Shiloh: The First Day, Crisis in the West is an American Civil War wargame recreating the opening day of the Battle of Shiloh, fought on 6 April 1862 near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. The battle began with a surprise Confederate attack against Union forces and developed into one of the bloodiest engagements of the American Civil War.
Volume 11 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 fighting.
Designed by Steve Carey, Shiloh: The First Day is one of the larger games in the series, featuring two full-size maps and seven scenarios covering different stages of the battle. From smaller introductory engagements to the complete first day's fighting, players can explore the tactical decisions and events that shaped this important confrontation.
This game includes:
2 Full-Size Maps (22" × 34" Each)
1 Scenario Map (15" × 19")
1 Scenario Map (8.5" × 11")
1 Scenario Map (11" × 11")
3 Counter Sheets (176 Counters per Sheet, 528 Total, 5/8")
4 Player Aid Cards (8.5" × 11")
2 Player Aid Cards (11" × 17")
2 Brigade Activation Displays
1 Scenario Special Rules Summary Card (8.5" × 11")
1 General Records Track
1 Series Rulebook
1 Exclusive Rulebook
1 Scenario Rulebook
2 Six-Sided Dice (1 Red and 1 White)
Game Box
Key Features:
Recreates the first day of the Battle of Shiloh, 6 April 1862
Volume 11 in Revolution Games' American Civil War Series
Uses the Blind Swords system to represent battlefield uncertainty and command difficulties
Seven scenarios ranging from short engagements to the complete first day's battle
Two full-size maps covering the wooded terrain around Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh Church and the surrounding area
Includes smaller scenario maps for quicker engagements
Features Confederate surprise attacks, Union command challenges and the defence of Pittsburg Landing
Includes historical situations involving the Hornets' Nest, Lew Wallace's delayed arrival and Grant's defensive preparations
Optional variant explores an earlier arrival of Lew Wallace's Division
Suitable for solitaire play, with several scenarios particularly well suited to solo study
Different scenarios and tactical possibilities offer considerable replay value
About the Game:
Early on the morning of 6 April 1862, Union soldiers camped near Pittsburg Landing were caught off guard by a major Confederate offensive. The attack quickly developed into a fierce battle as Union formations struggled to organise their defences and Confederate commanders attempted to exploit their initial advantage.
Shiloh: The First Day places players in command of the opposing forces during this critical opening day. Using the Blind Swords system, the game recreates the difficulties of coordinating formations, responding to unexpected developments and making decisions under pressure.
The game introduces a range of historical situations and special rules, including Confederate surprise, Union alert levels, camp locations, Union gunboats, custom Fog of War tables, new artillery rules and wrecked brigades.
An additional Fall Back option reflects the suddenness of the Confederate assault and the determined Union withdrawal as Federal troops attempted to establish a defensive line.
Seven Historical Scenarios
The game includes seven scenarios, allowing players to concentrate on individual engagements or recreate the entire first day of battle.
1. Colonel Stuart's Defense
An introductory solitaire mini-scenario covering Colonel David Stuart's detached Union brigade as it attempts to defend the extreme left flank of the Union position.
2. "We Are in for It Now!"
A short scenario focusing on the eastern portion of the opening Confederate attack. Four Confederate brigades confront two Union brigades belonging to Brigadier General Benjamin Prentiss' inexperienced 6th Division.
3. "My God, We Are Attacked!"
A medium-sized scenario recreating the western portion of the initial Confederate offensive, with six Confederate brigades attacking four Union brigades from Sherman's Division.
4. "No Enemy Nearer Than Corinth"
A larger scenario combining the previous two engagements to recreate most of the opening Confederate attack, without requiring players to undertake the complete first-day campaign.
5. The Hornets' Nest
This scenario concentrates on the prolonged and bitter fighting around the Hornets' Nest, where both armies struggled for local superiority amid heavy casualties and determined resistance.
6. Grant's Last Stand
A short scenario particularly suited to solitaire play, exploring the possibility of a final Union defence around Pittsburg Landing while Grant awaited the arrival of Lew Wallace's Division and Buell's Army of the Ohio.
7. Bloody April
The full first-day scenario, covering the major events of 6 April 1862 and allowing players to experience the battle on a much larger scale.
Command Decisions and Alternative History
One of the important uncertainties at Shiloh was the delayed arrival of Lew Wallace's Division, which remained in reserve for much of the day.
The game includes an optional variant allowing players to explore an earlier arrival of Wallace's troops and consider how their participation might have influenced the fighting.
With different starting situations, historical challenges and alternative possibilities, the scenarios offer opportunities to examine both the actual battle and decisions that might have changed its outcome.
Game Details:
Players: 2 (Also Suitable for Solitaire Play)
Playing Time: Varies by Scenario
Complexity: Moderate
Solitaire Suitability: Good
Historical Period: American Civil War
Battle: Shiloh, 6 April 1862
Location: Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee
Game System: Blind Swords
Series: American Civil War Series – Volume 11
Scenarios: 7
Designer: Steve Carey
Recommended Age: 14+
Edition: Boxed Edition
Shiloh: The First Day, Crisis in the West offers a detailed recreation of one of the American Civil War's most important early battles. With seven scenarios, two full-size maps and the unpredictable Blind Swords system, it provides a varied and historically focused experience for players interested in Civil War history and traditional hex-and-counter wargames.
