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This is an American Civil War simulation that is both easy to play and offers a lot of variation, even though it is concerned with only a small scale skirmish.

It's a one or two player game that centres on a strategically important bridge. You are opt to control the superior Confederate forces trying to capture the bridge or take the smaller Union force desperately trying to defend it.

Although by the standard of some war games the overall map is quite small, the effective marshalling of your forces and the scenario offers more than enough opportunity to show your leadership skills or alternatively show up the lack of them.

A major feature that makes this a war game you will want to play again and again is that the basics of the game can be changed from the start of a new campaign. Landscape features such as houses, fences and walls can be placed anywhere you want them and the type and number of your forces can be altered. The units you choose to lead can also be changed according to the strength, weapons and experience you require.

There are three levels. Level one gives you a 30 turn game and has "invisible enemy units" when you play a one player game, that is, you can only see the opposing forces when they come into viewing range. Levels 2 and 3 take 35 and 40 turns respectively.

Giving orders to your units is easy using a cursor and icon arrangement that allows you options such as advance, dig in, charge or fire. As you are furiously running around the battlefield with your cursor, you can watch the progress of your units. Retreating units of infantry will not respond to cursor control, the message "Broken - cannot rally" flashes up. In time however morale may be raised and they can be thrown back into the fray. The simple command system makes Johnny Reb II a joy to play and the very vivid graphics allow you to keep a tab on exactly what is happening.

Johnny Reb II is the sort of game that may persuade those who up till now have been left cold by the idea of war games to think again. For those who are already avid wargamers, this one is a must.