Set during the American Civil War, Battle Cry of Freedom lets players fight for the Union or Confederacy in multiplayer battles. Matches can pit players against one another or use AI soldiers to fill out the battlefield. Players can serve as infantry, sharpshooters, cavalry, artillery crews, engineers, surgeons, or musicians. Combat ranges from muskets and pistols to bayonets, sabres, and other melee weapons, with distinct artillery pieces and ammunition types. In Commander Battles, players lead a company of AI-controlled soldiers and issue battlefield orders. Engineers can build defenses and bridges, supply ammunition, and place forward spawn points; maps also feature destructible structures and changing weather that affects visibility and projectiles.
Fight for the Union or Confederacy in Civil War battles, switching between frontline combat and commanding AI troops.
Battle Cry of Freedom brings brutal real-time first and third-person combat set in the 19th Century America, presenting players with the opportunity to re-fight the American Civil War as either the Union or the Confederates.
Developed by Flying Squirrel Entertainment · Published by Flying Squirrel Entertainment
Player Review Breakdown
Players Praise Most
Commanding AI Regiments
Civil War Atmosphere
Varied Battlefield Roles
Common Player Critiques
Sparse Multiplayer Lobbies
Performance Problems
Abandoned Development
72%
positive of 2.5k player reviews
Set during the American Civil War, Battle Cry of Freedom lets players fight for the Union or Confederacy in multiplayer battles. Matches can pit players against one another or use AI soldiers to fill out the battlefield.
Players can serve as infantry, sharpshooters, cavalry, artillery crews, engineers, surgeons, or musicians. Combat ranges from muskets and pistols to bayonets, sabres, and other melee weapons, with distinct artillery pieces and ammunition types.
In Commander Battles, players lead a company of AI-controlled soldiers and issue battlefield orders. Engineers can build defenses and bridges, supply ammunition, and place forward spawn points; maps also feature destructible structures and changing weather that affects visibility and projectiles.
Players who enjoy the game often single out Commander Battles, especially leading AI regiments, and praise the Civil War atmosphere, period details, and range of battlefield roles. Some also find bot battles enjoyable when public matches are sparse, though low player numbers are a recurring frustration.
Full Game Details
From the Devs
Battle Cry of Freedom brings brutal real-time first and third-person multiplayer combat set in the 19th Century America, presenting players with the opportunity to re-fight the American Civil War as either the Union or the Confederacy.
Incorporating a wide range of weaponry, from long range rifled muskets and devastating artillery, to various deadly close combat tools such as bayonets, knives and sabres, players will take up the fight for the North or the South trying to win the day on the bloody battlefields of America.
Commander Battles
Take control over a company of AI-controlled soldiers and lead your men to glory! Fight in huge battles with up to 800 Bots per Server, with Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery. Commander Battles are the ultimate gamemode to display your tactical cunning.
Fight in Massive Multiplayer Battles
Take part in massive multiplayer battles with up to 600 players simultaneously fighting each other on the same battlefield, in a completely destructible and realistic Civil War combat environment.
Multiple Army Branches
Enlist in the Infantry Fall in line as a regular infantryman, join the ranks of an elite sharpshooter regiment, or help relay orders as a musician as you get to explore the various roles in the army and trial your favorite units.
Serve in the Artillery Support your team from the rear and shatter enemy resistance as a gunner. Join the Heavy Artillery and use the 100pdr Parrott Rifle to lob shells over enemy fortifications with devastating effectiveness.
Join the Cavalry Join the Cavalry and charge into the fray, bolstering the infantry with swift and efficient maneuvers across the battlefield. While wielding deadly repeating rifles, vanquish any foe that dares to stand in your path.
Muster as a Specialist Enlist in the Engineer Corps and support your team by constructing defenses, building pontoon bridges and supplying ammunition. Or help stitch up wounds of badly wounded teammates by becoming a Surgeon.
Large Weapon Selection
Find your own playstyle! Smoothbores, Rifles, Pistols, Swords, Axes… With more than 120 unique weapons, 70 different types of ammunition and 20 different Artillery pieces, players have plenty of options to choose from.
