Army of the Potomac is a solo or two-person turn-based strategy wargame based on boardgame of the same name created by the legendary game designer Mark Herman and published by GMT Games. The game uses the core Civil War Heritage Series rules for each of the five battle scenarios. Also included are two campaign scenarios covering Grant's 1864 Overland campaign.
Players can battle human opponents online or play against the game's AI. There are also special solitaire-only rules for three of the scenarios with a simplified AI for learning the game.
Army of the Potomac features gameplay based on the historical wargaming boardgames of the 70's and 80's. Players maneuver markers that represent their units on a hexagonal map that mimics the gameboard and cardboard counters of traditional boardgames. Turns are completed in an "I go, you go" style, wherein players alternate their turns with their opponent until one player passes. Once that happens, a random number of unopposed actions are given to their opponent. Pass too early and you risk giving your opponent the opportunity to maneuver completely around your forces. Combat is resolved through die rolls modified by terrain, battle line factors, and the use of artillery support. Attackers benefit from supporting units. Defenders benefit from being in defensible terrain.
Army of the Potomac is Volume 2 in the Civil War Heritage Series from GMT.
Each side has an historically accurate order of battle that encourages the player to attempt to outdo the generals of history. Each battle has a unique set of victory conditions that mirror the strategic goals of history.
This design features a new system of Civil War combat akin to the old SPI Blue and Gray Quads. Each game in Rebel Fury is quick-set-up, quick-playing, and deeply interactive. The density of counters in each scenario is low, allowing you to see and experience the big picture of the battle.
Army of the Potomac covers the battles of Spotsylvania II, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, and the entire Seven Days battle (McClellan vs Lee), including the prelude Seven Pines (McClellan vs Johnston) when Johnston's wounding brought Lee into the command of the Army of Northern Virginia. Each battle places you, the player, in the role of the Army Commander (Grant, McClellan, Lee, Johnston). You maneuver your army to find the enemy’s flanks, concentrate your forces for an attack, and determine where to commit your artillery assets.
Units are portrayed at the Infantry/Cavalry division level. The Civil War Heritage Series game system features a new Zone of Influence/Zone of Control mechanic that controls unit formation (March/Battle) based on their proximity to your opponent. As your units close with the enemy, your forces naturally break into battle formation, where they then maneuver the last distance to engage. Unlike most hex and counter wargames, this system allows you total freedom to move units in any order multiple times, unleashing the full range of historical tactics in a simple and clean format.
Combat features a differential combat system with few but significant factors that capture the key features of Civil War division level combat. Units are rated for quality, artillery support, supporting units, and terrain. The game features artillery duels with the occasional Exploding Caisson result. The Civil War Heritage Series combat system accurately depicts the ability of units to launch multiple waves of attacks on the same position, capturing the back-and-forth nature of many famous combat duels.
Army of the Potomac also includes a set of campaign rules that allow you to conduct operations from Spotsylvania to Cold Harbor featuring logistics and attrition.
