Take Command 2nd Manassas

by Paradox Interactive

Product Features

• Incredible realism, content based on material from Library of Congress. Details like ballistics, flags and more are also historically accurate.
• 48 Scenarios during 3 battles, 2nd Manassas is one of them. There are several ”what if” scenarios.
• 5 Gigantic battlefield maps, the most accurate American Civil War battlefield maps available in a PC game.
• Several modes of play available, you can customize, play completely historical etc.
• 1000’s of troops like Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery etc.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000EVQTXM
• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: April 18, 2006
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,036 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

2nd Manassas is the titular 1862 battle of the American Civil War, proving pivotal to the engagement of the Northern Virginia Campaign. It focuses on the essential elements of decision-making, and forces the player to Take Command. It’s based on MadMinute Games’s award-winning real-time game engine, which has been hailed by many critics as the greatest tactical Civil War PC engine of all time.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Civil War Computer Game Available - Bar None, April 23, 2006

By 

Brett R. Schulte "Civil War Buff" (Southwestern IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Take Command 2nd Manassas (CD-ROM)

In the interest of full disclosure I want to mention that I was an uncompensated playtester for this game. I've been a Civil War buff for almost all of my 27 years and I've been playing Civil War computer and board games since the age of 6. I can honestly say that this is the best Civil War game for computer that I've ever played. The first time I played MMG's first game, Bull Run Take Command 1861, I knew I was hooked. The game truly makes it feel like you are there. Your heart pounds as the enemy line dissappears behind a ridge and then reappears minutes later...and much closer! The explosions around and over your troops as they take artillery fire indicate that this isn't going to be an easy fight. The game is also extremely moddable. Do a web search on Take Command or Mad Minute Games and you'll find numerous fan sites (including mine) that offer new scenarios, new graphics, new sounds, new OOBs, etc. Honest Abe is correct when he/she says that there is no multiplayer. However, the game is great even without multiplayer. Open Play offers unlimited gaming and you'll never have the same experience twice. If you don't believe me or the other reviewers who gave this game a positive ranking, feel free to try the free demo, available at many places. If you are a Civil War buff and you play computer games, you will absolutely love this one.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Tactical Civil War Game to Date!, August 8, 2006

By 

Thomas I. Witkowski - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Take Command 2nd Manassas (CD-ROM)

No other tactical Civil War Game made for the computer even comes close to matching the realism or sense of "being there" present in Take Command 2nd Manassas. Graphically, Take Command is the most visually impressive Civil War Game available. This newest version of Take Command includes multiple uniform types for each side's infantry (among them some particularly impressive New York Zouaves and Iron Brigade "Black Hats"). Different versions of the Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag, individual State/Regimental flags, and separate graphics for rifled and smoothbore artillery are other nice graphical touches, while the High Resolution sprites, look pretty good up close. Furthermore, Take Command is the first 19th century tactical game to present units at a 1:10 scale (older games generally used a 1:50 or 1:40 scale) and actually track the action of each and every soldier/sprite on the screen. Watching a division step off to attack and shake out into battle line when is a truly impressive sight. In scenarios featuring both full armies on the field, you can have over 10,000 figures battling out at the same time.

Game play in Take Command is enjoyable and tactically challenging, and in many ways it is more of Civil War command simulator than a game. Take Command is one of the few 19th century tactical games to actually try to simulate and differentiate between different levels of command. In some scenarios, you are a simple brigade commander and in other scenarios you command the whole army. Even more impressive, you can give orders to your subordinate units and they will generally try to carry them out to the best of their ability (though good luck trying to get an aggressive general like John B. Hood to defend), while at the same time you will receive orders from above. Behind the scenes, Take Command tracks the effects of terrain, marching, combat, casualties, and defeating other units on the morale and fatigue of each unit. The Take Command data files include just about every type of firearm used in the Civil War, including breechloading carbines and sharpshooting rifles, and accurately models the differences between them. Just ask any player who has had to deal with the Sharpes-armed 1st and 2nd US Sharpshooters.

Do not let the title "2nd Manassas" fool you either. Though it implies the game only covers one battle, it in fact covers all four major engagements of the 2nd Manassas campaign: Cedar Mountain, Brawner's Farm, 2nd Manassas, and Chantilly. Combined with random battles generated in Open Play (which gives you the options to fight offensive or defensive battles and meeting engagements starting either in close contact or so far apart you need your cavalry to find the other side) there is almost unlimited replayability. Only the lack of multiplayer tarnishes Take Command's longevity, but on the other hand the AI in the game is one of the best in a real time wargame. Unlike many real time and wargames, it plays by the same rules as the player (does not cheat). Like a human, it will make boneheaded decisions from time to time, but it generally presents a very good a challenge.


Finally, Take Command has an excellent webpage and user forum where you can get just about any question answered, and where the developers regularly hang out to answer questions and keep the community informed on new projects. If you have any interest in the American Civil War or 19th Century tactical warfare, Take Command 2nd Manassas is a must buy. Also keep an eye out for Mad Minute's next project, Take Command: Shiloh . . .

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best War Game Ever!!!, April 21, 2006

By 

Joseph P. Fordham - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Take Command 2nd Manassas (CD-ROM)

This is the game I have dreamed about for years! This is a must buy for any history buff who also enjoys wargaming. The game's realism is superior to anything ever presented in a war game, from the painstakingly rendered terrain to the same care in researching and presenting historically accurate scenarios. The game is tremendously immersing - the "you are there" factor is off the charts, from the realistic AI, which represents personalities and their reaction to stressful situations on a level not shown in any game I can think of, to the booming cannon and rolling crash of small arms. I cannot recommend this game enough. And yet, to top it off, this is not a game from some giant developer. This is a product of two dedicated guys, who gave it their all in its creation. 2nd Manassas and its eagerly awaited sequels, representing other Civil War battles, are slated for gaming history. Dig in!