David R. Moody - 10:25am Jun 1, 2001 PST (#6147 of 6158)
Currently playing: June 6th (GMT Games), ASL/DiF Grand Campaign
(currently back in Norway), Advanced Civilization (AH computer version),
and waiting to get a shot at Jerry in Achtung Spitfire (CoA--PBEM
Campaign).

Out of the Wrapper: Grant Takes Command, by MultiManPublishing.

The latest installment of the popular and excellent Great Campaigns of
the American Civil War series has arrived, and all in all, a very nice
package. You get two El Carto maps covering the area from roughly
Fredericksburg to Richmond, scene of the major fighting of the 1864
Overland campaign. The maps are in the style of previous games in the
series and should mate with them (I haven't tried it yet--my table is
currently occupied). There has been criticism of the counters for being
too flimsy, but they look okay to me--again, they are in the style of
previous games in the series, but most closely resemble those from the
more recent games (On to Richmond and Stonewall's Last Battle). Two nice
touches: the replacement leaders for some formations are printed on the
back of the leader counters (at one time, all three of Lee's corps
commanders were out of action, and John Sedgewick, commanding the Union
VI Corps, was killed in action at Spotsylvania) and the leader ratings
have moved away from the cookie cutter values of earlier games.

Two rulebooks are included. One is the series rules, based on the ones
found in The Skirmisher but with additions for 1864 combat (mostly to do
with entrenching). Additions and changes are noted. A new type of
entrenchment--abatis--appears, which multiplies the combat strength of
units that are in it by 1.5. Union cavalry division and corps leaders
(Sheridan) appear for the first time. The other rulebook contains the
game specific rules--the 7 basic scenarios, campaign rules, and 4
campaign games, plus the usual historical commentary and Designer's
Notes. And now all leaders, not just Confederate leaders, can become
casualties (with modifiers for Longstreet, Sedgewick, and Stuart, since
historically they all became casualties).

Scenarios cover the major battles (Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna,
etc.) plus the Union cavalry raids that resulted in the battles of
Yellow Tavern and Trevillian (sp) Station. The heart of the game,
however, is in the campaigns. Two of the campaigns just use the two maps
provided in the game, with an off-map box to cover actions in the Valley
and on the Peninsula (and rules for moving units to and from the
boxes)--a good idea for the spatially challenged. A Strategic Cycle
every four turns allows the players to fight it out in these theatres.
In an interesting twist, the Union player must roll to get Command
Points to change the posture of his forces in the Valley or on the
Peninsula from passive to active. Events in Georgia can affect the
campaign as well--if Sherman or Joe Johnston win big victories, it can
effect the morale of the armies in Virginia.

The other two campaign games use the maps from previous games in the
series. You need the two bottom maps from Stonewall in the Valley
(middle and south) and both maps from On to Richmond, plus the two maps
from GTC and a little Chesterfield County extension that you have to
separate from the main maps. Special rules cover movement on these maps
and transfer to/from the off-map boxes (some of which are still in
play). Other special rules for all campaigns include Union and
Confederate gunboats, Confederate shore batteries, Naval transport,
Mosby's Raiders, officers getting sick (Lee, among others, is
susceptible to this event), a special Emory Upton assault rule to
simulate his assault at Spotsylvania, reorganization of the Confederate
Department of Southeastern Virginia, etc. A splendid addition to an
already great series. My only complaint: No counter tray!

In the Designer's Notes, Ed Beach says this will be the last Eastern
game in the series. Modules are planned for Fredericksburg and Early's
1864 campaign in Maryland (both to appear in The Skirmisher), but the
next boxed games will cover the action in the West from Chattanooga to
Atlanta. I can't wait.

(BTW, there are two sets of two campaigns because there are two
different start times--either right before the Wilderness, with the Army
of the Potomac crossing the Rappahannock and Rapidan, or later in May,
when the armies are nearer Richmond.)