
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,438
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Successors (Fourth Edition)
- 2–5 players
- 300 min
- Complexity 4.2/5
- 2021

2012
Rules assistance for First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition is a board game released in 2012 for 1–2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Richard H. Berg and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Area Majority / Influence, and Square Grid.
Game description from the publisher: July 21, 1861: In northern Virginia two raw armies prepare to do battle in what each believes will be a short war. Spectators have gathered for the spectacle. Both sides are in for a shock as this will be the first major battle in a war that will last another four years and consume 600,000 lives. Now for the 150th anniversary of the battle, Worthington Games brings you, First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition. Players will take control of either the Confederate and Union armies, blue and gray wooden blocks with labels, on a mounted 22" x 17" map of the Manassas area, cards, and rules. The game will come with a certificate stating that it is a copy of 525 limited edition. First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition lasts nine turns, with each player receiving 8-14 cards per turn from an individual deck of 20 cards. Each turn is divided into a number of rounds, with players alternating rounds until both pass or both run out of cards; during a round, a player can play 0-5 cards, using each card for its movement point value or its action. After playing one or more cards in a round, the active player can attack a defender's units with adjacent, facing units. Each unit may move/attack or be attacked only once per round. At the end of the game, players score victory points for the opposing units they've eliminated as well as the victory point locations they occupy. Whoever scores more points wins.
First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition supports 1–2 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition is 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 First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition 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.
First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition belongs to these categories: Wargame and American Civil War. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Area Majority / Influence, and Square Grid. 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 First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition are: Richard H. Berg. 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 First Bull Run: 150th Anniversary Edition 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.