A Most Fearful Sacrifice 2nd Edition

by

Flying Pig Games

 The big guy is back in the ring. Flying Pig Games has a Kickstarter for A Most Fearful Sacrifice 2nd Edition coming out on October 26th. If you remember, this has a gorgeous map that is FIFTEEN SQUARE FEET in size. The unit counters are also very large at 13/16". Below will have the Designer Notes from Hermann Luttmann. I will also throw in some pics. Without further ado:

 "GAME CREDITS

Game Design: Hermann Luttmann

Publisher: Mark H. Walker

Game Developers and Testers: Claude Whalen, Stephen Poitinger, 

Zeke Conover and Fred Manzo

Map Art: Rick Barber

Game Counters and Aids Art: Jose Faura

Rules Layout: Guillaume Ries

DESIGNER’S NOTES

Thank you so much for purchasing and playing A Most Fearful Sacrifice! It has been quite a long, grueling process to get this project tested and finished … but it was indeed a labor of love. I have to first thank the individuals you see listed as the Game Developers and Testers. This group of gentlemen is the most dedicated, talented, and valuable team of gamers with which I have ever worked. They have been tireless in their efforts to test every aspect of this design and their contributions and observations have made this a much better game than I could have created on my own. So, my utmost thanks to all of them! I also want to thank Mark Walker and Flying Pig Games. They are a terrific company for which to design, and Mark is a wonderful guy who has also become a good friend over the years. 

I know many of you are saying … “Why another Gettysburg game?”. Well, honestly … why not? This is the iconic American Civil War battle and when taken in its entirety, it is a fascinating study in command, strategy, and tactics. It also tells some of the most heroic - and most tragic - stories to emerge from the annals of military history. The conduct of the battle and the myriad possibilities of how it could have evolved are fascinating topics to explore in a wargame. Overall, the consequences of the Battle of Gettysburg and its reverberating effect on the conduct of the remainder of the American Civil War cannot be understated and thus it has drawn warranted attention in the gaming world. 

Ultimately, the decision to do the entire battle was an easy one to make. We felt that we had a good core system with The Devil’s To Pay, which is essentially an upscaling of the Blind Swords system. But I did not want to do just an expansion to that game (which covers only the first day of the battle) for a number of reasons. Such an expansion’s footprint would have to be quite large in order to cover both the second and third days of the battle. In addition, the extra rules required to handle a multi-day battle would essentially have made the expansion larger than the original game. No – we needed one epic design to handle all three days and that’s what we set out to do. 

The system used for A Most Fearful Sacrifice is basically the same as used in previous games in the Blind Swords family, but because of the grander scope of the battle I needed to re-design the activation system, or the game would take way too long to play. Thus, was born the idea of converting from chit-pull to card-draw mechanics. Not only is it microseconds faster to draw a card than pull a chit, but more importantly, actual game information can be included on a card, and this results in a huge time saver – no more hunting for a rule or event effect on a chart or in the rulebook. Also, by switching to activating units by Corps, this cuts down severely on the number of cards that need to be drawn. Instead, an extra layer of player decision making was incorporated into the concept of the player needing to set up each Corp’s “Division Priority”. This certainly adds an additional element of command and speeds up gameplay at the same time. Other mechanics were also re-designed and tweaked to maintain just as much “crunchy” detail as before but with less effort. All in all, we feel that Black Swan is the ultimate ACW grand-tactical game system, and we hope you agree. 

Finally, we’ve designed thirteen scenarios of varying scopes so that players can explore every portion of the Battle of Gettysburg in detail. There are small and medium scenarios covering just snippets of the battle’s narrative (and these obviously require shorter swaths of playing time) or you can experience all three days in a “grand battle” extravaganza so players can explore all the strategic options for both sides. However, you choose to experience this game, we hope that you ultimately enjoy it. Once again, thank you for your kind support and good gaming!" 

