Three Days of Gettysburg (Third Edition)

About this board game

Three Days of Gettysburg (Third Edition) is a complex tactical-level simulation of the Battle of Gettysburg for 1–6 players, with a listed play time of 4,500 minutes. This 2004 edition refreshes the award-winning opening game in GMT’s Great Battles of the American Civil War series.

The game includes seven scenarios, ranging from compact one-map engagements to the complete three-day battle. Players command Union and Confederate forces across three revised, full-color maps, using updated counters, charts, and the GBACW 4.5 rules.

Command is shaped by a revised system using Maximum Effectiveness to represent the strengths and changing fortunes of battlefield leadership. Brigadiers also receive individual Action Profiles, creating uncertainty when they operate independently: an officer may act aggressively, cautiously, or unreliably rather than always following a predictable pattern.

• Seven scenarios, including small engagements and the full battle
• Artillery Barrage, simplified ammunition rules, and special rules for green units
• An optional Fatigue Rule that rewards careful unit management
• A streamlined Shock Table featuring Continuous Attack, allowing a charge to roll up an enemy flank
• Three revised maps, six countersheets, updated player aids, and command-status charts

The third edition also addresses the presentation and usability of earlier versions, with redesigned counter graphics, improved map layouts, and an attempt to simplify complicated line-of-sight procedures. It contains approximately 1,680 counters, including units and markers, along with revised charts and schedules.

For players who want the historical depth of the GBACW system without mastering its full complexity, Three Days of Gettysburg can also be played with the slimmer Simple Great Battles of the ACW rules. The result is a visually polished and highly detailed Gettysburg game with options for both full simulation and a more approachable rules experience.