Opponents Wanted

Find Gaming Opponents!

Another new feature for Grognard.com, "Opponents Wanted" provides a quick and easy way to locate gaming opponents with similar gaming preferences. Requires site registration. Grognard.com Opponents Wanted



Spotlight Articles

Outstanding articles that are not necessarily linked to one particular game, but may have broad appeal to gamers.

Epic Revolution (AWI)

Spotlight Article Graphic

"Another instalment in Warlord Games’ Epic series has just been released..."! Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, checks out the latest figures/ruleset package in this series. "... a lot of work has gone into this rule set to make it AWI specific - well done that team."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/30/2025


War reaches northern Italy, 215 BC

Spotlight Article Graphic

"Hannibal has come over the Alps..."! Prufrock and his friend Ian P bring us an intense Punic War clash that doesn't look too promising for the Romans, when they "...win the first move and mostly freeze."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/26/2025


Interview with Robert Phaneuf Designer of Secession 1861: The American Civil War and The Armada from Fortress Games Currently on Kickstarter

Spotlight Article Graphic

"...there are few more fertile areas for educational, simulation-ai gaming." Grant Kleinhenz, in The Players' Aid, interviews designer Bob Phaneuf about his two upcoming games. See why he thinks that "...Secession 1861 will mature as a classic solitaire nail-biter."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/18/2025


Battles of Heraclea Lyncestis, 219 BC and Emporiae, 218 BC (Med Campaign 9)

Spotlight Article Graphic

"Reports are in of a battle in northern Macedon between the invading Illyrians and a force scrambled together to meet them...". Prufrock continues with two more nicely photographed AARs in the ongoing Med Campaign! "...in Nearer Spain, Proconsul Aaronius Dubius Scipio Calvus, having landed a force near Emporiae, was engaged by an alliance of indomitable Iberian tribes...".

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/9/2025


My pre-orders analysis – what is new and coming!

Spotlight Article Graphic

Michal, in The Boardgames Chronicle, covers his current game preorders, and why he is anxiously awaiting them. See which game has him commenting that "...we are getting so many new elements – from graphical representation, to add-ons and optional rules – that this it will be a great, refreshing comeback to fantastic classic!"

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/6/2025


My Top Solitaire Wargames: New Designs and All-Time Classics

Spotlight Article Graphic

Michal, in The Boardgames Chronicle, reveals his favorite recent and all time solitaire classics. Check out the game he describes as "...probably the best small units combat simulation ever created, which has fantastic planning phase and unfolds completely differently each time.", and the one that challenges you to "...harness a brilliant mind, titanic energies, and a sometimes terrifying charisma to leave your mark on history?"

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/4/2025


Soviet 12mm WWII Pocket Army

Spotlight Article Graphic

"My second WWII Pocket Army is now complete..."! Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, brings us a Pocket Army update pictorial.

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 5/26/2025


More Spotlight articles...


Gaming Conventions

Gaming Conventions

Another new feature for Grognard.com, the Gaming Convention calendar will make it a snap to keep up with all the latest gaming conventions in your area. But we need your gaming convention information, so please contribute.



Grognard News

Grognard Challenge - Expanded Room for Comments! (6/25/2023)

The Comments entry area has been resized to 512 characters.

Grognard Originals

In addition to our links to great content all around the internet, expect to see more Grognard.com "originals" in the future.

Malaya (v2.5) War Game Review

Pat La Pella reviews this post-card sized game and its computer editions. Can the UK Commonwealth prevent the Japanese from occupying Singapore in 1941?

Malaya Player Aid (pdf)

Pat La Pella created this player aid to clarify special movement rules for the Japanese player for Amphibious Movement and Reinforcement beach landing hexes. Computer versions of the game show eligible hexes automatically when the Japanese player selects a unit for movement.

PE TANG 1900 Q&A with Marco Campari

Some Q & A between myself and Marco Campari, designer of Pe Tang 1900 from Lumaca Games.

PE TANG 1900 Strategy Tips

This is the strategy I developed after playing Pe Tang 1900 from Lumaca Games.

More Grognard Originals...


Grognard Challenge

Latest Challenge

Have a look at the graphics for the latest Challenge and see past solutions and contest winners.

Recommended (archives)

Wargaming - General Info

Board Wargames

Miniatures Wargames

Computer Wargames

Academic Gaming

Board Games

Internet Based/PBEM Games

Individual Wargamer Blogs

Wargaming Magazines

Asst Software/Player Aides

In Memoriam

Grognards Lost


A B C D E F G H I
J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z '-9

Game: Kernstown



(k10015)
 
 




Publisher: Revolution Games
Series: Blind Swords
Game Type: Board
Designer(s): Claude Whalen
Search for this and related games with Noble Knight


Description:


On March 23, 1862 and then again on July 24, 1864 the area around Kernstown, Virginia witnessed clashes between Union and Confederate forces. The Pritchard House and Pritchard's Hill were central to both battles as they abutted the Valley Turnpike. At First Kernstown, Stonewall Jackson erred in taking scouting reports at face value and so he unknowingly attacked a superior Union force. With Union Commander James Shields laying wounded back in Winchester, Colonel Nathan Kimball ignored Shields' orders and managed, and mismanaged, the battle his way. Though Jackson's men ran out of ammunition and fled the field, Stonewall's only tactical loss became a strategic victory as Union Commanders overestimated the size of Jackson's force. The Union forces could have crushed Jackson, stopped his Valley Campaign before it really got started and perhaps allowed McClellan to end the war in 1862. On July 24, 1864, Union Commander George Crook ignored his scouting reports and ordered his forces to attack what he thought was a small body of Confederate cavalry and skirmishers. Generals Jubal Early and especially General John Breckinridge led their forces well and routed Crook's men. Only the failure of the Confederate cavalry to cut the Union retreat routes prevented the annihilation of Crook's army. Better Union leadership and troop placement could have made this battle much harder for the Confederates to win. ​Kernstown is a game simulating the fighting on March 23, 1862 and July 24, 1864 around Kernstown. The game is specifically designated to be a playable regimental-scale simulation of these two conflicts and some scenarios can be completed in a long evening. This is the fourth ACW game published by Revolution Games which features the "Blind Swords" chit-pull system. This mechanic emphasizes the three "FOW's" of military conflict: fog-of-war, friction-of-war, and fortunes-of-war. With each chit pull, players will be challenged to make tough decisions based on their assessment of the situation at that moment.


Articles


Article ID
Pub Date
Article Description
Source
1
Date: 5/10/2020
Poster: Harvey M.
Kernstown: 1st Kernstown (March 23,1862) 2nd Kernstown (July 24,1864) by Revolurion Games

My good buddy Hermann Luttmann’s popular Blind Swords system makes its fourth debut in Revolution Games’ latest Civil War offering, Kernstown. This one was designed by Claude Whalen. These two battles in the Shenandoah Valley were fought two years apart, the first, in 1862 as Stonewall Jackson tried to divert troops from McClellan’s Peninsula offensive, and the second, in 1864 trying to divert Ulysses S Grant’s attention from his overland southern campaign towards Richmond. A Wargamers Needful Things brings us a nice review and concludes “The two Battles of Kernstown allow a player to deal with all sorts of military challenges. In both battles you can be the underdog or the force with a clear advantage. This game and the different scenarios are great if you have two opponents of differing skills. The system also works very well for solo play. You never know what is coming out of that chit cup.”
Web Link