Hermann

Flying Pig Games:

Flying Pig Games

A Most Fearful Sacrifice:

A Most Fearful Sacrifice 2nd Edition/Reprint | Flying Pig Games

Kickstarter for the 2nd Edition:

A Most Fearful Sacrifice -Second Edition by Mark H. Walker — Kickstarter

 

 Mac and Lee

by

Hollandspiele

 The 1862 Peninsula Campaign was at the very beginning a bold stroke to move around the Confederate Army in Northen Virginia. In actuality, it turned out much like the Anzio invasion. A whale had been beached, and that was about it. Little Mac (George McClellan), could not, for the life of him, understand the reality of the situation. The Pinkerton Agency told him that he was outnumbered two to one and he either believed them outright or used it as an excuse for his own doubts and fears. Whatever it was, his attack on Richmond progressed slower than a sloth descending a tree to do its business. Joseph E. Johnston had his own fears and doubts to deal with. He let Little Mac saunter ever so slowly to the very gates of Richmond. Had it actually come to a siege Little Mac's artillery would have pounded Richmond to dust. If, that is, he let them actually open fire. His nightmares of massive Confederate forces clouded his campaign from start to finish. Once Johnston was wounded, when he finally attacked at the Battle of Seven Pines, Robert E. Lee was summoned to take command of the Confederate Army. From this moment on Little Mac believed to his core that he had to be vastly outnumbered for the Confederates to attack him. He went into an almost mental breakdown and left his forces to mostly deal with the Confederates on their own. Lee was presented several times with opportunities to deal the Union forces a crushing blow. Instead, his forces rarely did anything correctly from a military point of view. He either could not get his subordinates to do anything, or they decided to attack the Union forces where they were the strongest. Porter Alexander believed that during this period, now called the Seven Days Battles, was the only time that the South could have won independence. Is it actually possible to put such a strange campaign into a game? Let us find out if Hollandspiele and the designer John Theissen have actually succeeded in doing so.

 This is what comes with the game:

22" x 34" mapsheet

184 counters

8-page series rulebook

12-page module rulebook

2 display sheets

1 double-sided player aid

28 special event cards

1 six-sided die

 The box and its contents are standard Hollandspiele fare. The map needs some coercion to lay flat. A piece of plexiglass or a few books on top for a bit fixes the issue. The map is reminiscent of a spruced-up map from SPI or AH. It is meant to be a wargame map and not a wall decoration. In this it serves its purpose admirably. The terrain is easy to discern and there are no ambiguities. About one third of the map is taken up by charts and tables. These are in large print and have enough separation so that all the information is easily discernable. The counters are a little dark in color, but their information is large enough to be read without squinting. The number of actual units on the board is very small, which is a hallmark of Hollandspiele's American Civil War Operational Series. They are Corps sized for the Union and Division for the South (Not until after this campaign were Corps introduced to the Confederate Armies). The Series Rulebook is eight pages long. It does have some color thrown in for aesthetics. The print is nice and large. The Module Rulebook is actually ten pages long. First is an excellent five page write up about the campaign by Doug Miller. Then there are four pages of Module rules for Mac and Lee. This follows the same format as the Series Rulebook. There are three Player Aids. These are standard size and in full color. The first one has the Terrain Chart on one side with multiple tables on the reverse side. The other two Player Aids are Strength tracks for both sides in the two scenarios that come with the game. Next up are the Special Events Cards. These are the standard game size and are nicely done. The only problem with the cards is that they contain so much information that the type is rather small. Again, the above components are the standard fare for Hollandspiele. There is nothing wrong with this. They just veer toward meaty games in play instead of artwork for the components. 

 The Sequence of Play is:

A. First Player

  1. Reinforcement

  2. Movement

  3. Combat

  4. Recovery

B. Second player same as above.

 The scale of the game is:

Time: One day per turn.

Hex size: 4.9 miles per hex

Men: About 3000 men per Strength Point.

 A game can be incredibly plain Jane in the components and still be on your table for months at a time. Conversely, some games belong in the Louvre but are never brought out to play. So, now we will go into the game itself.

 As I mentioned, this is an incredibly hard campaign to design a game around. Little Mac should have been able to swamp the Confederates and been in Richmond in no time flat. There have been many theories put forward to explain his actions, or more correctly non-actions, during the campaign. So, the designer has to take into account that the Union Army was operating with a large ball and chain attached, mainly its commander. Then on the Confederate side you have Johnston who seemed just as reticent to engage the Union troops (This was shown throughout the war). The designer chose to simulate this with a Caution & Uncertainty Roll. Each side's Caution Level is kept track of, and this simulates the oddness of the first part of this campaign. Both sides are like old Walruses who are stuck in the mud glaring at each other. At times this will be a bit maddening for the player, just as it was for Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Once Robert E. Lee shows up, the campaign usually turns abruptly into constant battles. This again shows how much the designer worked to make the game historically accurate. As Little Mac you cannot just ignore his foibles and and use your army to say, maybe fight the enemy. As Johnston, you can retreat only so far before you are heading toward the Appalachians. I love games where the designer puts you into the shoes of the commanders but also gives you the opportunities and restraints that those commanders had to deal with. This includes seeing hordes of butternut soldiers where there are none. The game also comes with 'Dummy Counters' for the Confederate Player to use to confuse Little Mac that much more. 

