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

2003
Rules assistance for Burnside Takes Command
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Burnside Takes Command is a board game released in 2003 for 2 players and 120 minutes per game. It was designed by Ed Beach and Karl Laskas and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
One of the Great Campaigns of the American Civil War series modules. This one covers Ambrose Burnside's attempt to cross the Rappahannock River in late 1862, a campaign which ended with the Battle of Fredericksburg. Necessary command counters are from The Skirmisher #2 and the maps from Stonewall's Last Battle: The Chancellorsville Campaign and Grant Takes Command. This module is found in The Skirmisher #2.
Burnside Takes Command 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 Burnside Takes Command 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.
Burnside Takes Command has a complexity rating of 3.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Burnside Takes Command belongs to these categories: Wargame, Expansion for Base-game, and Civil War. 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 Burnside Takes Command are: Ed Beach and Karl Laskas. 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 Burnside Takes Command 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.