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Willie Fisterbottom
10-28-2015, 12:17 AM
So i know hot air balloons were used during the Civil War for reconnaissance. Is there any chance these could be in game maybe being used to spot enemy troops or just general scouting?
Patrick Kurtz
10-28-2015, 01:03 AM
That would be really neat, just so long players weren't able to snipe out of it and junk..
TrustyJam
10-28-2015, 01:07 AM
They were not in action during the Maryland campaign as far as I know.

- Trusty
Patrick Kurtz
10-28-2015, 01:11 AM
They were not in action during the Maryland campaign as far as I know.

- Trusty

Then maybe later on if the game ever reaches the Peninsula Campaign :)
TrustyJam
10-28-2015, 01:20 AM
Then maybe later on if the game ever reaches the Peninsula Campaign :)

Maybe!

- Trusty
A. P. Hill
10-28-2015, 01:24 AM
I do believe Mr. Lowes' contraption was part of the train that made it to Sharpsburg, but I don't recall reading that it was deployed, McClellan thought he had all he needed with the captured marching orders for the confederate army. (www.civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war-ballooning/civil-war-ballooning.html)

And again, let's not forget to thank Mr. Allen Pinkerton. His information told McClellan he was facing a foe slightly larger than his army.


(Bold underline is a link to some good info.)
Willie Fisterbottom
10-28-2015, 02:14 AM
plus who doesnt want to watch they're comrades dies from the safety of a balloon 1000 meters in the air
Kevin3224
11-04-2015, 05:51 PM
Only a handful were ever used, and they were only by the Union. They barely did anything to help... The had to be tethered to the ground as well. One guy actually broke his tethers and floated away down the field lol.
GreyDog58
11-04-2015, 09:45 PM
I could see them being used as spotters for artillery.
Rithal
11-04-2015, 10:25 PM
Only a handful were ever used, and they were only by the Union. They barely did anything to help... The had to be tethered to the ground as well. One guy actually broke his tethers and floated away down the field lol.

Well I can imagine that they came in handy when trying to observe enemy movement. I mean, sending one of those things up, tethered or not, is basically making a portable 1000 meter watch tower in a matter of minutes. :p
Kevin3224
11-05-2015, 07:55 PM
Indeed, but only for observation. There's people here talking about sniping from them. That never happened, lol.
-Mitchell-
11-09-2015, 03:04 PM
The Balloon would make a great target for my sharpshooters :cool:
CjkCJkCjk
11-09-2015, 03:08 PM
I Suggest if you want to know more about civil war balloons visit Genesee country Museam and Village were the only manned civil war reproduction Balloon sits.
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/worlds-only-civil-war-manned-balloon-takes-to-the-air-in-summer-2012-1614124.htm
(it has a link to their website though due to my school's computer restrictions I can't get to the website itself)