Gettysburg: The First Day is a two-player American Civil War wargame recreating the opening day of the Battle of Gettysburg on 1 July 1863, when Union and Confederate forces clashed in Pennsylvania in one of the most important engagements of the war.
Volume 12 in Revolution Games' American Civil War Series, the game uses the popular Blind Swords system to recreate the confusion, uncertainty and command challenges faced by both armies during the battle.
Players take command of either the Union or Confederate forces, making critical decisions as the fighting unfolds. With its chit-pull activation system, varied tactical options and historically researched scenarios, Gettysburg: The First Day offers an engaging recreation of the events that shaped the battle's outcome.
This game includes:
1 Full-Size Map (22" × 34")
2 Scenario Maps (17" × 22" Each)
3 Counter Sheets (528 Counters, 5/8")
2 Event Description Cards
2 Combat Results Table Player Aids
2 Player Aid Cards
1 General Records Track
1 Series Rulebook
1 Exclusive Rulebook
1 Scenario Booklet
2 Brigade Activation Command Cards (1 Union and 1 Confederate)
2 Six-Sided Dice (1 Red and 1 White)
Game Box
Key Features:
Recreates the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, 1 July 1863
Volume 12 in Revolution Games' American Civil War Series
Uses the Blind Swords chit-pull system to introduce uncertainty into brigade activations
Command and control challenges reflect the difficulties faced by historical commanders
Includes artillery barrages, temporary Union commanders-in-chief and Confederate sharpshooters
Features Buford's dismounted cavalry and Union breech-loading rifles
Optional variant explores alternative arrival times for Confederate R.H. Anderson's Division and Union Slocum's XII Corps
Multiple scenarios and a full battle map provide different ways to explore the opening day's fighting
Designed for two players but also suitable for solitaire play
Accessible to players familiar with the Blind Swords system and those approaching it for the first time
About the Game:
The Battle of Gettysburg began on 1 July 1863, when two powerful armies converged near a relatively small Pennsylvania town. The opening day's fighting saw both sides struggling to bring their forces into position, respond to unexpected developments and secure important ground.
In Gettysburg: The First Day, players face many of the same decisions that confronted Union and Confederate commanders. The game's Blind Swords system uses randomly drawn activation chits to determine when formations can act, creating uncertainty and making it difficult to carry out a perfectly coordinated plan.
The game builds on the established system with rules reflecting particular events and battlefield conditions of 1 July. Artillery barrages, Confederate sharpshooters, Buford's dismounted cavalry and Union breech-loading rifles all contribute to the character of the fighting.
Alternative Historical Possibilities
An optional variant introduces variable arrival times for Confederate R.H. Anderson's Division and Union Slocum's XII Corps.
Had either formation arrived and participated in the opening day's fighting, the course of the battle might have been considerably different. This option allows players to explore those possibilities and consider how the arrival of additional troops could have influenced events.
Scenarios and Gameplay
The game offers several scenarios alongside the opportunity to recreate the broader events of the first day.
Although the Battle of Gettysburg was a major engagement, Gettysburg: The First Day is not intended to be an excessively complicated or oversized wargame. Its comparatively quick-playing system, different scenarios and range of strategic choices provide opportunities for replayability.
The game is also well suited to solitaire play, with the unpredictable activation system helping maintain uncertainty even when one person controls both armies.
Can the Union hold its positions and secure the ground needed for the following days, or can the Confederates achieve a more decisive result before the battle develops further?
Game Details:
Players: 2 (Also Suitable for Solitaire Play)
Playing Time: Approximately 400 Minutes (Varies by Scenario)
Complexity: Moderate
Solitaire Suitability: Good
Historical Period: American Civil War
Battle: Gettysburg, 1 July 1863
Game System: Blind Swords
Series: American Civil War Series – Volume 12
Recommended Age: 14+
Edition: Boxed Edition
Gettysburg: The First Day offers a historically focused recreation of the opening hours of one of the American Civil War's most significant battles. Combining the Blind Swords activation system with detailed scenarios and alternative historical possibilities, it provides a challenging and replayable experience for Civil War enthusiasts and traditional hex-and-counter wargamers.