 The Victory Conditions for each scenario are based mostly on the control of Richmond (again historically based). The Union Player receives ten points if they occupy Richmond at any time and another ten points if they control it at the end of the game. If the Union Player never scores these points the Confederate Player receives twenty points at the end of the game. You can also get Victory Points for disrupting and eliminating the other side's forces as long as any of your units are not disrupted or eliminated in the combat. Each side must also take a Rest Turn during each quarter-month segment. This is not enforced during the first turn or during July. 

 Thank you very much Hollandspiele for allowing me to review this game. I am a deeply read student of the campaign and I am very impressed on how Mr. Theissen has been able to give us almost a simulation of it. Hollandspiele has just released an expansion to 'The Grass Crown: Battles of the Roman Republic'. It is called 'The Grass Crown II' and it includes eight new scenarios. The link to my review of The Grass Crown will be below. They have also released 'Horse and Musket V Age of Napoleon'.

Robert

Hollandspiele:

Hollandspiele

Mac and Lee:

Mac and Lee – Hollandspiele

The Grass Crown review:

The Grass Crown by Hollandspiele - A Wargamers Needful Things

 A Most Fearful Sacrifice

The Three Days of Gettysburg a Hermann Luttmann Game

by

Flying Pig Games

  Katherine Hepburn as Eleanor of Acquitaine in 'The Lion in Winter': "There'll be pork in the trees come morning".

 Do not ask why, but I love that quote and I believe I have put into every Flying Pig Games review I have done.

 So, we are looking at the 399th game on the Battle of Gettysburg, and why exactly are we? Many have made the argument that had Lee won the battle the Civil War would be over. This has to be taken with a grain of salt. Armies during the Civil War were never destroyed by battle. You must also add in the troops (50,000+-) that were in forts around Washington. Even with the horrific losses that both sides suffered during the three days of Gettysburg, the war still continued for two years. Yet, we wargamers and designers are pulled like a moth to the flame by the mere mention of this insignificant Pennsylvania town. There are three battles that have always been the highest on the list as far as games made about them: Gettysburg, The Bulge, and Waterloo. The one thing that Gettysburg has over the other two is the historical seesaw action that took place. Both sides have a chance to win the battle outright. A designer does not need to play with the victory conditions on a Gettysburg game. So, let us "Cry Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war" once more on these Pennsylvania fields.

 Most of us will have at least a few maps etc. that were made by Richard Neil "Rick" Barber in our game collection. What some people may not know is that Mr. Barber was also a very good game designer. He even designed his own magnum opus on Gettysburg called 'Summer Storm'. You can easily see that the map was one of Mr. Barbers. The other interesting thing about Summer Storm was one counter/artwork that he included with the game. He has a counter with a zombie looking dead Jackson for use in an alternative history scenario. The reason I mention Mr. Barber is because we wargamers lost a giant in our hobby with his passing. As a matter of fact, A Most Fearful Sacrifice is dedicated to him (very nice touch, Flying Pig Games). There is even a card with his portrait on it included with the game. The monster map that comes with AMFS is a testament to his genius and artistry.

Some of the beautiful map and counters

 This is what comes with the game:

1 – Full color rulebook

1 – Full color scenario Book with THIRTEEN scenarios. Nine use one of the two maps, four use both.

2 – Game Maps totally FIFTEEN SQUARE FEET of gaming goodness

4 - Sheets of a total of 352 13/16” (that's big) counters  

1 – 5/8” counter sheet (176 counters) for the admin markers

90 - Cards to activate corps, initiate planned events, trigger unplanned events and create fog of war.

1 – Player Aids

2 – large, 11" x 17" Command Displays 

6 – Dice (2 red, 2 black, 2 white)

Another map and counter close up

 This is a blurb about the game form the Portable Porcines themselves:

"A Most Fearful Sacrifice is an epic two-player wargame with over 15 square feet of playing area and 526 playing pieces depicting the fighting that occurred during all three days of this decisive clash. The game utilizes a new ACW operating system called the Black Swan system, which is closely related to the popular Blind Swords game system first introduced in the game The Devil’s to Pay! by Tiny Battle Publishing. This version of the system is specifically designed to handle larger-scale battles yet keep rules overhead low. Players can simulate huge encounters in a reasonable amount of playing time. This is accomplished in one way through the use of card draws rather than chit pulls. Also, players will trigger activations by Corps instead of by lower-level formations, but they still have tactical decision-making choices by needing to determine which Divisions get activation priority. Though at a grander scale, this system maintains a tactical feel about it and still emphasizes the three “FOW’s” of war … the Fortunes of War, the Friction of War and the Fog of War. Players will be challenged to deal with a constantly developing battle situation, never quite sure of what the Gods of War will throw at them, and thus they must always be prepared to deal with historically realistic “black swan” events."  

