Gettysburg Solitaire

Gettysburg Solitaire Rulebook

Table of Contents

Game Summary

Gettysburg Solitaire has 2 boards, Day 1 in Gettysburg and Day 2 outside of Gettysburg near Little Round Top. You take the role of Lee commanding the Confederate army on July 1 and on July 2 against an opposing Union BOT player. The July 1 game is challenging, the July 2 game is an extreme challenge.

The object of the game for the Confederate player is to defeat the Union BOT by the end of the game. This is accomplished by routing Union infantry formations. Routing is caused by eliminating all units in the formation, including reinforcements. The object for the Union BOT player is to avoid defeat by the end of the game or rout enough Confederate formations to win. Each battle will give its victory conditions.

The Confederate side is played by you and uses player actions. The Union BOT opponent uses the Union BOT actions.

Game Board & Action Charts

The game boards show the Gettysburg battlefield map where each battle took place (one for July 1 and one for July 2) with the Confederate and Union armies facing each other. The armies are represented by named infantry formations and leaders on the board.

Each game is set up for play with all the named infantry formations in place on the game map. Each infantry formation has an on-map group of units that represent troops of infantry.

The Confederate units (counters with images of soldiers) are butternut. The Union units are blue. Unit spaces in a formation with an "R" inside are for reinforcements, or to show units moving from the Reserve to an infantry formation. (See graphic on next page.)

The Coordinated Attack spaces on the game map are used for placement of coordinated attacks markers to show they have been used.

Note: Artillery and all other elements on the game board are depicted for aesthetics.

For the July 1 battle, apply a -1 DRM (die roll modifier) to attacks on V. Steinwehr for every three levels of Entrenchments, (-1 DRM when at level 3, -2 DRM when at level 6) as shown on the entrenchment marker.

The Union Action Chart has 6 Union BOT Actions and 6 Random Events for Day 1 on the front, and Day 2 on the back. There is also a sequence of play and Attack Results Table.

The Confederate player actions are found on their action chart. You have the choice of 7 actions. You can play one action per turn. Place a corresponding formation marker to track the turn used on the Turn Track.

Formations and Units

Each named Infantry Formation is shown as a number of rectangular units set up to start the game. "R" units are for reinforcements and are left empty during setup, they can become part of the formation later. Each rectangular unit in Gettysburg represents roughly 1,000 men (adjusted for morale, leadership, etc).

When units for both sides are removed by attacks and random events, they are removed from the game board to show they are eliminated and no longer in play.

Any formation that has all its units on the game board removed is considered Routed – which affects the play of actions and can matter for victory purposes. A formation, once routed, may never have reinforcements added into it, nor may it perform actions - if it is chosen, ignore the action but apply any Random Events.

When a reinforcing unit moves from Off board (Day 1) or Reserve (Day 2), move the reinforcing unit to the formation being reinforced (only spaces marked with an "R"). Once placed, reinforcing units are treated as units of the receiving formation.

Artillery is not a formation and the cannon depicted on the game board are for aesthetics only. There are Artillery actions that can be ordered, but since artillery is not a formation it does not receive hits.

Actions

Each side has actions they can perform each game turn listed under the Player Actions and Union BOT Actions on their respective player aids. There are infantry actions, artillery actions, and leader actions. The instructions and conditions for its use are given in the box for the action.

If a Union BOT Action calls for a Random Event, roll the die again and apply the die roll for the random event before executing the chosen player action. (Random Events may apply DRM to Player and BOT Actions that turn).

Infantry actions activate friendly infantry formations for attacks on enemy formations and can cause hits on the enemy formations as well as the attacking formations. Infantry can be support actions for coordinated attacks. For the Union BOT the action on Day 2, may call for units to be moved from the Reserve to a formation. To do this, move the unit from the Reserve formation and place it in the open unit space with an "R" for the formation that is receiving a reserve unit.

Artillery actions attack enemy formations and can cause hits on enemy formations, the attacking artillery formations do not receive hits. Artillery can be support actions for coordinated attacks.

Leader actions allow friendly infantry formation actions to be performed after they have expended all their available activations OR conduct a Rebel Yell! which applies a -1 DRM to the infantry action attack.

Generally, actions allow formations to attack and target, or defend. Units within the attacking and targeted formations take hits which cause their removal from the game.

