The Battle of the Little Bighorn

About this board game

The Battle of the Little Bighorn is a historical wargame for 1–2 players, with games lasting about 300 minutes. It recreates the famous 1876 battle between a large combined force of Plains Indian tribes and the 7th United States Cavalry under Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer.

The battle was a crushing victory for the Indians and became the most famous event of the Indian Wars. Custer’s reputation as a Civil War commander helped turn his defeat into an enduring American legend, while Little Bighorn marked the last great victory for the Sioux and Cheyenne before they were defeated within a year.

This is the third game in the Indian Wars of the American West series. It expands the historical situation by including the Montana column led by Col. Gibbon, the third column in General Terry’s campaign plan. The related Wyoming column, led by Crook, is covered in the series’ The Battle of Rosebud Creek.

The Montana column brings additional forces and new possibilities to the battle. These include the 7th Infantry, 2nd Cavalry, and Low’s Artillery Battery, with Gatling guns and a 12 lb howitzer. Players can explore what effect these forces and weapons might have had on the outcome.

• Historical Little Bighorn scenario
• Montana column arrival scenario
• Scenarios involving the Gatling guns or assigning the 2nd Cavalry to Custer
• Expanded maps allowing the Indian village to be relocated
• Possibilities involving Terry’s arrival or Custer being delayed by the Gatling guns

With its expanded maps and alternate situations, The Battle of the Little Bighorn invites players to examine both the historical battle and the consequences of different choices on the campaign.