Charge - Bayonet!
Fix your Bayonet and call the charge. Defeat your enemies using the directional melee combat system inspired by games such as Mount&Blade: Warband, that is easy to learn but hard to master.
Realistic Projectile Physics
Battle Cry of Freedom realistically simulates real life bullet physics by modelling not only velocity and twist rate, but also takes into account factors such as humidity, temperature, air density, local gravity, wind direction and wind strength.
Advanced Artillery System
Each of the 24 Artillery Pieces will perform differently and each gun has its up- and downsides. Artillery can be loaded with a wide range of different ammunition. Percussion-fused shells, time-fused shells, solid shot, bolts, canister and case shot can all be loaded, and work as expected.
Trains, Steamboats and more
Operate armored trains, steamboats, and wooden launches, providing new ways to traverse the battlefield.
Ride horses into combat
Mount your trusty steed and ride into combat. Defeat your enemies with deadly accuracy from one of your repeating rifles or slay them with your heavy cavalry sabre! Tow artillery across the battlefield for greater mobility.
Destructible Environments
Destroy bridges, fell trees, punch holes in walls, blow up fences; in Battle Cry of Freedom, almost everything is destructible. But don’t stand under a falling tree...
Construct, Destroy, Resupply
Play as an Engineer and construct various different defences, such as chevaux de frise or sandbag walls. Place forward spawn points and help your team by supplying them with ammunition and weapons. Lead the charge and blow holes into the enemies fort with gunpowder kegs or destroy their defenses with your powerful felling axe.
Fully Customizable Uniforms
Customize your character's uniform down to the color of the socks he is wearing! Pick from thousands of historically accurate uniform and equipment pieces, choose from different shoes, coats, hats and more. Even how you want to wear your coat is completely up to you. Wear it open, closed, under or over the leatherworks…
Present - Arms!
All animations in Battle Cry of Freedom are based on real world Historical Drill Manuals, such as Casey's Infantry Tactics or Hardee's Revised. In addition to the “regular” animations all being historically accurate, the game features a large selection of “role-play” animations, such as Parade - Rest, Present - Arms, Support - Arms, Trail - Arms and more.
Historical accuracy
All the gameplay is historically inspired, with changes only made when it creates a more engaging and exhilarating gameplay experience. While Battle Cry of Freedom is not a simulation game, we make no compromises to accuracy when it comes to cosmetics, such as 3D models or animations. Every stitch is precisely where it needs to be!
More than 14 Battlefields
Fight on one of the 14 beautifully hand-crafted maps, inspired by real-world places and battlefields, or play on a randomly generated map, providing a different combat environment each time.
Dynamic Time of Day and Weather
Fight on an ever-changing battlefield! Wind and lightning will break trees, rain and fog will lower visibility and heavy wind will alter ballistics. Battle Cry of Freedom features a dynamic weather, wind, season and time of day system.
Playable Musicians
Support your team by boosting their morale. In Battle Cry of Freedom, you can become a drummer, fifer or bugler, able to play historically accurate tunes; all recorded and played by award-winning musicians.
More than 50 Background music tracks
Listen to the 2nd South Carolina String Band or to classical music performances by the United States Military Bands. With a grand total of 57 background tracks available in the game, you have a wide selection to choose from, guaranteeing that you’ll never get bored.
Ingame Map Editor
Bored of the pre-included maps? No problem! Create your own maps with the easy to use, but yet very powerful Map Editor included in Battle Cry of Freedom. Custom Map files are only a few megabytes large and will be automatically downloaded from the Server in a matter of seconds, so you spend as much time playing and as little time waiting as possible!
Powerful Admin Tools
In Battle Cry of Freedom, Admins can make use of more than 120 Server settings as well as 35 easy-to-use Admin tools accessible via an ingame interface making Administration of a large server easier than ever before.
Regimental Linebattles
Participate in the community and enlist with a Regiment (Clan) to take part in massive organized battles with players re-enacting historically accurate tactics of the Civil War Era.
