Part II of In Memoriam completes my summary of Avalon Hill’s first decade of wargames. In this article we’ll look at Gettysburg, Tactics II, Chancellorsville, Civil War, U-Boat, Waterloo and Jutland. Since the publication of Part I, I have obtained first edition sets of Bismarck, Stalingrad and D-Day. Those editions are described here as well.

Although I have relied on second hand games for the data presented here, I have consulted various reference sources (and in some cases, reviewed multiple games) to ensure that the information is as accurate as possible. The games are listed in product number order which generally corresponded to their release order in AH’s early days.

Common Characteristics

The early AH titles covered here shared some common characteristics. For brevity, these are summarized below and not repeated in each game description. All but three of the games were first released in 14 1/2 ”x11 1/4 ”x1 1/2 ” boxes, a style which I refer to as the classic flat box (as opposed to the thinner flatbox style AH used after 1973).

Bismarck, Waterloo and Stalingrad were initially released in 20 1/4 ”x14 1/4 ”x2” boxes. I refer to this style as the huge flat box. All of these games included a single six-sided die (1d6). The die used in most early AH games was a 1/2 ” white die with matte black pips that were slightly recessed. While nothing fancy, it is instantly familiar to longtime AH fans. Incorrect replacement dice are easy to spot due to differences in size or pips.

In the 50s and 60s, these games featured box bottoms and map board backs with a dark blue, textured paper covering (which differed slightly through the years). The 11”x14” boxed games also included two 2 1/2 ”x10-7/8” card board counter trays constructed from material resembling the box bottom.

Five of the games covered here used the short-lived 1961 Sliderule Combat Results Table. The Sliderule was AH’s first attempt to standardize the CRT in their wargames. The Sliderule consists of a pair of peach colored heavy cardstock cards marked copyright 1961.

Rule A (attacker) is 10 1/2 ”x4-3/4” and Rule D (defender) is 10 1/2 ”x3-3/4”.

Fortunately, this cumbersome play-aid was soon replaced by the venerable 1963 7”x10” CRT card which AH continued to use until the end.

Unless otherwise noted in the descriptions, all paper components are printed in black on white paper. All map sheets are folded with the map inside.

The Games

Each game title is followed by:

• quote from box cover
• product number
• copyright date from box cover
• original list price

In Memoriam: Revisiting the Avalon Hill Classics, Part II Old Games Never Die, Their Counters Just Fade Away

Introduction
Gettysburg '58
Gettysburg Battlefield Edition
Tactics II
U-Boat
Chancellorsville
D-Day
Civil War
Waterloo
Bismarck
Stalingrad
Jutland
Conclusion