Introduction

The US Civil War doesn't get as much attention from games as, say, World War II, but developer MadMinute Games and publisher Paradox plan to change that with their upcoming strategy game Take Command 2nd Manassas. FiringSquad got a chance to chat with MadMinute co-founder and game designer Adam Bryant to find out more about the game.

FiringSquad: First can you give us a brief history of MadMinute Games?

Adam Bryant:MadMinute Games is a true "garage game" company. The company was founded by myself and Norb Timpko, two friends with minimal experience in the gaming industry. We worked at night and on weekends for three and a half years to complete our initial project, Bull Run. Now we have been joined by a group of volunteer designers and testers, who have soldiered on to produce MadMinute's second product, Take Command 2nd Manassas. The MadMinute community is growing and as the founders we hope to someday work on the "Take Command" series full-time. Our combat engine has received excellent reviews and the AI has been lauded in numerous publications, even by the difficult to please "Grognards."

FiringSquad: How did the idea come about for making a Civil War strategy game?

Adam Bryant:I love the Civil War. It's so completely American. The Civil War was the beginning of Modern Warfare. It was truly brother against brother, friend against friend, and I find that unbelievably fascinating! Name another place in the world where, after a Civil War, the rebels were allowed to eventually place monuments on battlefields! The Rebel were not killed, imprisoned, or punished...they were told to simply go home and start rebuilding their lives. Now THAT is unique!


FiringSquad:Why do you think the US Civil War hasn't been handled in strategy games as much as, say, the WWII era?

Adam Bryant:Some people find it more difficult to understand the tactics of men standing shoulder to shoulder, out in the open, and blazing away at an opposing groupof guys standing together out in the open. The method of hiding and shooting (á la WWI & WWII) makes complete sense to the public now. People can accept the ancient style of combat (Roman Legions) with soldiers being in close ranks because there were no guns...the fighting was up close & personal. I like the flow of the fighting of the Civil War and in Napoleonics, there were muskets but they were not that accurate yet so there is not the supreme killing power that you get from an MG42.