Antietam: The Bloodiest Day, 17 September 1862 (1975)

About this game

Increasingly regarded as THE pivotal battle of the civil war, this "mini" game is based on rule systems from Borodino and Austerlitz; included in and shares basic rules with others in the SPI Blue & Gray Folio Series (Chickamauga, Gettysburg and Shiloh) Scale is 400 meters/hex. 1-2 hours per Game Turn. Union Movement Restrictions are used to reflect McClellan's lack of aggression. Rigid Zones of Control, retreat and advance after combat, and Sequential Player Turns are common to these games, but a new concept, "Attack Effectiveness" is introduced. Surrounding to cut off retreat is a major strategy. Fairly wide open terrain, defense specifics (like Bloody Lane) are not detailed but "Burnside Bridge" is.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Strictly 2 players — no more, no fewer.
• Rules load. At 2.1/5 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.