March 4th, 1861. In his inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln promises not to invade the south or curtail slavery as long as tariffs are collected there and forwarded to the federal government. The south secedes from the Union nonetheless. Lincoln won’t let it go, however, and attempts to reinforce Fort Sumter (in his view still federal property) in Confederate South Carolina, provoking the south into firing the first shots. Its cannons level the fort, albeit without loss of life. War fever in the north is at its zenith, and the stage is set – for the U.S. Civil War. During this game you’ll compete for cards representing Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry and Generals – by playing hands of 3-card poker. (Hence, “3CP” in the game’s title.) However, since this is more or less a friendly competition, the “pots” are not winner-take-all. Instead, the winner of a round will gain two components, while his/her opponent will gain one – and it’s the winner’s decision. Close attention to your needs and those of your opponent is required. Your goal is, ideally, to build four Brigades, each with a General and Supplies, and perhaps one additional Brigade if you’re lucky. Card management in the form of “what poker hand to play now and what to save for later” is also an important factor toward winning the game. This is the third game in a series using the 3CP Game Engine™, which employs custom cards and a deck of standard playing cards.