Confederate Cards

  The box itself weighs a good amount. I did not bother to weigh it, but you could use it for curls as a warmup weight, if you are in shape. Since the game was released, the map has garnered every form of adulation available in the English language, some others also. A mounted map this large is a rare breed indeed. A map that was done with such artistry is also exceedingly rare. Then add in all of the incredible details put onto the map and you have a map that you can only use the phrase c'est magnifique! about. There are some other things in the box, but who cares look at that map, said slightly in jest. The 13/16"counters are 'big huuuge' (a phrase one of my sons used to describe anything larger than himself). The pictures on them match the rest of the components, but do not hide any of the information needed for the player. The fact that the troop illustrations on the counters are historically correct does help with immersion. If they wore Zouave uniforms, it is there (Yay! for my Louisiana Tigers). The artillery also shows the correct cannon that the unit possessed. They come pre-rounded for those who have psychological problems with corners. They come off the sprues with no hint of cardboard tags on them. I think they hired Uri Geller to pull off that stunt. The 5/8" counters are your standard squares. The information on them is plainly visible for anyone but the most myopic. The game comes with three Command Display foldouts in hard stock (two Union, one Confederate). These are nice and large. The three Player Aids are also hard stock. They are: The Scenario Setup Guide, Terrain Effects Chart, Combat Results Table etc. They come on two sided sheets. The only real knock on the presentation of the game is the very small writing on the Player's Aids. Flying Pig Games has developed larger sheets that are available for download on their site. I will have the link below. The Cards have the cover picture on the front and the information needed is large and easy to understand. The Rulebook is thirty-two pages long with a full index. The rules are only just over twenty-four pages long. It is in full color and has plenty of large sized examples of play etc. The type is also large sized. The Scenario Book has thirteen scenarios in it. These have pictures of the map to help with placement. Again, it is in good sized type and easy to follow. The Confederates do not have a necromancer handy so there is no variant for a Jackson brought back to life. There is a 'Reynolds Lives' variant for the two Grand Battle Scenarios. 

 Flying Pig Games was nice enough to send me the Kickstarter add-ons to the game. These include three Union and three Confederate die. Next up is a large pack of Flying Pig Games card sleeves and a very nice mouse pad with some of the map around Gettysburg with some Union units. Then comes four 14" border strips. There are two Union and two Confederate of these strips. I spoke too soon about the absence of a necromancer. You get five cards to show Jackson at the head of the Second Corps. So, he is just replacing Ewell.

Jackson Cards

 We can talk all day about the other components, but there will still be the elephant in the room. Once the map is out on your table it immediately becomes the center of attention of the whole room. Yes, it is that good. However, you will not see a picture of the entire map in this review. You would need a cathedral ceiling and a drone to get the full map, but you would not be able to see any of the magnificent details.

Confederate Counters

 This is the Sequence of Play:

"A Most Fearful Sacrifice is played in a sequence of Game Turns, the actual number of which is determined by the scenario being played. Each Game Turn represents about one hour of time and is broken down into a series of consecutive Phases. Each Phase must be completed before proceeding to the next Phase. A Game Turn is played following the standard Sequence of Play:

1. Advance Game Turn Marker Phase

2. Command Decision Phase

3. Preliminary Bombardment Phase

4. Card Draw Phase

5. Activation Phase

a. Order Step

b. Fire Combat Step

c. Movement Step

d. Assault Combat Step

e. Rally Step

6. End Phase"

Union Counters

 I am a self-proclaimed Hermann Luttmann groupie. He could probably design a game about volleyball, and I would have to have it. As was mentioned, AMFS has been created around his new Black Swan rules. The rules went to cards instead of picking chits. Although, in actuality it pretty much serves the same purpose. The most important thing to remember about these rules for us budding generals, instead of just the complete hit or miss of chit pulls you can get a myriad of different outcomes. You might be able to activate an entire corps, or it will just sit there. On the other hand, you could get a result to be able to activate one division. You could possibly only be allowed to activate one brigade. Take a look at this from the rules:

"No Orders: No units are activated.

