running the districts under your control, which means providing them with supplies, rallying popular support by throwing parades or publishing gazettes, and even borrowing money from some of the wealthier citizens. Other events such as storms, mutiny, smallpox, and foreign aid will test your leadership ability in your quest for freedom. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide