North and South (NES) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Treasury

During the game set-up, a player may go up against another player or the computer. There are three difficulty levels, one being the hardest and three being the easiest. In the set-up menu, even the computer can be given these settings. Within the game, timed events are affected by the difficulty level.

The timer will go faster on harder levels. The year start options are 1861, 1862, 1863, and 1864. Each year offers different set-ups for armies and number of territories. 1861 is more of a clean slate, giving each side an equal chance. 1864 is heavily favored toward the North.

Answer: European ships

When a player has control of North Carolina, European ships will occasionally come and place reinforcements on that state. Control is given by which side's army last occupied that state. If a player would try to move into any territory with the opposing army already on it, then a battle would break out.

The winning side would gain or retain the territory. Indians would periodically attack and kill armies that stay too long on the Western side of the map. Mexicans would do the same to armies that stay too long in Texas.

The weather is a stormy cloud that travels the map. Any army with a cloud on it loses its turn.

Answer: The general

Each individual army begins with one cannon, six infantry men, and three horsemen. Army units can be combined up to a maximum of three units. Winning battle units with casualties will never regenerate those pieces. For example a lost cannon will always be lost.

Infantry and cavalry men must stick with their men, but they can lose individuals of their units. Infantry are slower than cavalry but have short range rifles. Cavalry are equipped with swords. A cannon has nine cannonballs and must stay on its side of the battlefield. Once it runs out of cannonballs it retires from the field, but it does return with a victorious battle unit for another day.

Answer: Railroad lines

Railroad lines are completed when the army occupies the territory of two connecting forts and the territories between them. If the territory of the army fort has not been claimed, the army unit must simply move into the territory. However, a previously claimed fort requires the attacker to invade. If an opposing army unit happens to be in a territory along the rail route of the train, a single man from that army has the opportunity to rob the train.

This is a timed event similar to taking over an army fort.

In the 1861 scenario, if both sides take the fastest route to completing a railroad line, the South will complete its line first.

Answer: Knives

As with robbing trains, the invader has four knives to try and kill the ten defenders which are also equipped with four knives each. The attacker has several advantages over the defenders. He does recover from knife attacks, unlike the now dead defenders.

He can go up ladders. If a defender leaves the attacker-centric screen, then the defender is eliminated. The attacker is however trying to beat the clock. All territories can be claimed if the opposing army has claimed all surrounding territory.

This includes army forts. This is time consuming and trickier than a full assault, but it may be the only option for an invading army.

Answer: Dogs

There are two routes through the fort. One can walk on top of the wall or along the ground. The ground is armed with bombs and periodic dogs that run across the bottom of the screen. Wagons and other barriers force the attacker to run along the top of the wall at times, and holes in the walls and other areas force the attacker down to the ground level. An attacker can gain access to the top of the wall via ladders. Both attackers and defenders have the ability to jump across short holes, doors, and over the bombs and dogs.

It is very difficult to avoid the dogs who will bring an attacker down for a precious short time.

Answer: False

Like the fort, train robbing is also timed. Likewise the are two routes. An attacker may run along the ground, but the train will eventually go past him. The attacker must at some point in time jump onto a ladder to be successful. Then he can run along on top of the train, jumping onto the cars.

The defense position is similar to the fort scenario without the obstacles. However, if the defender can get the attacker onto the ground and get the train to pass, then the defense is successful. Losing attackers eventually cry in shame.

Answer: Amount of territory

Territory is not simply for fun. The more territory a side has, then they will reap more gold at the end of their turns. They are still required to have a connecting train route. If a side is successful in robbing a train, they will gain the entire amount of gold for that turn. To receive an army unit, a side must accumulate five bags of gold.

The reinforcement is placed in one of their open territories either in the North (if they are North) or South (if they are South). Even if a particular player is horrible at battles, an overwhelming number of army units can insure victory.

Answer: Swampy forest

The river field occurs when the two battling armies are divided on the large map by a river. On the river field, the armies are divided by the river with a large bridge and narrow shallow area. These are the only two means to cross. Units going into the river immediately die. Bridges can be destroyed by cannons.

The canyon set-up, which is seen in the Western half of the map, is similar. There is a wide man-made bridge and narrow strip of land connecting the sides. Only the wide bridge can be destroyed by cannons.

The narrow points on these fields can only accommodate one individual man for its width. The grassy plain has no division.

Answer: Defeat all the army units of the opponent

Hence this tells you the importance of reinforcements. A North victory will congratulate the player and discuss ushering in a time of new unity. A South victory will also congratulate the player and assumes the player has never read the history books.