Lee Moves North: The Confederate Summer Offensive, 1862 & 1863 (1972)

About this game

Lee Moves North covers both of R.E. Lee’s summer offenses (1862 & 1863) at the corps/division level using hidden deployment of units and dummy counters and one week turns. Confederate forces must go on the attack to win while the Union army struggles to protect Washington, DC and Baltimore. The map is very basic and players each have about 20 units each to control, creating a game that focuses on Civil War-era strategy rather than details and chrome. Confederate units are divisions while Union units are corps and cavalry are represented by brigades. Rules cover dummies units, cavalry probes and screens, forced marches, rail movement, and leadership and command issues while the units take losses by steps. Although not visually appealing, “Lee Moves North” is a playable and subtle game of two Civil War campaigns at the operational level. Uses a system similar to SPI's The Wilderness Campaign: Lee vs. Grant, 1864.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Strictly 2 players — no more, no fewer.
• Rules load. At 2.3/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 12 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.