
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,797
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Antietam 1862
- 1–2 players
- 60–300 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2019

1983
Rules assistance for Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War is a board game released in 1983 for 2 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Richard Hamblen and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
"Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War" is a tactical combat wargame of the first battle of Bull Run. The game is played on a map of the area over which the battle was fought overlaid with a hexagonal grid. Units are infantry, cavalry, and artillery, with brigade, division, and army leaders. Each turn is 30 minutes, and each hex represents 1000 ft. Units are basically regiments and batteries. Some infantry regiments with their brigade leader are capable of forming brigades, increasing offensive power at the expense of movement. Batteries can be limbered for increased movement at the expense of firepower, or unlimbered with full firepower and limited movement. Combat is a modified version of the classic system adopted by the earlier Avalon Hill games. However, rules for leader command activation, infantry screening of artillery, and infantry forming brigades to prevent soak-off attacks, ranged artillery, rally of losses are give the game a unique flavour. The major terrain obstacle is Bull Run which provides the Confederate with defensive advantages and hinders Union movement. The game begins with the Union troops approaching partially hidden, unsuspecting Confederate forces. As the Union attack develops, additional Confederate leaders and combat units are activated and are rushed to stem the Union advance. The Union player wins if he is able to capture any of three objective hexes by the end of the game or takes Manassas at any time. The Confederate player wins if he takes Centreville at any time or prevents the Union player from holding any of objective hexes at the game end. The game consists of a 32" by 22" mapboard, 260 counters, various charts, a 12 page rulebook and 1 die. Magazine References: The GENERAL Index Article List: The GENERAL Vol.20,No.5 Series Replay - Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War, Rex A. Martin, Paul O'Neil, Richard Hamblen Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War – “West Point's Finest, The Commanders at Bull Run” (Historical) A. Blumberg & Richard Hamblen Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War – “Rebel Yell, Opening placement for Confederate Players” (Strategy) Rex A. Martin Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War – “First Blood, The Battle of First Bull Run” (Historical) Michael Craighead The Question Box - Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War Contest #117 - Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War The GENERAL Vol.20,No.6 Series Replay - Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War, Rex A. Martin, Paul O'Neil, Richard Hamblen The GENERAL Vol.25,No.5 Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War – “Risky Business -A designer's look at Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War” (Designer notes) Richard Hamblen
Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War 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 Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War is 240 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 Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War for ages 12 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.
Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War belongs to these categories: Wargame, Civil War, and Post-Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement. 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 Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War are: Richard Hamblen. 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 Bull Run: The First Major Battle of the American Civil War 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.