Set Up for SOW ACW GAMES For Kriegspiel style

In order to play Scourge of War, Kriegspiel style,  You will need the latest versions of both the game and Courier & Maps Mod.

The latest game patch can be downloaded here:

SOWGB 1.61 Final Patch

Download location for Couriers & Maps 1.610:

http://www.norbsoftware.com/Downloads/Mods/CourierAndMapsMod1610.zip

If your vertical screen resolution is less than 1024, use the small map version.

http://www.norbsoftware.com/Downloads/Mods/SmallCourierAndMaps1610.zip

You will also need the KS Supplemental Maps Mod version 1.13: KS Supplemental Maps 1.14

Other mods can sometimes be used, but care must be exercised, as they may conflict with Couriers and Maps.  Those which are known to be safe for use are: Realistic Smoke Mod, GCM Toolbar and Terrain Mods, Bugles & Flags Toolbar Mod.  It is always best to ask before using an unlisted mod.

Game Option Settings.

SOW is both CPU, (computer brain),  and GPU, (graphics brain), intensive.  We have found through trial and error option settings that give reasonable performance and keep the game visually appealing.

On the Options screen page II
% trees showing: 75
Display off map trees: unchecked
Max transparent trees: 80
Make walls transparent w/trees: unchecked
Max terrain draw distance: Best
Show Map Objects: Best
Show off-map terrain: unchecked
Max # artillery hit decals: 20
Max units draw distance: 1000
Max trees draw distance: 1000
Max objects draw distance: 1000

If you are hosting the battle these are the host option settings.

Preset difficulty levels: Custom
Map icons display level: Bare Map
Max camera distance from you: 2  (set in sowgb.ini file, see below)
Orders by courier at this command level and above: Brigade
Uniform quality: Best
Sprite ratio: 0
Show map objects: Best
Realism: unchecked

Now it's time to make a few manual changes to the sowgb.ini file.  It will be found in the \Work folder.  Open it and scroll down until you find the section titled [Custom]
Find and change the value found for MPplyrradius to MPplyrradius=2
You can also change the value of plyrradius to plyrradius=2  This way you can practice commanding in single player at this camera height.
Now find the section titled [Initialization]
Add the following line: aicount=55
It doesn't matter where you put it in that section.  This will make the AI a bit more clever.  
Now save the changes you just made.  You are finished and ready to play.

To participate in a game you will need to join the KS TeamSpeak channel.  Go to the TeamSpeak website and download the free program: TeamSpeak URL
The address and password for our server is:
Address:  ts8.gameservers.com:9107
Password:  20thmaine

To set up TeamSpeak whisper channels so you can privately communicate with the commanders you are next to on the field, read this thread: Whisper Keys Setup

If you are interested in designing scenarios for MP play, and we always need more of those, use the Scenario Generator: LEFFE'S SCENARIO GENERATOR
If this is too generic for you, you can edit a scenario manually, for advice read this thread: Scenario Creation Tutorial

Hey Kevin, just following through this I see the Teamspeak Server link is broken.

It is here.

Thanks. I copied the relevant information to the post.

I'm getting back into SOW and the Napoleonics mod. I have an entirely new PC so I need to download everything. What is "everything", please?   

Welcome back Ike. Your timing is very good. I am soon going to resume the Peninsular Campaign.

The first post of this thread gives instructions for ACW.

Nap Mod setup is here.

Thank you, Mr. Digby.  Glad to be back.

I have the Gettysburg game, Antitiem and Pipe Creek updated, downloaded and installed. What other of the SOW games ought I have to play the Napoleonics Peninsula Campaign?

I'm interested id setting up a single player KS SOW for Civil War. I downloaded what I needed except for KS Supplemental Maps 1.14. It was no longer posted and a search couldn't find it. Does anyone know where it is?
Thanks

That version of the supplemental maps hasn't been around for a long time.  You could try supplemental maps 1.16 which is available from the KS SOWWL Napoleon Mod.  These are for European battles, but many of the maps should work in SOWGB.

Uncle Billy,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
My primary interest is the ACW and SOWGB. I was interested in KS's approach, but I thought the system was for online games only, so I never installed it.

DarkRob's latest videos made me realize that Waterloo-KS could be played as a single player, so I downloaded, installed it and plan to learn it.

My question are, 1. Can the Civil War-KS be played off line?, and 2. When I alter the sowgb.ini file, should I install a second copy of SOWGB, modified to KS, to preserve my present version?

I tried to alter and rename a Work folder copy, but that didn't work.
Sorry for the long wind.

The mod can be used for both single player and multi-player games. There is no reason to install a 2nd copy of the game. Just make a copy of the sowgb.ini file if you like. Call it sowgb_stock.ini. It won't interfere with playing the game. If you want to go back to the stock game, deselect the KS mods, and rename the stock ini file to sowgb.ini.

Re downloaded SOW but when I try to play it, it just shows black screen then nothing happens. Anyone on Windows 10 have any solutions or know why its doing this?

Hi Baldwin

GB is 11 years old now, so you need to run it in compatibility mode.  

Do that by right-clicking the item in desktop and follow the prompts.  A long time since I last did it, but think I used Windows XP.  If that doesn't work try Win 7.

Good luck

Martin J

Yes, use Win7 compatibility.

Tried 7 and XP, didn't work. Scaling is on high dpi, is that correct?

The compatibility change should have fixed your problem. Are you running it as an administrator?

Yea running as admin. Does it matter what resolution I’m on?

Just pick the screen resolution of your desktop.

Do you have a link to a version that you know works, that link on the post is broken

I haven't played the GB version of the game in many years. I doubt I even have a copy of that old mod any longer.

Do you have the original game files even unmodded ones maybe you could create a Dropbox folder

The Matrix or NSD forum would be a better avenue to ask questions about SOWGB and problems associated with using it on a newer OS. You should be able to download the game and DLCs at Matrix along with the necessary patches.

This mod might help, Baldwin.

It stems from the original KS ACW Mod, but has undergone years of further development.  It also benefits from additional modded maps (mainly Mark Tewes), modded flags (mainly RebBugler) and a huge variety of HD sprites (Pom).

It's an extremely large mod, and best used for corps or division level games.  Trying to use it with large armies might cause performance to suffer, even on a modern computer.

I've put it in dropbox, but it takes-up lots of room, so will only leave it there a couple of days https://www.dropbox.com/s/no16bohhit1tc8m/ACW%20Flags%20%26%20Sprites%20v4_3.zip?dl=0

Good luck!

Martin J

I appreciate that Martin, but I need the original game program or link to where to find it is the main problem.

I don't know if anyone has heard of this issue but a black screen that covers 3/4 of my screen is all that happens when I try to launch it even in windows 7 mode.

Update: As I suspected it was a bad version, got one off of the matrix site and got it working! Does anyone know of a map similar to the Battle of Spotsylvania or has the OOB for it?

I think I misunderstood you then, sorry.  If you want the stock SOW:GB game and patches, can you not get them direct from the members section on the matrix website?  That's where I go, whenever I buy a new PC.  All Matrix games come with unlimited downloads.

Even if you originally bought from Norbsoft, you can contact Matrix with purchase details, and they will give you download links.

Or am I missing something?  Which has been know to happen.........

Martin J

Martin could you re-upload the flags/sprites mod please? The Dropbox link is dead. Thanks.