• One Brigade –or- One Hex of Artillery: The player may

activate only one Brigade of his choice from the Division

or all Artillery units from the listed Artillery Brigade that

are stacked in the same hex (this includes all Artillery units

arriving as Reinforcements at the same hex).

• One Brigade + One Hex of Artillery: The player may

activate only one Brigade from the Division plus all Artillery

units from the listed Artillery Brigade stacked in the same hex

(including all Artillery units arriving as Reinforcements at the

same hex).

• Division Group + One Hex of Artillery: The player may

activate all units of the Division but each Brigade must be

assigned the same Order (see G-2). In addition, all Artillery

units from the listed Artillery Brigade stacked in the same hex

(this includes all Artillery arriving as Reinforcements at the

same hex) may also activate.

• Division Group + Artillery Brigade: The player may activate

all units of the Division but each Brigade must be assigned

the same Order (see G-2). In addition, all Artillery units from

the listed Artillery Brigade may also activate (regardless of

where they are located).

• Division By Brigade + Artillery Brigade: The player may

activate all units of the Division but may give each Brigade of

that Division its own Order and activate it separately. Players

may opt to substitute the Division Group result (above)

instead if they would rather have the Division operate in

unison with one Order. In addition, all Artillery units from the

listed Artillery Brigade may also activate (regardless of their

location)."

 Like I said, a myriad of possibilities.

 The game has been described as card activated, but not card driven. Movement Points depends on the Order assigned to the unit/units. Learning to maneuver your troops by using the rules is probably the part of the rules that will take longer to understand or use effectively. Remember, when looking at this and some other rules, Mr. Luttmann was going for playability and not making a simulation game. I think he succeeds in juggling between historical accuracy and great gaming perfectly. 

Confederate Border Strip

Union Border Strip

 This is the epitome of a 'playable monster'. There are games that are meant to recreate the battle of Gettysburg down to every Minie Ball. This is not one of them. You do not have to keep track of spent ammo. There are no printed off sheets to keep a tally of casualties. Hell, there aren't any facing rules. Sometimes it is great to lose yourself in a twenty-pound rulebook. I know the feeling well. If you cannot play a wargame without minutiae, then this game is not for you. If you have to count every artillery shell on hand, again you can live without this game. However, if you want to play a really big, beautiful game and actually remember your first moves without looking at your notes, do I have something for you. The game rules and cards give you more than your fair share of 'friction'.  The action is tense and furious. Can your troops make that one more charge, or are they truly spent? It seems to the player that behind every enemy unit there is a Chamberlain waiting to pounce. You will make grandiose plans to see them dissolve like sand at the beach. The game has leaders' abilities, or detriments, but they are not present on the field.

Union Counter up Close

 Thank you, Flying Pig Games for letting me review this modern masterpiece. Some games are beautiful, and they just sit on your shelf. Some other games will get played all the time. The fact that nine of the scenarios only use half of the map will help a lot of players with having the game on the table. Despite its size, you will not need to have it sit there for three months before you finish playing it. If you have looked at the game and said, "I do not have the room", or "I do not have the time", guess what? You have both. It has actually sold out, but they are going to do another Kickstarter for the game. Do yourself a favor and buy it this time. It deserves every bit of the hype the game is getting. Please take a look at the rest of Flying Pig Games offerings while you are at the website. 

Robert

Flying Pig Games:

Flying Pig Games

A Most Fearful Sacrifice:

A Most Fearful Sacrifice | Flying Pig Games

 Chancellorsville 1863

by

Worthington Publishing

 Chancellorsville is often considered Lee's masterpiece battle. He was outnumbered 2 to 1 by The Army of The Potomac, led by Joseph Hooker. Hooker also was one of the few generals to put one over on Lee. Hooker's plan for the campaign was was a very good one, and more surprisingly it worked without a hitch. Then something happened to Hooker, not to the Army he led, only to him. He had managed to flank Lee's Army, and had 3/4's of The Army of The Potomac across the Rappahannock River ready to crush The Army of Northern Virginia between a rock and a hard place. Hooker had his Army positioned in the area that would later become famous as 'The Wilderness'. Lee's only chance to survive was to stop Hooker from leaving the area and entering the more cultivated land where the Army of The Potomac's numerical superiority would overwhelm him. For some strange reason that Hooker himself never really understood, he just stopped where he was and awaited Lee's riposte. One of Hooker's explanations was that 'he just lost faith in Joe Hooker'. Lee really only had 2/3's of The Army of Northern Virginia with him. Longstreet was out west with the other 1/3. However, Lee lost no time in trying to find a way to attack Hooker. Lee's boldness knew no bounds. Lee sent Thomas Jackson (Yes, Stonewall to most) around the open left flank of Hooker's Army. This left almost nothing in front of Hooker, had he decided to actually move forward. Whether it was Jackson's or Lee's plan we will probably never know. However, Lee was the commanding general so the blame or kudos rightly belong to him. Chancellorsville is a battle of so many what ifs. Had Hooker decided to move, had Jackson not been wounded by his own men, etc. The end of the story is that the Union suffered a defeat and the Army of The Potomac was pushed back across the river. We do know that Lee was not happy about all of his victories. He knew that he had to destroy the Army of The Potomac and not just send it packing to try once again in a few months. Porter Alexander always believed that the South's only chance of victory was during the Seven Days Battles, and that after that they had really no chance. So, let us see what is in the box:

