“Now YOU fight the Civil War in this Family/Social GAME.” No. 513, 1961, $2.95
Designed by Charles S. Roberts
Players 2
Playing Time 60-90 minutes
Period American Civil War
Scale Strategic
Turn month
Map not stated
Unit abstract

A strategic level game covering the entire war from April 1861 through March 1865. Victory generally depends on the control of replacement centers located at the north and south ends of the mapboard.

While Civil War was grouped with AH’s Family/Social game line, it echoes the feeling of their Tournament war games. The map is divided into hexes and a CRT is used to resolve combat. The primary distinction between Civil War and the Tournament series wargames is the use of pawns instead of counters. My guess is that Civil War marked an attempt to attract social gamers to the Tournament game line.

Civil War was dropped from the AH lineup in 1963. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was because it was too complex for social gamers yet too simple and abstracted for the Tournament gamers.

Components

Map 22”x14” mapsheet mounted on blue board, marked copyright 1961

Rules
1 8”x10” Instructions card marked copyright 1961
2 8”x10” Reference Sheet marked copyright 1961
3 4”x2 1/4” Important Rule Changes errata sheet

Counters
24 pawns (9 red & 15 blue)

Charts
Magenta 8”x8 1/4” two-sided Pads, and Time Record and examples Play-Aids card

Inserts
1 Blue 11”x14” sheet describing the game
2 6”x3” AH catalog pamphlet (unfolds to 18”x6”) printed in blue
3 Yellow 5 1/2”x3 1/4” “To Help us... improve Civil War” postpaid postcard addressed to “209 E. Fayette St.”
4 1 1/2”x1” “Inspected by WT” sheet

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