War was an entirely different creature in the late 18th Century and Battle Grounds 2 does an excellent job of communicating this. An on-screen aiming reticule (which can be turned off in the options menu) definitely helps but it doesn't guarantee a hit unless you're within a couple of dozen yards. Even then, the notorious inaccuracy and lengthy reload times of these smooth-bored rifles demand a completely different approach than that used in most modern shooters.
If you can find a cooperative group of friends and opponents online, you can always try to arrange a classic line battle. That's where opposing troops face off against each other in a line abreast formation and -- upon command -- fire, reload, fix bayonets, and then charge the enemy shouting phrases like "For King and Country!" or "Freedom!" It looks suicidal when you watch it on the History Channel but it begins to make sense after your ninth or tenth respawn following an ill-advised skirmish or paintball-style sneak attack.
The mod enjoys healthy community support and I was always able to locate a populated online server to test my marksmanship and run-at-the-enemy-screaming skills. A number of leagues and clans have also cropped up if you'd prefer to join an organized militia with pledged support from fellow gamers. Although BG2 doesn't feature a proper single-player game, you can add AI bots (of dubious intelligence) to any map by typing a simple console command.
Visually, BG2 isn't going to wow too many current-generation FPS fans. The background scenery in most of the maps I played seemed to be more Half-Life 1-vintage than HL2, and the marionette-like on-screen character animation isn't a helluva lot better. On the flip side, however, the simpler graphics don't seem out of place with a historical piece like this and almost certainly helped the hiccup-free connectivity I experienced every time I made my way online.
The multinational development team behind Battle Grounds 2 (headed up by American Greg Hillenbrand) numbers about a dozen at the moment and, based on its strong online support, the mod's future update picture looks promising. If you're a fan of Pennsylvania longrifles and Brown Bess muskets (or just have a habit of drinking too much on July 4th), that's good news.
