Matrix Games and Western Civilization Software have released the first update for their American Civil War strategy title, Forge of Freedom: The American Civil War 1861-1865. The update includes a variety of updates along with a new optimization technique to smooth audio during load sequences.

Forge of Freedom: The American Civil War 1861-1865 builds upon the success which met Matrix Games and Western Civilization Software with the release of the Napoleonics strategy title Crown of Glory. In Forge of Freedom, the 19th century strategy style in Crown of Glory takes a hop across the Atlantic Ocean to America where the United States is engulfed in a deadly war of North vs. South. To illustrate the vast scale of the Civil War on both sides, Forge of Freedom combines area movement on the grand scale with optional hex based tactical battles when they occur.

The tactical battles in Forge of Freedom take place through 20 minute turns on the brigade or squadron level where players can largely determine the course of the larger operational situation they command as well. The tactical aspect of Forge of Freedom also grants players an unprecedented amount of customization. You can customize your brigades by adding personnel and equipment: train sharpshooters and Zouaves, equip reconnaissance balloons and horse artillery, deploy raiders and scouts, manage engineers and signal corps, and much more!

However, Forge of Freedom: The American Civil War is not only a standard operational military strategy game as it also gives you complete control over military, economic, and political developments. You can engage in diplomacy with European powers in an effort to sway these powerful nations to support your side, in addition to being able to influence domestic politics with historically accurate state governors who can help or hurt the war effort depending on your diplomatic prowess.