Large mounted game board

Union formation activation cards

Confederate formation activation cards

Union bot activation cards (for solitaire play)

Confederate bot activation cards (for solitaire play)

Tactic cards

Confederate and Union reinforcement cards

2 x player screens for hidden movement (with player aid)

Cohesion cubes

Momentum cubes

Redoubt markers

5 x Dice

2 x Rules 

 The game has the same designer as Worthington Publishing's Freeman Farm. There are many similarities between the two, and many differences. I will have a link to that game's review below. This is what Worthington has to say about the game:

"Designed by Maurice Suckling.  Chancellorville 1863 uses many of the concepts from Freeman's Farm 1777.  What stays basically the same:

1.  Combat

2.  How formations are activated and the receiving of momentum cubes by the play of formation cards

3.  The use of leaders like Gates, Arnold, and Burgoyne --- now Lee, Jackson, and Hooker

4.  The use of tactics cards

What's Unique:

1.  Hidden movement -- the game uses minimaps that allow for some hidden movement and variable setup of some formations.

2.  More movement -- formations frequently move on the board and combat occurs when two formations of opposing sides end in the same location.

3.  Reinforcement by transfer of cohesion points between formations

4.  A card driven solitaire engine

5.  Formation cards allow for multiple formations to activate with major and minor activations.  Major allow two moves while minor allow one move.

6.  Prepared positions --- spend your activations to build redoubts.

Gamers who own Freeman's Farm and are familiar with it's concepts will be up and playing in 15 minutes.  And with quick setup and game play, gamers will be able to play multiple games in an evening."

 The Map has nice period detail in places, but its look is not something we are used to seeing (unless, you already have played Freeman's Farm). There are no hexes. The movement of the wooden pieces on it is decided by the player's actions, and by arrows that show where the piece can legally be moved. It is sort of reminiscent of point-to-point maps, but still different from them. All of the record keeping for the different forces involved are right on the map. The wooden blocks are well done and uniform in their shapes with no pieces of wood hanging off them etc. Each deck of cards is done differently, and there are six different decks. The cards are not flimsy at all. The Rulebooks (one for each player) are in large print and full color. They are twenty pages long. The rules for the game are only fifteen pages long. This is followed by some examples of play, and then a Historical Summary, and Designer Notes. There are also two screens for hidden movement in a two player game. The screens have some Player Aids on the player side and a some nice period pictures on their other side. The game as a whole is meant to be more functional than artistic. However, this does not deter the game from being eye pleasing. As a whole, it is a wonderfully produced game. It fits well into the rest of Worthington Games stable of games.

 The game is one of very few that actually has a bot designed to play both sides. Playing solo has never been a problem for me with almost any game, but to have it all in place for playing either side is a very nice touch. It also speaks to the designer's skill in designing the bots. 

 The battle does not lend itself to be developed into a game. The disparity of forces between the North and South is roughly 2:1. So, there has to be some way of adding the tentative nature of Joseph Hooker once his plan worked and he ended up on Lee's flank. Otherwise, each game would just be to see how long Lee could hold out against the onslaught. In almost every game I have played where there is such a difference in size between both sides, victory is almost always how long can you last compared to history. It is hard to imagine, but you have to remember Lee won this battle, and tried hard to annihilate as many Union troops as possible and not just push them back. Although how he would deal with a group of captured soldiers almost half the size of his army is anyone's guess.

 

 

  This is the Sequence of Play:

"Each player’s turn has the same phases:

1. Play Activation card from one of the three in your

hand and gain Momentum cubes for the card played.

2. Determine whether you are playing the major, minor,

or one of the free actions of transfer reinforcements

or build redoubt.