Each side (Confederate and Union BOT) has a group of named actions, the infantry actions correspond to the named formations on the game board. The actions list what a formation can do when selected. There are some actions that are not directly related to formations (Fire Artillery, Lee, Longstreet, Reserves, etc.). Some actions may have die roll modifiers (DRMs) it may use under certain conditions. An action can only be chosen once a turn, by placing the formation marker for that action on the turn track on the turn it is used.

For example: The Hill formation action is chosen to attack on turn 3. Place the Hill marker in turn 3 on the turn track.

The player's actions are choices. You may only select ONE action for each turn. Each player action has a limited number of times it can be played, noted by its markers and the number in each respective box. Your action selected is marked by removing an action marker for that formation from the formation box and placing it on the turn track.

The opposing BOT actions come into play each turn by a die roll that determines which one to select and in some cases it also calls for a Random Event. BOT actions are not limited in the number of times they can be played unless the action requires the use of a BOT formation that no longer has units in play. In that case the action is ignored unless the action implements Random Events, in which case the Random Event is consulted and the BOT action is ignored.

If the player runs out of available actions that can be played before the turn limit of the game ends, the player loses. (Your men have exhausted themselves and the enemy has held.)

Game Start and Set Up

To start, select a game you want to play, either July 1 or July 2 battle and select the corresponding player aids, one for the Union BOT and one for the Confederate Actions. Place the Union and Confederate markers on the board selected, filling all spaces in each formation. Spaces with an "R" are not filled at the start of the game. Place 2 Union counters off board for reinforcements in Day 1. For Day 2, the Reserve formation is filled and there is no need for off board units.

On the chosen Confederate Action player aid, fill each action box with the appropriate number of named action counters (for example, place 3 Lee action counters in the Lee box, 5 Hood action counters in the Hood box, etc).

Place the 3 Coordinated Attack markers off board for use later in the game.

Note: There are extra unit markers provided in the game. Set these aside.

Turn Sequence of Play

The Sequence of Play is based on a "turn." It consists of you selecting one action from the 7 available to you as the Confederate player, determining one Union BOT action, and carrying out the actions and results. Once completed the turn is over and a new one begins.

Each turn uses the following Sequence of Play:

Select one action to play for the Confederate. Place the Action Marker for the chosen formation on the current turn (this shows it has been used, when it is used, and that it is no longer available). If a Coordinated Attack Tactic is possible and being used, choose the supporting action and stack its action marker under the primary action as well.
Roll one die to determine the opposing Union BOT side action in play for the turn and carry out the action instructions. This may include the use of Random Events.
Play/apply the Union BOT side action. If it calls for an attack, resolve the attack before the play of the action for the side you are playing.
Play the action you selected, applying any BOT action affects (DRMs, etc.) to your action.
Begin a new turn and repeat the turn sequence.

Sequence of Play Explanations

Select Your Action for the Turn

Choose the action you want to play and place the named action counter on the turn track. The actions are played in the sequence/hierarchy from top to bottom.

The Day 1 Activation Markers are Lee, Hill, Ewell, Heth, Pender, Rodes and Early. The Day 2 Activation Markers are Longstreet, McLaws (Infantry), Hood (Infantry), Hood (Artillery), McLaws (Artillery), Anderson, and Johnson.

You cannot use the same primary or support action twice in a row as the player. You as the player cannot use a Lee or Longstreet leader action to activate a formation that was used as the primary action the previous turn.

Confederate Formations with no available action markers or units cannot be used.

You must play an action, if possible. If the player cannot play an action he passes for the turn, but the remainder of the turn is carried out (Union BOT Action, etc).

If a player action lists more than one possible target of an attack, the player must select the target now—this can not be changed after seeing the result of the Union BOT Action.

Determine the Union BOT Side Action for the Turn

The Union Bot action is determined after you select the Confederate action to play. The solitaire Union opponent side does not "choose" which action to play, that is determined by a die roll. Roll 1 six-sided die and use the result to determine which BOT action to use for the turn.

Note: For Day 1, Schurz is an on board Union infantry formation that does not perform actions.

If a Random Event occurs, roll a die to determine what random event to use for the turn.

Play Your Player Side Action Selected for the Turn

Once the BOT opposing side action is resolved, execute your action applying any effects (DRMs, etc.) the Union BOT action or Random Event had on your action.

Each action used explains how the action is executed and lays out the conditions required to be able to use the action.

If a player action is canceled by a Union BOT action or Random Event, or Formation losing its last unit, the activation is considered used but the action is not carried out.

Players are not allowed to "switch" the detail or target of an action played once selected.

