When I saw the OP, I just wanted to write exactly the same point as Twinkie125. I have exactly the same experience attending some "mockery" skirmish events. When you get hit, the screen shows some "blood" effects - so, the game recognise when you got hit. There are only very easily implementable features to be added:
1)
hit = kill (or, maybe, some easy placeholder hitpoint system)
ragdoll animation
respawn
2) (can be as a second release after some time)
dedicated server for this kind of basic combat allowing both Union and CSA units to be chosen and with different respawn areas for each side
I personally could not believe, that it takes more than half a year to implement such simple stuff...
And if you want to make almost-perfect skirmish mode rather than present something barely half-finished: we all know it is alpha and it will contain placeholders. Better done than perfect.