3. Pay Activation cost by reducing cohesion for the

activated formation.

4. If, as a result of movement, combat occurs, perform

combat.

5. After all actions have been performed, optionally

purchase one Tactics card, and refresh the tableau

with a new card.

6. Draw a new Activation card."

These are the game's Objective Locations:

"There are 3 objective locations on the game board:

Fredericksburg (location 13), Salem Church (location

22), and Chancellorsville Junction (location 18). They are

assumed to be Confederate controlled unless there is a

Union control marker in them. A Union formation does

not have to remain on the objective for the objective to

remain Union controlled. Once controlled, at the end of a

Union turn, a Union formation may move away from the

objective. However, if a Confederate formation occupies

a formation at the end of a Confederate turn, the Union

control marker is removed and control reverts back to the

Confederates."

 These are the Victory Conditions:

"The Union player must capture 2 out of the 3 objectives

on the board by the end of the game. An objective is

captured if a Union formation was the last to occupy it,

the formation does not have to remain in the location

(mark with a blue cube to show Union control).

If the Union player breaks 3 or more Confederate

formations they immediately win the game.

The Confederate player wins if the Union player does not win.

The Confederate player also wins the game immediately

if they break 3 or more Union formations."

 The final verdict is that the designer was able to take what should be a one-sided battle (in two-player, or even against a bot), and make it enjoyable to play. Not only that, he was able to design it so that every game you play is different. The cards and other actions make sure that no two games are alike. This means that players cannot come up with unbeatable strategies that always work, and force you to just put the game back on your shelf as a part of your collection. Even for grognards these are 'games' that are meant to be played and not gather dust. The ease of the game's setup means that two-players can get up and and playing within minutes. The games are also meant for relatively fast play, so that each player can have a crack at either side a few times on game night.

 Thank you Worthington Publishing for letting me review this fine game. below I will have some other reviews of Worthington Publishing games I have also reviewed. 

Robert 

Worthington Publishing:

Worthington (worthingtonpublishing.com)

Chancellorsville 1863:

Chancellorsville 1863 — Worthington (worthingtonpublishing.com)

Antietam:

Antietam September 17, 1862 by Worthington Publishing - A Wargamers Needful Things

Grant's Gamble:

Grant's Gamble a game by Worthington Games - A Wargamers Needful Things

Kernstown

1st Kernstown (March 23,1862) 2nd Kernstown (July 24,1864)

by

Revolution Games

 These two battles were fought more than two years apart, but they have a lot in common. Both were fought because Confederate troops were trying to tie up the Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley. The Confederates were also trying to put enough fear into Washington to bring back Union troops outside of Richmond. In 1862 McClellan was trying to take Richmond, and in 1864 it was Grant's turn. In the 1st battle of Kernstown it was Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson in charge of the small Confederate Army. At the 2nd Battle of Kernstown it was Jubal Early's (Per Lee: "His bad old man") turn to take command. The first battle is one of the few blots on Jackson's record. It was a tactical defeat for Jackson who unknowingly attacked a force about twice the size of his. The second battle saw Jubal Early triumphant on his way north through the valley to put a good scare into Federal authorities. Oddly enough, Union General George Crook played the part of Jackson at the second battle. He also believed he was facing a smaller force. As a side note: Richard Garnett, one of the commanders under Jackson at 1st Kernstown, was accused by him of 'neglect of duty' essentially cowardice in Garnett's eyes. Whether through physical constraint or to clear his name, or both, Garnett was the only officer that was on horseback during Pickett's charge at Gettysburg. Miraculously, he was within twenty yards of the Union lines before he was shot down. So, you can see that we get a two-fer here as far as battles. This is what comes in the box:

- 22x34" map
- 2 x 5/8" counter-sheets (352 counters)
- Rulebooklet
- 5 charts/playeraids
- Box or ziploc bag
- 2 dice (Boxed version only)

The game info per Revolution Games:

Complexity: 6 out of 10
Solitaire Suitability: 6 out of 10
Time Scale: 20 minute turns
Map Scale: 150 yards per hex
Unit Scale: regimental
Players: one to two, best with two
Playing Time: three to ten hours depending on scenario

 The map is beautiful and is done by Rick Barber, whose style has graced more than a few Civil War battle games. The hexes on the map represent roughly 140 yards across. Terrain level is divided into thirteen levels, each one of twenty-five feet. The lowest levels of the map are in the darkest color of green. The highest levels are in yellow. All you have to do is look online to see how many people really like this style of map. The counters are 5/8" so they are nice and large. They are very well done with pictures of the leaders on their counters. The combat units show the outline of their recruitment state. There are five Players' Aids; three are in full color and two are black and white. The Union and Confederate Player  each have their own Players' Aid card, and there is one for the Turn Record Chart and eliminated Units etc. The other two full color  Players' Aid cards are for the CRT and terrain, among other charts and tables. I have reviewed both 'Longstreet Attacks' and 'Konigsberg' from Revolution Games, so I am used to their attention to detail and their very well done artwork.

