River of Death is the first game to take a regimental look at the last major Confederate victory, the Battle of Chickamauga -- September, 1863. Fought in dense, entangled woods, the battle was a microcosm of good plans going awry, individual units fighting away while not knowing what was happening 100 yards away, and remarkable heroic stands.

River of Death uses the latest version of the famous Great Battles of the American Civil War system, featuring a brand new look at Command and Control. By making each turn one hour, and allowing divisions/coprs to have a variable number of activations within that time frame, and by keeping such information secret, the command system has a Fog of War layer that simulates much of the chaos and havoc that characterized the battle.

River of Death is a big battle, the biggest, in area covered, the GBACW system has attempted. It is also one of the most fascinating, play-oriented situations in the entire ACW canon, with an endless stream of reinforcements and constantly moving armies. The battle, but not the rules, severely tests the wits and abilities of the players, making this one of the most interesting battles in the entire war.

Game Components

• Two 10-sided dice
• 31-page Rule Book
• 15-page Battle Book
• 4 Setup cards
• Seven Player Aid Cards

Game Features

• Chit-pull, randomized play sequence, linked to a command's allowable activations for that turn.
• Revised Command System that conveys much of the Fog of War.
• A time scale and activation that both speeds up game play while slowing down battle flow to a more historical level.
• Scenarios that run from introductory bridge-burning firefights to the full, three-day battle.
• Shorter, cleaner rules than in previous games, featuring simple but evocative combat tables.
• Totally "new" ratings for all leader levels, reflecting more what their job was than simple capabilities.
• Special rules for General Braxton Bragg, Wilder's Spencer-armed "Lightning Brigade," blue-clothed Confederates, the huge Union wagon trains, optional Random Events...even Confederate Pioneers.