For example: On July 1, using the Heth action, you must choose the Attack Wadsworth at +1 OR Attack Rowley before seeing the Union BOT action and must stay with that choice after seeing the BOT action. The same for target selection (Rowley or Wadsworth).

Player actions can be affected by the opposing side's actions.

For example: Again using the July 1 battle, the player uses Early to attack Barlow at +1 DRM who has 2 units still on board. Early has 2 units left in his formation on the board. The Union BOT action is Union Artillery which applies a +1 DRM to any Confederate Infantry Attack this turn.

Early attacks and rolls a 4 with a +1 DRM for Barlow and a +1 DRM for the Union artillery, modifying the result to 6, which causes 0 hits on the defender (Barlow) and 2 hits on the attacker (Early). The player removes 2 units for the 2 hits on Early's formation leaving no units. Early is routed and may not be chosen for actions again.

Play/Apply the Union BOT Side Action for the Turn

The Union BOT action selected is in play for the current turn only. You must resolve any Union BOT side action attacks OR Random Events on your formations before implementing any attacks from your selected action for the turn. Hits are applied to the attacking and defending formations per the results. (*Remember results on the Attacker are applied to the Union formations if they are the Attacker!)

If a BOT action calls for an attack with a formation that has no units in play, the action is ignored unless it says "Random Event". In that case the Random Event would be rolled for and checked, even though the Union BOT action is not.

Design Note: It is to a player's advantage to eliminate all the units of an opposing BOT formation because once eliminated it cannot attack you. This is especially true when the formation does not have a condition that sends their action to the Random Event table.

BOT attack actions require you to roll one die and apply the results based on the Attack Results Table. Some actions require a Die Roll Modifier (DRM) when the Attack Results Table is used. Adjust the actual die roll up or down for the modifier to determine die roll result to use on the Attack Results Table. Modifiers are cumulative but the maximum DRM can be +2 and -2.

Compare the modified die roll to the appropriate row on the Combat Chart to determine results.

When a formation is hit, remove one of its units off the game board for each hit received.

Reinforcement orders allow units to be added to formations from off and on board formations.

Details on Resolving Attacks

Attack orders use the Attack Results Table, and always cause hits that remove targeted formation units (yours and the opposing Union BOT side) from play. Confederate Fire Artillery type actions use a die roll result on the order that can cause a hit to the opposing side, but also have missed and never cause a hit to the firing side.

Actions list when formations can attack and what opposing formations can be targeted and any DRMs that apply. When an attack is chosen, the attacking formation rolls 1 die, and after applying any modifiers, checks the Attack Results Table to determine results.

Hits from the Attack Results Table are applied to target units and the activated attacking formation. 1 hit means 1 unit must be removed from the game board. Units are removed from the game board when a hit is applied to the formation.

The attacker and defender change depending on which side is conducting the attack action.

Important: Once an opposing formation has lost all its units there is no reason to attack.

Coordinated Attacks

Box graphic, as printed: "Coordinated Attack – Designate a primary and a supporting action to attack a single formation at -1 DRM. Available Attacks."

At your discretion, you have Coordinated Attacks you can employ during your attacks on the Union side. As the Confederate player, you have 3 Coordinated Attacks that provide a -1 DRM to improve the odds of your attack.

Two available actions are needed to perform a Coordinated Attack, one is the primary the other is the secondary. Using a Coordinated Attack allows the secondary action to apply a DRM of -1 to your primary action.

Both actions cannot have been used in the previous turn and both will be unavailable for the following turn. The primary action must be an infantry formation action. The supporting action can be Infantry or Artillery. Both actions must be able to target the same opposing formation that is being attacked. Only the target formation and primary action's formation will receive hits during a Coordinated Attacks Tactic, the secondary action does not receive hits.

For example: Using the July 1 battle, the Confederate player is going to do a Coordinated Attacks attack against Rowley using Heth infantry as his primary action and Pender infantry as his secondary action. This is possible because neither action was used on the last turn AND both primary and supporting action can target Rowley. To execute the Coordinated Attack, Heth places the Heth Action Marker on the turn track in the current turn to show it as the primary action and places the Pender infantry marker to expend the action and show the secondary support. After the Union action is resolved for the turn, the Coordinated attack is resolved. Heth attacks the Union Rowley formation with a 0 DRM for the player order and then -1 for the Pender infantry support from the Coordinated Attack meaning there is a -1 DRM applied. The player rolls 1 die for the attack and applies the result from the Attack Results Table. The roll is 5, now modified by the -1 DRM, resulting in a 4. This causes 1 Defender Hit, and 1 attacker hit. The 2 hits are applied, 1 to Heth and 1 to Rowley.

