A Gleam of Bayonets: The Battle of Antietam

About this board game

A Gleam of Bayonets: The Battle of Antietam is a detailed, regimental-level board game for 2–6 players, with a listed playing time of 4,200 minutes. It recreates the Battle of Antietam, also known as Sharpsburg, when Robert E. Lee invaded the North and the pursuing Union army caught the Confederates at Antietam Creek.

Set during the perilous summer of 1862, the game presents the bloodiest day in American history. With the Confederates outnumbered two to one and fighting on Union soil, George B. McClellan faced an opportunity that might have ended the war in a single day.

The map depicts the orchards, cornfields, wheatfields, and Bloody Lane that became fiercely contested ground. Each hex represents 120 yards, each game turn covers 20 minutes, and every strength point equals 50 men or one artillery gun.

Colorful counters represent the historical forces involved, including infantry regiments, artillery batteries, supply wagons, and commanders. Additional counters track unit strength and status, while simple probability charts determine the outcomes of confrontations.

• Detailed regimental-level recreation of Antietam/Sharpsburg
• Historical units, artillery, supply wagons, and commanders
• Two 22-by-34-inch maps showing the battle’s key terrain
• 1,600 counters and two rules booklets

A Gleam of Bayonets is Volume 7 of the original SPI / TSR Great Battles of the American Civil War series. Its extensive map coverage and large counter set provide a richly detailed presentation of this pivotal Civil War battle.