Border States

About this board game

Border States is a tactical two-player game of battle and political influence, with an approximate playing time of 50 minutes. Set in 1861 as civil war erupts across America, it places the Union and Confederacy in a struggle for control of the nation’s destiny.

Both sides understand that the conflict is fought through politics as well as arms. The crucial prize is the five slave states bordering those already in contention: Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and West Virginia. Each state may ultimately favor abolition or those who endorse the doctrine of human “property,” and the balance can be shifted by battle and political pressure.

In Border States, your aim is to win decisive victories that influence these states and rally them to your cause. Success depends not only on your own plans, but also on reading your opponent. Effective bluffing and the ability to discern enemy intentions are among your most important assets.

• Players: 2
• Play time: about 50 minutes
• Setting: America in 1861
• Core focus: battle, politics, bluffing, and state control

There are two paths to victory. You can control sufficient States tokens to win by sudden death, or compete for the most victory points when the game ends after five rounds. Every decision contributes to the wider political struggle, as military success becomes an argument for winning the allegiance of the Border States.

Designed for a focused head-to-head contest, Border States presents the Civil War as a tense contest of tactical judgment, political positioning, and concealed intentions.