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Red Badge of Courage
2001
Rules assistance for Red Badge of Courage
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 360 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Red Badge of Courage
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Red Badge of Courage is a board game released in 2001 for 2–6 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Richard H. Berg and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
(from GMT website:) Red Badge of Courage extends GMT's popular Great Battles of The American Civil War system to cover both battles of Bull Run, or Manassas. 1st Bull Run, the opening battle of the Civil War, features two untrained armies, some exceptional and some truly poor leaders, and one of the best gaming situations in the war. Both sides are as evenly matched as one gets during the war, and there is a constant stream of reinforcement keeping both players in the game up to the end. 2nd Bull Run is one of General Robert E. Lee's greatest victories, in which he smashed John Pope's politically riddled Union army, setting the stage for the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) several weeks later. Red Badge of Courage uses version 4.3 of the GBACW system, building on lessons learned from the two previous battle games in the series. And the game not only includes the two complete battles, but it has a half dozen smaller scenarios that enable you to play various aspects of the battle in detail, many in a day. Designer: Richard H. Berg Developer: John Alsen Components: 1,120 full-color, die-cut counters. Two 22x34" full-color mapsheets Two 10-sided dice (one blue/one gray) 36-page Rule Book 12-page 1st Bull Run Battle Book 24-page 2nd Bull Run Battle Book Five Player Aid Cards
Questions and answers
Red Badge of Courage supports 2–6 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 Red Badge of Courage is 360 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 Red Badge of Courage 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.
Red Badge of Courage has a complexity rating of 3.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Red Badge of Courage belongs to these categories: Wargame, Civil War, and Post-Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon 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 Red Badge of Courage 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 Red Badge of Courage 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.