- BGG rank
- BGG #22,372
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Gettysburg
- 2 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 1958
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,972
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Civil War
1961
Rules assistance for Civil War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 90–180 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Civil War
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Civil War is a board game released in 1961 for 2 players, 90–180 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Charles S. Roberts and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
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About the game
A strategic level game covering the entire war from April 1861 through March 1865. Victory generally depends on the control of replacement centers located at the north and south ends of the mapboard. While Civil War was grouped with AH's "Family/Social" game line, it shared elements with their "Tournament" wargames of the time. The game was played on a hex map and a CRT was used to resolve combat. The primary distinction between Civil War and the Tournament series wargames is the use of pawns instead of counters. It appears that this was done in an effort to introduce casual gamers to the Tournament style games. Civil War was dropped from the AH lineup in 1963.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
Questions and answers
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 Civil War is 90–180 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 Civil War 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.
Civil War has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
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 Civil War are: Charles S. Roberts. 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 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.