It is imperative to your training and most of your subsequent play that all of the games you will be using be of the most recent version. (However, it is strongly suggested that all players keep older versions of their games in separate files to allow the widest possible flexibility!) The UMA faculty and staff are equipped to operate with the latest versions available, and a cadet's training cannot proceed until he has brought all of his game arsenal up-to-date with the latest, available patches and upgrades.
      If you are playing your games straight "out-of-the-box," then you will most likely not have an updated copy! As with most game CDs there may have been many program fixes and additions subsequent to the original release. You can easily tell if your game is properly updated by conducting a Version-Check!

      A Version-Check, like an old fashioned, morning Roll Call, is a simple exercise that allows you to compare the present version of your game(s) with the manufacturer's posted data. We have simplified the process here by allowing you a quick easy reference to that posted data!
      To see what version you are currently running in your own game, start your game on your computer and load any scenario. Once you have started a scenario, just click upon the "Help" button or selection on the Menu Bar. Then click "About" in the dropdown menu. The game's version number will then be displayed.

      The John Tiller Civil War Battles, or "Campaign" series which debuted in 1999, are the most avidly played and regarded simulations of the ACWGC. They are the second, improved generation of the old "Battleground" series, virtually covering the entire war and incorporating a new game engine. The first eleven Campaign game packages were originally published through HPS Simulations and are still available in their original versions through that publisher today. Beginning in the Fall of 2010 John Tiller began self-publication with the launch of johntillersoftware.com and began a series of expansive and critical core updates to the existing games only available through his store. At this time he also began producing additional, new Campaign series packages.
      Update/patch information and links are provided below for both Campaign series publishers. And while the JTS 3.0 versions are the most preferred versions of the series, club members are advised, again, to keep the older versions of their games in separate files to allow the widest possible flexibility!

      JTS Software maintains an Updates Page for their products. The latest versions for each game package is shown below.

      HPS Simulations maintains their Patches/Upgrades page for the Civil War battles as part of their Updates Section. The latest versions for each game package is shown below.

      HPS Simulations also provides a user guide for operating their games on Windows Vista and Windows 7. The guide may be found at the link below.

      The older, original, individual TalonSoft Battleground games have been superceded by the newer John Tiller's Battleground Civil War package, offered through Matrix Games. The older Talonsoft Battleground versions, even when updated as far as possible, will not play with the Matrix John Tiller's Civil War Battleground package if the Matrix player is using Windows 7 or greater. Game play is, however, still allowed with the Talonsoft versions among those club members who may be able to match up their versions with each other. For this reason the information for both the Matrix and Talonsoft game versions are presented below.

      Matrix Games maintains a separate Patches/Upgrades page, found at https://www.matrixgames.com/game/john-tillers-battleground-civil-war, for their rebundled package of the John Tiller Battleground Civil War games. Once the update has been downloaded and installed, the new version, V1.02, should then be visible from any of five game modules.

      If you are using the original TalonSoft Battleground games, as some club members are, and the version number starts with a "1", then you have what's called the original 16-bit version of the game. If your version number starts with a "2", then the John Tiller 32-bit version has been added. (Chickamauga is the only exception to this; see below!)

      Before you can upgrade to the 32-bit versions, you must first have the latest 16-bit version installed as shown below! Unfortunately none of the individual and original 16-bit version update patches are available for either the US or UK versions of the older TalonSoft Battleground games.

      Most all players within the ACWGC operate with the 32-bit versions of their older TalonSoft Battleground games, which are shown below.

      Chickamauga, Battleground 9, was an orginal 32-bit program that was formerly able to operate on Windows 2000 or XP with a special patch. That patch is no longer available.

      Separate download sites are maintained for each of the five, current strategic/operational simulations available through the Matrix website, found at https://www.matrixgames.com/. The latest versions and dates for each game update is displayed below. (Note that the CW II Bloody Road South is an expansion package for CW II.)