Gettysburg (game) facts for kids
 Gettysburg (1958) by Avalon Hill
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| Players | 2 |
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| Setup time | 15 minutes |
| Playing time | 4 to 6 hours |
| Random chance | Medium |
| Skill(s) required | Tactics, strategy |
Gettysburg is a famous board wargame. It was created by Avalon Hill in 1958. This game lets players re-enact the important American Civil War battle of Gettysburg. Its rules were very new and exciting for its time. The game was updated many times and became a huge success for Avalon Hill for decades.
Contents
Discovering Gettysburg: A Classic Board Game
Gettysburg was first released in 1958. It was the very first board wargame based on a real historical battle. This made it a pioneer in the world of board games.
How the Game Works
The game Gettysburg shared some ideas with another Avalon Hill game, Tactics II. Both games used a special "combat results table." This table helped decide who won battles. It gave an advantage to players who had more units in a fight.
Early Game Design Ideas
Unlike Tactics II, Gettysburg gave each game piece a direction. Players could get better chances in battle by attacking from the side or behind. Defenders could also improve their chances. They did this by building defenses on top of hills.
The first version of Gettysburg felt a bit like a miniatures game. The game board had a square grid. This grid helped track hidden movements. But it did not control how pieces moved normally. Instead, players used "range cards" for movement. These cards also checked how far units could shoot. Game pieces could turn before moving. Attacking an enemy's side gave extra benefits.
The Hex Grid Revolution
In 1961, the game was re-released with a big change. It started using a hex grid. This meant the board was covered in hexagons instead of squares. Hex grids became a very popular way to move pieces in wargames. Many games still use them today. However, Avalon Hill briefly went back to a square grid for the 1964 edition.
Also in 1961, a special, cheaper version was sold. It had an unmounted map. This "Battlefield Edition" was only available in Gettysburg town and at the battlefield gift shop.
Evolving Game Rules
The hex grid returned for the 1977 version of the game. This edition also added more game pieces for each unit. It had new rules for how units formed up. These changes tried to show how armies moved in columns. They also showed how hard it was to change into a battle line. Special pieces even showed the sides of units. These could turn to defend against attacks.
The 1988 redesign kept the hex grid. But it removed some of the more complex rules. The game became simpler, more like the 1961 version. This edition had a beautiful full-color game board. A new version was released in 1988 for the battle's 125th anniversary.
A similar game called Chancellorsville used the same game rules.
A Designer's Thoughts
Charles S. Roberts founded Avalon Hill. He shared his thoughts about Gettysburg in 1983. He said the game was chosen because of the upcoming Civil War Centennial. This was a smart choice, as the celebration was very popular.
Roberts also noted that Gettysburg was the first modern historical wargame. He mentioned it was also the only wargame introduced without any testing. Despite its early issues, it sold very well. He considered it a successful game.
Awards and Influence
Winning an Award
Gettysburg received an important award. At the 1989 Origins Awards, the 125th Anniversary edition won. It was named "Best Pre-20th Century Boardgame of 1988." This showed its lasting quality.
Inspiring Future Games
Gettysburg also inspired many other game designers. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson are famous. They created the legendary game Dungeons & Dragons. They both said that Gettysburg was their very first board wargame. Gygax shared that he bought Gettysburg in the late 1950s. He then eagerly looked for more games like it.
