Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
From the publisher: Shiloh was an important American Civil War battle fought in April 1862. A surprise Confederate attack, led by Albert Sydney Johnston, nearly swept encamped Union defenders into the Tennessee River.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Area Movement
Move pieces between connected regions rather than along individual spaces.
Area-Impulse
Players alternate short actions within contested areas until everyone passes.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Secret Unit Deployment
Place or assign units secretly before their positions are revealed.
Read the full game description
From the publisher: Shiloh was an important American Civil War battle fought in April 1862. A surprise Confederate attack, led by Albert Sydney Johnston, nearly swept encamped Union defenders into the Tennessee River. The next day, a reinforced Union army counter-attacked and drove the CSA line back in confusion and retreat. A CSA victory might have ruined the career of General Ulysses S. Grant. Instead, the battle ended with a Union victory, the death of Johnston, and the eventual demise of Confederate hopes in the West. Days 1 and 2 can be played separately or together. Shiloh was initially developed from the Gettysburg: Badges of Courage game system. However, the game mechanics have been completely overhauled. The map is divided into large areas and combat is resolved within areas. The game plays using the fast-paced Move-Move-Battle sequence seen in Hammer of the Scots and Julius Caesar. There are no cards involved; players activate leaders to command brigades of the same division or corps. The game plays smoothly and quickly; each player gets to play one day on offense and one day on defense for a great gaming experience. Game time is 2-4 hours for both days of Shiloh.