This review first appeared in IPW, the newsletter for all discount games
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Seven Days Battles

A four game American Civil War set from Decision Games

Reviewed by Alan Sharif

Seven Days Battles simulates the early Union anempt to advance on
Richmond. In a series of four battles between 27th June and 1st July,
1862, Confederate General Lee displayed his talent and demonstrated that
the Unions great hope, McClellan, was no match for him in strategic
skill. As this was a series of four battles it is no surprise that a
quad sized game has now appeared on the Campaign in question. As an
added bonus the four battles can also be linked to play an entire
Campaign game.

Graphically the game maps are quite pleasing though nothing to write
home about. Unit counters are plain and simple but the game demands
nothing more. The rules are laid out in a very odd manner but are
nonetheless complete.

I did describe this game as a simulation in my first sentence. I am in
no doubt that some readers may take exception to this. The reason is
quite simple. Seven Days Battles uses the Blue & Grey games system
designed by Jim Dunnigan many years ago for SPI. At the time it may well
have been highly regarded but it has not aged very well. The basic rules
are brain numbingly simple - just movement and combat. Zones of control
are locking, combat odds of 3-1 guarantee a measure of success for the
attacker, any old hand knows the score. It may produce an enjoyable
game, but history takes a back seat as most tactics used are actually
the opposite of what happened in reality.

The advanced rules risk prosecution under the trade description act. For
example, the rule allowing Artillery to fire at a three hex range is
found in the advanced section. An experienced gamer will spend more time
setting up one of the quads than he will learning the rules. Therefore,
this is a good game for those new to wargaming and can also easily be
played solo And so on to the battles.

SEVEN PINES

This battle actually preceded the campaign and resulted in a tactical
victory for the Union when, after two days of fruitless assaults, the
Confederates withdrew.

This game has the lowest unit count of the set and is therefore the
choice for any new player to learn the system on. Victory is based on
control of two hexes, one of which starts in Union hands and the other
of which no one holds at games start. Losses have no bearing on victory
with the result that both players go flat out to cripple the other and
end up like two punch drunk fighters struggling to stay on their feet.
Only eight turns long, the battle can easily to played in full in an
evening. Alternatively, the battle may be extended to encompass the
second day - an additional ten turns. This sees the addition of a rule I
rather like. Any assaults made on night turns have a die rolled prior to
resolution. Four is deducted from the result and the remaining figure is
applied as either a positive or negative column shift. This represents
the chaos darkness brings which may result in disaster or a surprising
success. This is a well balanced and fun game.

GAINES MILL

Gaines Mill was the first serious battle of the campaign and led to the
Union march on Richmond being reversed. Looking at the situation at the
start of the game its easy to see why. Union forces are split North and
South of the Chickahominy River. Those South of the River are unable to
move until later the game, unless Confederate units move within a
certain range. North of the River finds the Union in a potentially
excellent defensive position behind both a marsh and stream. Their left
flank throws in some woods for good measure and any Confederate move in
that direction risks activating Union units South of the River.
Unfortunately the Union right nank is founded on the hope that
Confederate forces may well suffer from agrophobia, its one wide open
spice. It does not take a genius to see where this game is going. If the
Confederate player can turn the Union right flank and seize the bridges
over the Chicahominy in the Union's flank, he is well on his way to a
major victory. Add to this the fact that Union units North of the River
can only move South as a result of combat and that, in time, the Union
units to the South will activate and you have a very enjoyable game.
Both sides are equally interesting to play and despite the obvious
strategy for the Confederate player I find this game does stand up to
repeated play. This game is my favourite of the set and highly
recommended.

FRAYSERS FARM

Well, we have had the best in the set, now comes the worst. After Gaines
Mill the Confederates tried to cut off the retreating Union Army and
Fraysers Farm was the result. This battle lasts only seven turns and
finds the Union once again in some very good defensive terrain. Despite
assaulting both the front and flank of the Union position, the Union
have enough units to contain both efforts and Confederate losses can be
high. Victory is based on both losses and control of two victory hexes
at games end. Many historians feel that Fraysers Farm was the
Confederates best chance of victory but this game does not support that
view. The Confederate player's best option seems to be to avoid the
frontal assault and put everything into the assault on the flank. This,
however, is no guarantee of a balanced game. I dislike the game because
playing the Union side is no great challenge whilst the Confederate side
seems to have lost before starting play. Taking into account the view of
historians I wonder whether in fact this game is just inaccurate?
Transplanting the command control rules from the campaign game to this
quad seems to be the answer.

MALVERN HILL

Historically, this, the last battle in the campaign, saw the
Confederates lose a great many men assaulting a well prepared Union
position. On setting up the game one expects an unbalanced repeat of
history. Victory is earned by the Confederate player capturing three of
five victory hexes. Two of these hexes lie on the South map edge where
roads exit the map. The remaining three are on Malvern Hill, together
with almost the entire Union Army. The Confederate player may try the
historical assault on the hill but could well suffer the same fate. As
an alternative a move around either Union flank could be attempted.
However, the terrain is prohibitive and with only eight game turns the
Confederate units will really have to get their skates on. As an
additional pain, Union gunboats on the James River are able to barrage
any Confederates moving around the Union left flank. So is this another
unbalanced game? Read on.....

What is required is a change in the victory conditions. As the game is
presented the Union can form an all round defence of Malvern Hill and
although cut off in enemy territory at games end, still hold three
victory hexes and is declared the winner. I suggest you change this so
that the Union must both hold three victory hexes and trace a clear path
off the south map edge. With this change Malvern Hill is both well
balanced and enjoyable.

THE CAMPAIGN CAME

First things first. A warning. Whilst linking the games into one
campaign may seem the natural thing to do, the campaign lasts a mammoth
eighty six turns! Also it adds rules for leaders, command control
reorganisation, demoralisation, supply and off map movement. The
command- control restrictions make the individual battles a harder
proposition for the Union player. These enable Lee to command four corps
in comparison to McClellan's one. Players have to learn to allow time to
reorganise and to keep a corps in reserve to pursue the enemy between
battles. Special care should also be taken when sorting the units to be
used in the campaign. The units used are taken from the Gaines Mill game
but duplicates exist at different combat strengths, take care not to mix
them up. I have only played the campaign game once but found it
proceeded somewhat quicker than the events portrayed. I an unable to say
whether this is a fault in the design having only played it once but
suspect it may be.

This game will appeal mainly to beginners or those with a fondness for
the SPI Blue and Grey quads. Experienced gamers will otherwise be
interested either in the campaign game or not at all. Whilst some of the
individual games are indeed fun, as a lesson in history this game is
sorely lacking. The system used has been left behind by the likes of
Victory Games Across Five Aprils. Not a game I would recommend to every
one.