I love how these threads always boil down to the argument over whether Asian / European TW fans would even be interested in ACW ... when (other than Empire) every other TW title has either been European or Asian in setting but still sold very well in the US. Maybe Europe and Asia just need to broaden their horizons a bit ...
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Moving on to a less boring conversation ...
I like the idea of the South being more like FotS with multiple clans (States) with an alignment towards the Confederacy ... but I think if the game were to be even SEMI-historically accurate, a (clan) State with an alignment to the North would have to actually give up it's sovereignty--essentially the North would be a single multi-province country. Whereas the South would only be a group of (clans) States with an alignment towards the Confederacy.
BUT ... like FotS, you could have agents that would go into the border states and begin causing anti-North sentiments, changing alignment, and get states to either full-out secede from the Union, or possibly join your own cause, expanding your Southern state's holdings.
Fighting a campaign as Virginia or Tennessee = Cool.
Fighting a campaign as New York while the rest of the North acts independently = Stupid.