Gettysburg: The First Day is a two-player American Civil War wargame recreating the opening day of the Battle of Gettysburg on 1 July 1863, when Union and Confederate forces clashed in Pennsylvania in one of the most important engagements of the war.
Volume 12 in Revolution Games' American Civil War Series, the game uses the popular Blind Swords system to recreate the confusion, uncertainty and command challenges faced by both armies during the battle.
Players take command of either the Union or Confederate forces, making critical decisions as the fighting unfolds. With its chit-pull activation system, varied tactical options and historically researched scenarios, Gettysburg: The First Day offers an engaging recreation of the events that shaped the battle's outcome.
This game includes:
1 Full-Size Map (22" × 34")
2 Scenario Maps (17" × 22" Each)
3 Counter Sheets (528 Counters, 5/8")
2 Event Description Cards
2 Combat Results Table Player Aids
2 Player Aid Cards
1 General Records Track
1 Series Rulebook
1 Exclusive Rulebook
1 Scenario Booklet
2 Brigade Activation Command Cards (1 Union and 1 Confederate)
2 Six-Sided Dice (1 Red and 1 White)
Game Box
Key Features:
Recreates the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, 1 July 1863
Volume 12 in Revolution Games' American Civil War Series
Uses the Blind Swords chit-pull system to introduce uncertainty into brigade activations
Command and control challenges reflect the difficulties faced by historical commanders
Includes artillery barrages, temporary Union commanders-in-chief and Confederate sharpshooters
Features Buford's dismounted cavalry and Union breech-loading rifles
Optional variant explores alternative arrival times for Confederate R.H. Anderson's Division and Union Slocum's XII Corps
Multiple scenarios and a full battle map provide different ways to explore the opening day's fighting
Designed for two players but also suitable for solitaire play
Accessible to players familiar with the Blind Swords system and those approaching it for the first time
About the Game:
The Battle of Gettysburg began on 1 July 1863, when two powerful armies converged near a relatively small Pennsylvania town. The opening day's fighting saw both sides struggling to bring their forces into position, respond to unexpected developments and secure important ground.
In Gettysburg: The First Day, players face many of the same decisions that confronted Union and Confederate commanders. The game's Blind Swords system uses randomly drawn activation chits to determine when formations can act, creating uncertainty and making it difficult to carry out a perfectly coordinated plan.
The game builds on the established system with rules reflecting particular events and battlefield conditions of 1 July. Artillery barrages, Confederate sharpshooters, Buford's dismounted cavalry and Union breech-loading rifles all contribute to the character of the fighting.
Alternative Historical Possibilities
An optional variant introduces variable arrival times for Confederate R.H. Anderson's Division and Union Slocum's XII Corps.
Had either formation arrived and participated in the opening day's fighting, the course of the battle might have been considerably different. This option allows players to explore those possibilities and consider how the arrival of additional troops could have influenced events.
Scenarios and Gameplay
The game offers several scenarios alongside the opportunity to recreate the broader events of the first day.
Although the Battle of Gettysburg was a major engagement, Gettysburg: The First Day is not intended to be an excessively complicated or oversized wargame. Its comparatively quick-playing system, different scenarios and range of strategic choices provide opportunities for replayability.
The game is also well suited to solitaire play, with the unpredictable activation system helping maintain uncertainty even when one person controls both armies.
Can the Union hold its positions and secure the ground needed for the following days, or can the Confederates achieve a more decisive result before the battle develops further?
Game Details:
Players: 2 (Also Suitable for Solitaire Play)
Playing Time: Approximately 400 Minutes (Varies by Scenario)
Complexity: Moderate
Solitaire Suitability: Good
Historical Period: American Civil War
Battle: Gettysburg, 1 July 1863
Game System: Blind Swords
Series: American Civil War Series – Volume 12
Recommended Age: 14+
Edition: Boxed Edition
Gettysburg: The First Day offers a historically focused recreation of the opening hours of one of the American Civil War's most significant battles. Combining the Blind Swords activation system with detailed scenarios and alternative historical possibilities, it provides a challenging and replayable experience for Civil War enthusiasts and traditional hex-and-counter wargamers.