If a Union order affects the coordinated attack in any way, apply the Union order affects and attempt to complete the attack.

For example: On July 1, Early launches a coordinated attack on Barlow at a +1 DRM. Early is the primary attacker with Ewell artillery support, giving a -1 DRM. The die is rolled for the Union order. A 6 is rolled with Union Artillery canceling Confederate artillery. The coordinated attack is broken, so Early does not receive the -1 DRM for the supporting artillery. Early attacks Barlow with the +1 DRM for Barlow being applied.

Fire Artillery Actions

Artillery actions cause hits but never receive "hits". The artillery fire uses its own hit table that is on the action itself, it does not use the Attack Results Table.

Lee's and Longstreet's Special Abilities for Player Actions

Lee on July 1 and Longstreet on July 2 each have 2 special abilities.

Push On!: They may activate any infantry action that has no actions available but still has units on the game board. This may not be used for Artillery Actions. This may not be used for Coordinated Attacks.

Rebel Yell! Attack: This allows an activating infantry action attack to apply a -1 DRM modifier to the attack. The player must place one activation for the leader (Lee on July 1 and Longstreet on July 2) as well as the activation for the infantry formation attacking. Push On! may not be used with a Rebel Yell! attack or a Coordinated Attack.

For example: The player with Longstreet does a Rebel Yell! Attack with Hood infantry. The player is targeting Devil's Den with the attack. The player places one Hood Action Marker with Hood infantry and 1 action marker with Longstreet leader. After conducting the Union BOT action the player completes the attack on Devil's Den. The player rolls the die for the attack, the result of which is a 4, the +1 DRM is applied for the Hood attack on Devil's Den, the -1 DRM is applied for the Rebel Yell! A 0 DRM is the final modifier applied with the end result being 4. 1 hit on the attacker and 1 hit on the defender. Remove the Union unit from Devil's Den and it is no longer Union controlled. 1 unit is removed from the Hood infantry formation.

How to Win as the Confederate Player

Day 1

July 1, 1863:

The time is 2:30pm. You have been drawn into a fight that you did not want by your commanders. But you've gathered your forces, with Hill from the west, and Ewell from the north you have the Union forces outnumbered. One more successful push and you can break the line and perhaps seize the heights beyond the town. Can you do it again? The decisions are yours…

For the July 1 Battle:

CONFEDERATE TACTICAL VICTORY: Rout 4 Union formations by the end of turn 20. (Historic outcome)

CONFEDERATE STRATEGIC VICTORY: Rout V. Steinwehr formation by the end of turn 20.

The Confederates take control of Cemetery Hill destroying most of the Union 1st and XI Corps. Meade, with the Union army now highly demoralized, falls back to Pipe Creek, where he is defeated. Meade, falls back to the defenses of Washington DC. The Confederates move to the outskirts of DC but do not attack, sending Stuart to raid Baltimore and gather supplies. Despite Grant's victory at Vicksburg, the Union government has lost support for the War Effort. A peace agreement is reached with the Confederacy becoming an independent nation in the fall of 1863.

UNION VICTORY: Avoid Confederate victory by the end of turn 20 OR rout 3 Confederate formations (immediate Union Victory).

Heth and Hill, by bringing on an engagement against Lee's orders, have heavily damaged his plans for the 1863 invasion. Lee is forced to hold the Cashtown pass while Ewell moves around into line with the rest of the Confederate army and retreats rapidly back to Virginia. Jeb Stuart and the Confederate cavalry corps are caught well north of the Confederate army during the retreat. His tired formations are harassed and battered trying to catch up with Lee's retreating army. The Confederate cavalry is trapped on the north side of the Potomac at Williamsport and is destroyed as a fighting formation for the next year.

Day 2

July 2, 1863:

You came so close on July 1. You routed the Union forces but could not quite seize the heights beyond the town. A reconnaissance earlier in the day revealed a weakness on the Union southern flank. You've maneuvered Longstreet's corps into a position to hit and roll up the Union line. The Union General Sickles has played into your hand by advancing unsupported, giving you the opportunity to crush him before help arrives. Can Ewell at Culps Hill hold the Union reserves there long enough for you to complete the job? The decisions are yours…

NOTE: For the July 2 battle, Devils Den is a Union formation with 1 unit. It is NOT part of any other Union formation for the game but DOES affect Confederate attacks against Vincent. Devils Den starts the game in Union control. Also, the controlling Union formation is named the same. If a Confederate attack on Devils Den causes a hit to the Union formation, the Union loses control of Devils Den and the Confederates gain control. This is shown by removing the Union unit in Devils Den. Once the Union loses control of Devils Den, it remains in that state for the rest of the game.

