Stepping Into Hell

Stepping Into Hell is Volume 10 of GMT's Great Battles of the American Civil War, which traces its lineage back to Richard Berg's "Terrible Swift Sword" (1976). Players take on the role of Generals Grant and Lee to fight this regimental-level American Civil War game. The game is structured to provide a comprehensive experience of the 1864 Battle of the Wilderness. It contains a small division level, hypothetical learning scenario playable in one sitting, introducing players to the series and battle-specific rules. The game also covers the full battle with two scenarios: one with an early start, which allows players to tinker with alternative strategies, and one with a later start, which restricts players to a more historical line of play. Two slightly smaller scenarios cover the action on May 5th on the Orange Turnpike and the May 6th battle on the Orange Plank Road. The other seven scenarios run up to five turns long and cover primarily historical battles, such as Warren’s initial attack, Longstreet and Gordon’s flank attacks on the second day, and Hancock’s massive attack on the morning of May 6th. The player will understand why Robert E. Lee accepted battle facing a Union army almost twice his size in the difficult terrain of the Wilderness. The player will also see the beginning of Grant’s transformation of the Army of the Potomac from McClellan’s timid army to the grinding force that would ultimately defeat Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. The game introduces several unique features that add depth and challenge to the gameplay. The second growth of the Wilderness battlefield profoundly affected command and control. Each hex spans 110 yards, which was well beyond the vision and knowledge of a regimental commander given the dense undergrowth, which was also challenging to transverse. A new system mechanic called Drift affects units moving in this terrain. They may move as intended, drift in any direction, or become disordered. Both sides will struggle with the terrain. Additional features include Brushfires, Ambushes, and the effect of expiring enlistments on many of the Union units. Both sides suffered from surprise attacks on unprepared or exhausted men. Three scenarios challenge the players to maintain the momentum of a surprise attack or build a firewall to stop it. Both sides historically suffered potentially decisive collapses. —description from the publisher