 This is the game's Sequence of Play:

1. COMMAND DECISION PHASE 

 a. Both players choose event chits and set up draw cup
2. ARTILLERY PHASE
 a. Union Artillery Step (move or fire)
 b. Confederate Artillery Step (move or fire)
 c. Both sides alternate “a” and “b” above until done
 d. Artillery Rally/Rebuild Step
3. CHIT DRAW PHASE
 a. Held Event Chit Step (play any held events)
 b. Draw Chit Step 
   If Event chit, owning player keeps it or plays it, draw new chit  If Wild chit, resolve immediately, draw new chit 
   If CIC chit, owning player selects brigade and proceeds to Phase 4 or holds the chit 
   If Division Activation chit, proceed to Phase 4
4. BRIGADE ACTIVATION PHASE
 a. Orders Step
 b. Fire Combat Step
 c. Movement Step
 d. Close Combat Step
 e. Rally Step
 f. If any chits remain in the cup, return to Phase 3.
 g. If no chits remain in the cup, go to Phase 5
5. END TURN PHASE
 a. Final Held Event Chit Step
 b. Victory Point Awards Step
 c. Flip over all “Activated” brigade markers to their “Available”   side
 d. Broken Track Adjustment step
 e. Each player gathers all his Event chits together and then   advances the Game Turn marker

 The game uses the 'Blind Swords' chit-pull system for play. The system emphasizes the three 'FOWs': fog-of-war, friction-of-war, and fortunes-of-war. Once again, I really like the system in any of the games that I have played that uses it. 

 The game comes with six scenarios, with two being 'what-ifs' of each battle. The scenarios are:

The Stone Wall - 1st Kernstown
The Historical Battle - 1st Kernstown
Jackson is aware - 1st Kernstown
Breckenridge Attacks - 2nd Kernstown
Historic 2nd Kernstown
'What If' - 2nd Kernstown

 The simplest way to do this review would be just to say 'Hey, its the Blind Sword System, with a Rick Barber map'! That should be enough for people to get out their credit cards, but we will continue with the regularly scheduled review for those of you still on the fence. The 'Blind Sword System' is based on a chit-pull mechanic, but then it goes much farther. The chits that can be pulled are these:

Event Chit

Wild Chit

CIC Chit

Division Activation Chit

 There are two other interesting mechanics in the game. The first is that after you have activated a Brigade you the have to give it 'Orders' for the turn. You have a choice of four types of 'Orders' to give your Brigade. These are:

Attack

Defend

Maneuver

Regroup

 The other somewhat strange mechanic is that Fire Combat takes place before movement.
 Some of the other rules that enhance the game are:

Canister fire for Artillery
Artillery can fire over friendly troops
Close Combat
Cavalry charging
Mounting and dismounting Cavalry
Cohesion Tests
Skedaddle Test

  I am surprised that we do not have a 'Buck and Ball' rule. The Victory Points for all of the scenarios are either control of victory Point hexes, or a combination of casualties and Victory Point hexes.

 As mentioned, the game comes with six scenarios, with two of them being what-ifs if you are so inclined. These are smaller battles, but the game mechanics are involved (which is a good thing). So, game time is rated at 130-480 minutes. Even though the game does not drown you in components, and the map is not large, you will get a large bang for your buck. I really like this game, even though I am so-so on the campaigns themselves. If you are a frequent reader you will know that I love the 'Blind Swords System', so there isn't much to say about that. The two Battles of Kernstown allow a player to deal with all sorts of military challenges. In both battles you can be the underdog or the force with a clear advantage. This game and the different scenarios are great if you have two opponents of differing skills. The system also works very well for solo play. You never know what is coming out of that chit cup. I am a big fan of Revolution Games, and I will have some links to other reviews I have done for them. Thank you Revolution Games for letting me review another of your splendid games.

Revolution Games:
www.revolutiongames.us/

Konigsberg:
https://www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk/2018/06/konigsberg-by-revolution-games.html

Longstreet Attacks:
https://www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk/2018/08/longstreet-attacks-by-revolution-games.html

Robert