Welcome to the hobby of historical wargaming. This game is designed to introduce you to the hobby of simulation gaming in a very simple format. The game is played on a stylized map of the area around Wilson's Creek in Missouri. The cardboard counters are to be cut out and used as the movement pieces. You will also need a standard six sided die (called a d6), a ruler, and a pencil to record effects of the game.

The game will depict the conflict during the American Civil War in Missouri known as the Battle of Wilson's Creek. There are many great reference works that can be read that cover the exact history of this battle. This is a very big part of the hobby - the research! Don't skip this element because it is what allows all that follows to be developed in the imagination of the people playing the game.

To get started, cut out the playing pieces. Place the map on a flat surface. Decide who will play the Union and Confederate forces and give the players the army rosters. Set up the pieces in the starting positions they occupied historically (I told you the research would be fun!) Turns will alternate between the opposing sides. The turn sequence will follow this format. First move any/all or none of your pieces. Measure and resolve fire combat with the dice rolls. Third, resolve all of the close combat. Record all damage to the involved units. It is now the other players turn.

The following chart will tell you all of the measurements used to move, shoot, and fight your American Civil War units.

Unit	Move	Close Combat Front	Close Combat Rear	Fire Range	Score a hit On a d6	Notes:
Union Inf.	1"	3	2	2"	4 or 6	-
Confederate Inf.	1"	3	2	1"	4 or 6	-
Artillery	2"	1	1	6" 1"	2, 4, 6 1,2,3,4,5	Move 1" if firing
Cavalry	3"	5	2	1"	4, 6	-
HQ Unit	3"	2	1	1"	6	-

The following terrain features will effect your units during the game:

Roads add 1" to all units move if they use the road the full movement.
Rivers take three turns to cross. Turn one: Move up to the river. Turn two: cross river. Turn three: move away from the river.
Hills block the line of site for firing your units weapons. Your unit must be at the elevation line to fire across it. If you are further back than l/2 inch from the elevation line your unit cannot see downhill or uphill to fire. Hills also add one to the close combat number of the unit uphill and subtract one to the unit that is downhill.

The game is scaled roughly 1" is equal to 1/8th of a mile.

Army Rosters

Union Army: Commanded by

1. Brigade: Major Samuel Sturgis (O)

1st US Bttn: (OO)
2nd Missouri (O)
Co. I 2nd Kansas (OO)
Co. F 2nd US Artillery (OOO)

2nd Brigade: Col. Franz Sigel (O)

3rd Missouri (OOO)
5th Missouri (OOO)
Co.I 1st US Cavalry (00)
Co. C 2nd US Dragoons (OO)
Backoff's Mo. Artillery (OOO)

3rd Brigade: Lt. Col George Andrews (O)

1st Missouri (000)
2nd US Regular Bttn. (OOO)
DuBois' Artillery Battery (000)

4th Brigade: Col. George Deitzler (O)

1st Kansas (OOO)
2nd Kansas (OOO)
1st Iowa (OOO)
Home Guards (OOO)

Record on this sheet the damage you receive in battle. Mark off one circle , every time your units are hit by ranged weapon fire or close combat. Remove the unit when all of the circles are crossed off.

Units may be stacked with other units occupying the same area of ground, as long as they are stacked only with units of the same commander.

If stacked with units under fire, and the unit is hit with weapons fire or close combat, Commanders will be hit on a die roll of "6."

The Confederate Army

Brig. General Ben McCulloch's (O)

McCulloch's Brigade

3rd La. (000)
Ark. Inf. (OOO)
1st Ark. Mounted Riflemen (000)
2nd Ark. mounted Riflemen (000)
South Kansas-Texas Mounted Regiment (0000)

Pearce's Brigade: Brig Gen N.B. Pearce (O)

1st Cavalry (00)
Carroll's Company Cav. (O)
3rd Inf. (OOO)
4th Inf. (OOO)
5th Inf. (OOO)
Woodruff's Battery (000)
Reid's Battery (000)

Missouri State Guard, Major Sterling Price (O)

Rains' Division: Brig Gen James Rain (O)

1st Brigade: Col. Richard Weightman

1st Regt./4th Battalion (00)
2nd Regt.(00)
3rd Regt. (00)
4th Regt (00)

2nd Brigate: Col James Cawthorn

Clark's Division Brig. Gen. John Clark (O)

Burnbridges Infantry (00)
Major's Cavalry (00)

Parson's Division: Brig. Gen. Mosby Parsons (O)

Kelly's Inf. (00)
Brown's Cavalry (00)
Guibor's Battery (000)

Slack's Division: Brig. Gen. W.Y. Slack (O)

Hughes' Inf (000)
Thornton's Inf. (000)
Rives' Cavalry (000)

McBride's Division: Brig Gen James McBride (O)

Wingo's Infantry (000)
Foster's Inf. (000)
Campbell's Cavalry (O)

References:

Rebellion In Missouri: 1861 Nathaniel Lyon and His Army of the West. Hans Christian Anderson. 1961.
Civil War on The Western Border. Jay Monaghan, 1955.
Damned Yankee The Life of N. Lyon. Christopher Phillips, 1990.
Civil War Battles In The West. Edited by LeRoy H. Fischer, 1981.