Stepping Into Hell

GMT Games and the GBACW design team proudly announce Stepping Into Hell, a wargame covering the 1864 Battle of the Wilderness. This is a significant addition to our series, marking the first new large battle we've covered since Dead of Winter (Stone’s River). The game brings to life the first contest between the most famous generals on both sides, a pivotal moment that changed the nature of the war in the Overland Campaign.

The Great Battles of the American Civil War Series

This series, which has evolved over many years since the publication of Terrible Swift Sword (SPI) in 1976, is a testament to the spirit and intent of the legendary designer Richard Berg. The modern series is the result of years of dedication and passion, and it now introduces the Wilderness battle at the tactical, regimental level for the first time.

The Game

Stepping Into Hell includes twelve scenarios and provides a deep immersion into the most critical segments of the battle, promising an exciting and engaging gameplay experience.

SiH (Stepping Into Hell) 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.

Stepping Into Hell promises to be a tour de force of this critical and pivotal battle of the American Civil War.

Components:

• Four Single-sided Full-size Maps representing the Wilderness Battlefield
• Two Double-sided Small Scenario Maps
• Eight Countersheets
• Two 4-page Player Aid Charts
• Two Identical TEC / 2nd Disorder Charts
• Two Efficiency /Activation charts
• One Turn Record Chart
• One GBACW Series Rulebook (44 pages)
• One Battle Book with battle specific rules and scenario setups (48 pages)
• Two 10-sided Dice

Time scale: 1 hour per turn
Map scale: 110 yards per hex with 25-foot elevations
Unit scale: 50 men or 1 cannon per strength point
Players: 2-6


Game Designer: Albert Smith
Game Developer: Dick Vohlers
Original Designer: Richard Berg