Shiloh: The First Day, Crisis in the West is an American Civil War wargame recreating the opening day of the Battle of Shiloh, fought on 6 April 1862 near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. The battle began with a surprise Confederate attack against Union forces and developed into one of the bloodiest engagements of the American Civil War.
Volume 11 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 fighting.
Designed by Steve Carey, Shiloh: The First Day is one of the larger games in the series, featuring two full-size maps and seven scenarios covering different stages of the battle. From smaller introductory engagements to the complete first day's fighting, players can explore the tactical decisions and events that shaped this important confrontation.
This game includes:
2 Full-Size Maps (22" × 34" Each)
1 Scenario Map (15" × 19")
1 Scenario Map (8.5" × 11")
1 Scenario Map (11" × 11")
3 Counter Sheets (176 Counters per Sheet, 528 Total, 5/8")
4 Player Aid Cards (8.5" × 11")
2 Player Aid Cards (11" × 17")
2 Brigade Activation Displays
1 Scenario Special Rules Summary Card (8.5" × 11")
1 General Records Track
1 Series Rulebook
1 Exclusive Rulebook
1 Scenario Rulebook
2 Six-Sided Dice (1 Red and 1 White)
Game Box
Key Features:
Recreates the first day of the Battle of Shiloh, 6 April 1862
Volume 11 in Revolution Games' American Civil War Series
Uses the Blind Swords system to represent battlefield uncertainty and command difficulties
Seven scenarios ranging from short engagements to the complete first day's battle
Two full-size maps covering the wooded terrain around Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh Church and the surrounding area
Includes smaller scenario maps for quicker engagements
Features Confederate surprise attacks, Union command challenges and the defence of Pittsburg Landing
Includes historical situations involving the Hornets' Nest, Lew Wallace's delayed arrival and Grant's defensive preparations
Optional variant explores an earlier arrival of Lew Wallace's Division
Suitable for solitaire play, with several scenarios particularly well suited to solo study
Different scenarios and tactical possibilities offer considerable replay value
About the Game:
Early on the morning of 6 April 1862, Union soldiers camped near Pittsburg Landing were caught off guard by a major Confederate offensive. The attack quickly developed into a fierce battle as Union formations struggled to organise their defences and Confederate commanders attempted to exploit their initial advantage.
Shiloh: The First Day places players in command of the opposing forces during this critical opening day. Using the Blind Swords system, the game recreates the difficulties of coordinating formations, responding to unexpected developments and making decisions under pressure.
The game introduces a range of historical situations and special rules, including Confederate surprise, Union alert levels, camp locations, Union gunboats, custom Fog of War tables, new artillery rules and wrecked brigades.
An additional Fall Back option reflects the suddenness of the Confederate assault and the determined Union withdrawal as Federal troops attempted to establish a defensive line.
Seven Historical Scenarios
The game includes seven scenarios, allowing players to concentrate on individual engagements or recreate the entire first day of battle.
1. Colonel Stuart's Defense
An introductory solitaire mini-scenario covering Colonel David Stuart's detached Union brigade as it attempts to defend the extreme left flank of the Union position.
2. "We Are in for It Now!"
A short scenario focusing on the eastern portion of the opening Confederate attack. Four Confederate brigades confront two Union brigades belonging to Brigadier General Benjamin Prentiss' inexperienced 6th Division.
3. "My God, We Are Attacked!"
A medium-sized scenario recreating the western portion of the initial Confederate offensive, with six Confederate brigades attacking four Union brigades from Sherman's Division.
4. "No Enemy Nearer Than Corinth"
A larger scenario combining the previous two engagements to recreate most of the opening Confederate attack, without requiring players to undertake the complete first-day campaign.
5. The Hornets' Nest
This scenario concentrates on the prolonged and bitter fighting around the Hornets' Nest, where both armies struggled for local superiority amid heavy casualties and determined resistance.
6. Grant's Last Stand
A short scenario particularly suited to solitaire play, exploring the possibility of a final Union defence around Pittsburg Landing while Grant awaited the arrival of Lew Wallace's Division and Buell's Army of the Ohio.
7. Bloody April
The full first-day scenario, covering the major events of 6 April 1862 and allowing players to experience the battle on a much larger scale.
Command Decisions and Alternative History
One of the important uncertainties at Shiloh was the delayed arrival of Lew Wallace's Division, which remained in reserve for much of the day.
The game includes an optional variant allowing players to explore an earlier arrival of Wallace's troops and consider how their participation might have influenced the fighting.
With different starting situations, historical challenges and alternative possibilities, the scenarios offer opportunities to examine both the actual battle and decisions that might have changed its outcome.
Game Details:
Players: 2 (Also Suitable for Solitaire Play)
Playing Time: Varies by Scenario
Complexity: Moderate
Solitaire Suitability: Good
Historical Period: American Civil War
Battle: Shiloh, 6 April 1862
Location: Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee
Game System: Blind Swords
Series: American Civil War Series – Volume 11
Scenarios: 7
Designer: Steve Carey
Recommended Age: 14+
Edition: Boxed Edition
Shiloh: The First Day, Crisis in the West offers a detailed recreation of one of the American Civil War's most important early battles. With seven scenarios, two full-size maps and the unpredictable Blind Swords system, it provides a varied and historically focused experience for players interested in Civil War history and traditional hex-and-counter wargames.
