Gettysburg

About this board game

Gettysburg is a two-player American Civil War wargame with an approximately 180-minute playing time, released in 2010. One player commands Confederate forces while the other leads the Union, competing across a three-day battle shaped by timing, positioning, and limited orders.

Designed by Martin Wallace, Gettysburg aims for a balanced game rather than complete historical accuracy. Its units do not correspond exactly to brigades or divisions, and casualty levels are ignored, although the overall proportion of forces remains close to historical levels.

Each day is divided into four periods, and key locations must be held at the end of a period. Players use eight numbered order blocks, valued from two to five, placing them in game areas to determine how many orders can be issued there. Orders can activate units in the same or adjacent areas.

• Order discs track how many orders an area has received.
• When an area reaches its order block’s value, no more orders can be issued there.
• Players must remove used blocks and place new ones as the battle develops.
• If a player lacks enough order discs for the next period, they must pass for each disc they are missing.

Assault combat resembles the system from Waterloo, with one important distinction: attackers and defenders use different morale check tables. Defenders are more likely to retreat than be eliminated, but an assault can also trigger a counter-attack that drives back the attacking forces.

The Confederate player wins by taking two starred areas or Little Round Top. With its focused two-player design and scarce production, Gettysburg offers a tightly contested battlefield struggle. Only 1,500 copies were produced, and every copy was signed and numbered.