For the July 2 Battle: (source heading printed as "The For the July 2 Battle:"; the stray "The" is corrected here)

CONFEDERATE VICTORY: Rout 3 of the following 4 Union formations by the end of turn 20 (Gibbon, Humphreys, Birney, or Vincent)

Route Devils Den, Vincent, and the Union Reserve (this represents the Confederates breaking both ends of the Union line---Little Round Top and Culp's Hill).

UNION VICTORY: The Union Bot wins an instant victory at the end of any turn that 2 of the 3 Confederate on board formations are routed. The Union Bot wins if at the end of turn 20, the Confederate player has not routed 3 of the 4 Union Bot formations.

Design note on the July 2 victory condition: Even though the Union Reserve being "routed" is part of the victory conditions for July 2, this represents an exhausting of the Union reserves rather than necessarily eliminated. The Confederate Johnson action represents a more aggressive attack by Johnson in a concerted effort with Longstreet rather than the pitiful artillery bombardment that Ewell ordered as a diversion. This could have drawn off significant reserves that were sent to combat Longstreet.

Key Points

What is a Formation? Formations are on board groupings of units. Formations are named for a leader, or as a Reserve. Formation unit spaces with an "R" may be reinforced by either off board (Day 1) or on board (Day 2) Reserve units.

When an action or random event moves a unit from Reserve to a formation, move the formation being reinforced from the Reserve. If an action or random event calls for a Reserve unit to move and all the Reserve units have been removed, the action is ignored, however, any Random Event called for is played.

What is an Action? Actions are orders that are issued to attack using the on board infantry formations, fire artillery, or use a leader's abilities.

What does a Formation being Routed mean? A formation is routed when all units in the formation are removed. This represents casualties, as well as wear and tear from battle-the morale of the unit is broken.

Why are there limits on how many actions can be performed with a formation? This represents the fact that troops could only be pushed so hard, the wear and tear of battle fatigue sets in and units in combat need breaks-even small ones to realign, resupply with ammo, etc.

Detailed Example of Play

Using the "July 1" game.

It is Turn 1 of the July 1 battle. The Confederate player must pick their first action of the game. They pick Hill Artillery and declare the action to be an attack on Wadsworth. The player moves one of the three available action markers for the Hill Artillery to the turn track. Next the Union BOT action is determined, the player rolls his 6 sided die and the result is a 5. The Union BOT Action table is checked and the result is Use The Random Event Table and Place the Entrenchment Marker. To check the Random Event the player rolls the die again, getting a 6, which is XII Corps Arrives.

The player places one of the two reinforcement units in the "R" marked space for V. Steinwehr for the result of the random event. That concludes the random event. He now applies the result from the Union Bot Action and places the numbered "1" Entrenchment marker in the location for V. Steinwehr at Cemetery Hill.

It is now time to play the Hill artillery attack on Wadsworth. The player rolls the die and the result is a 2. According to the player action, a die roll result of a 1-3 eliminates a unit of Rowley or Wadsworth, and since Wadsworth was selected at the time the action was selected, he must remove one of Wadsworth 4 units, leaving 3 units.

The player now begins turn 2.

The player selects any action except Hill Artillery as no action may be selected twice in a row. The player wants to press the attack on Wadsworth and Rowley so they select the Heth Infantry Action and decide they will attack Wadsworth at a +1 DRM. The player moves one of Heth's five available action markers to the turn track.

The player determines the Union BOT action and rolls the die, the result is a 2 which is Wadsworth. If Wadsworth has more on board units than Pender, then Wadsworth would conduct an attack on Pender, however, Wadsworth only has 3 units, while Pender has 7 so no Union attack occurs. It further states that if Wadsworth does not attack, that any Confederate attack against Wadsworth is at a +1 DRM. The player now completes their action and has to attack Wadsworth with a +2 DRM (+1 for Wadsworth as shown in the chosen Confederate attack action and +1 for the result of the Union action). The player rolls the die for their attack and the result is a 2 which is modified to a 4 for the +2 DRM. This yields 1 attacker loss and 1 defender loss. The player removes 1 unit from the Wadsworth formation (who now has just 2 units remaining) and 1 unit from the Confederate Heth formation who now has 6 units remaining.

The player now begins turn 3.