- BGG rank
- BGG #17,151
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Belmont: Grant's Baptism of Command, November 7th, 1861
- 2 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #17,881
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Ball's Bluff
2015
Rules assistance for Ball's Bluff
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 120 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.2/5
Rules assistant for Ball's Bluff
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ball's Bluff is a board game released in 2015 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by John Poniske and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,095
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Maori Wars: The New Zealand Land Wars, 1845-1872
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,627
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Bleeding Kansas
- 2 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,514
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Devil Dogs: Belleau Wood 1918
- 2 players
- 60–240 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,658
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Banana Wars: US Intervention in the Caribbean 1897-1933
- 2 players
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,357
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Amigos and Insurrectos: The Philippine Insurrection 1899-1902
- 2 players
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,413
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Across 5 Aprils
- 2 players
- 60–360 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 1992
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,907
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Death Valley: Battles for the Shenandoah
- 1–2 players
- 300–1200 min
- Complexity 4.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,686
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Dead of Winter: The Battle of Stones River (Second Edition)
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,940
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Red Badge of Courage
- 2–6 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,889
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Chickamauga: The Confederacy's Last Hope
- 2 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1986
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,350
- BGG rating
- 7.7
The Devil's to Pay!: The First Day at Gettysburg
- 1–2 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2019
About the game
In the fall of 1861, General McClellan ordered his subordinate, Charles Pomeroy Stone, to make a demonstration on the West bank of the Potomac 35 miles from Washington DC to see if the Confederates might react. A patrol had mistakenly reported a rebel camp ripe for raiding so Stone, in turn, ordered Colonel Deven to advance on the supposed camp. Having done so, Deven found nothing of the kind. Confused, he settled his men in a defensive position and awaited new orders. Stone decided to send the remainder of the 15th Massachusetts, With Colonel Edward Baker in command, across the river so that he might conduct a reconnaissance in force around Leesburg, VA. A sharp engagement ensued with Baker calling for more reinforcements. The army strength on both sides grew to approximately 1700 men. Colonel Baker was killed late in the afternoon during a failed attack on the rebel line. Before long, disorganized federal troops were recrossing the river. By early evening The 18th Mississippi arrived and aided in an assault that fully routed the boys in blue. Their artillery abandoned, many Union soldiers were forced down the steep slope called Ball's Bluff and into the river. Soldiers swarmed the waiting boats. Overcrowded, several boats capsized on their way back to Harrison Island. An untold number of Federals drowned in their desperate attempt to escape. By day’s end, 223 Union men were killed, 226 were wounded, and 553 were trapped and captured by the advancing rebels. In all, the rebels lost 36 KIA, 264 WIA, and 3 captured for a total of 303 – killed, wounded and captured. Ball's Bluff is a hex-based, chit-pull system game using company sized units. It features low complexity rules and low counter density - 103 pieces. The map has been drawn by famed Civil War map creator, Rick Barber and covers the area immediately surrounding Ball's Bluff. The action represented covers only the heavy fighting which took place from the early afternoon on. Playtime, once the rules are understood will average two hours or less.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Legion Wargames LLC
Questions and answers
Ball's Bluff supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Ball's Bluff is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Ball's Bluff for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Ball's Bluff has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Ball's Bluff belongs to these categories: Wargame, Post-Napoleonic, and American Civil War. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Ball's Bluff are: John Poniske. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Ball's Bluff as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.