SGS Battle for Fort Donelson: A Tactical Game of the American Civil War

The SGS Battle for Fort Donelson is the first in a series of games dedicated to the great battles of the American Civil War (1861-1865). This tactical game features a new gameplay specifically designed to simulate the characteristics of the armies and battles of the period. It recreates the few days of fighting around Fort Donelson, on the banks of the Cumberland River in northwest Tennessee, in February 1862, at the scale of infantry regiments. The turn-based system represents one hour and zones of around 300 meters, providing an immersive experience for players.

Fort Donelson was one of the first and most important battles of the war, and it marked the first major success for General Ulysses S. Grant. His decisive victory had significant consequences for the rest of the conflict. By seizing Fort Henry in the middle of winter and forcing the 15,000-strong garrison of Donelson to surrender, Grant inflicted a disaster on the Confederacy. This opened the gates to the invasion of the "Deep South" by Union armies and forced the "Grays" to evacuate Kentucky and the precious capital of Tennessee, Nashville, 60 miles away.

However, this battle was far from won in advance. Grant and his 20,000 men faced a tough challenge and even came close to disaster, winning by the skin of their teeth thanks to the panic of their opponents. As a Union player, you will have to do at least as well. Your objective is to seize the fortifications and crush the "rebel" army against you. Alternatively, with the help of Commodore Foote's armored river gunboats, you can shake their morale enough to force them to surrender. There are many ways to win... or lose.

As a Confederate player, you will command the heterogeneous troops of Generals Pillow, Floyd, Buckner, and Jonhson. Your task is to hold out for several crucial days and, if possible, counter-attack to teach the "Yankees" a lesson and keep your retreat routes open. The morale of your troops, simulated by a gauge that varies with events, is a central element of the game. You will have assets at your disposal, including solid fortifications, powerful coastal batteries protecting the river, and a large enough force to keep the North at bay. However, it is crucial to use these resources wisely.

One of the unique features of this game, compared to others in the SGS range, is the small number of replacements available. While a few "stragglers" may occasionally fill out the ranks of your most tried-and-tested regiments, do not expect to be able to sacrifice your forces in repetitive, poorly-organized "push-pull" assaults. You will only have one army, and your role is to prevent it from falling to pieces. Will you succeed in repeating Grant's feat, or will you turn the tide of the Civil War in favor of the rebellion? The outcome is in your hands.

• OS *: Windows 7/8/10+
  
• Processor: 2.5 GHz Intel Dual Core
  
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
  
• Graphics: 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600 or equivalent
  
• DirectX: Version 9.0
  
• Storage: 2 GB available space
  
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

• OS *: Windows 7 (SP1+) or higher
  
• Processor: 2.5 GHz Intel Dual Core or higher
  
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
  
• Graphics: 1024 MB DirectX 11 compatible
  
• DirectX: Version 11
  
• Storage: 4 GB available space
  
• Sound Card: DirectX 11+ Compatible