Shenandoah

Thumbnail Analysis Game Review

by Don Lowry


Battleline Publications, publishers of SEVEN DAYS and WOODEN SHIPS & IRON MEN now bring us this third game. It comes in an 11-11 1/2 x 14 1/2 x 1 1/4" box with a very attractive, full color battle scene on the cover. It contains: a 21 1/2 x 27 1/2" light cardboard mapboard, printed with black, brown and blue on light green; a big 10 1/2" x14" sheet of extra-thick square die- cut unit counters (Union white on blue, Confederate red on grey, misc. red on tan); an 8" x 11 1/2 32-page (counting covers) rules book; an 8 1/2 x 14" cardboard screen; and an 8 1/2" x14" card containing the Combat Resolution Tables and Movement & Terrain Effects Charts.

SHENANDOAH, designed by J. Stephen Peek and S. Craig Taylor Jr., simulates two of the most celebrated campaigns of the American Civil War - Stonewall Jackson's brilliant Valley Campaign of 1862 and Sheridan vs. Early in the. decisive Shenan- doah Campaign oil 1864 - both fought over the same area, the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

The rrapboard represents the area from Staunton, McDowell and Charlot- tesville in the south to Bath, Harpers Ferry and Leesburg in the North. The scale is 2 1/2 miles to the hex, and one turn represents one day of actual time. Counters do not represent specific units, but, like 1776, merely a force of from 200 to 500 men or from 3 to 8 artillery pieces - the variation due to the differing capabilities of various real formations. "For instance, a force of 200 veteran troops under experienced officers and NCO's would be more than a match for a force of 500 green or militia troops-- thus, a Combat Factor is more of a representation of combat effectiveness than of actual head counts."

There are nineteen separate scenarios in the game, each linked to the next by a running historical commentary. Many contain special rules that apply only to that scenario. Play-testers' hints on strategy are also included with each scenario. All victory conditions are based on a point system. The game mechanics are pretty complicated and unconventional (too much so for my taste) and space does not allow me to describe them in detail. I'd say that it's slightly more complex than 1776 or ANZIO. I can find no fault with its historical accuracy...these designers obviously know the Civil War, or at least these two campaigns, quite well. SHENANDOAH sells for $10 and is available from Battleline Publications PO Box 1064, Douglasville, GA 30134.

More Thumbnail Analysis Game Reviews

Back to Campaign #71 Table of Contents
Back to Campaign List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1976 by Donald S. Lowry
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com