Game Info
Year
2024
Players
2
Age
12+
Playtime
90 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
Card-driven American Civil War wargame where players command Union and Confederate forces at Gettysburg
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 9
This page: 9
Sentiment:
pos 9 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–9 of 9
Video d9d3sxFZc0U
Zilla Blitz Discussion at 11:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 86315 · mention_pk 222936
Click to watch at 11:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Quick playing
- Looks fun
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Tactical combat
- American Civil War
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- point-to-point movement — Mentioned as a characteristic of the game's movement system.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The Battle Before The Muse River scenario
- one of the most historically infused games that I've ever run across
- just a training scenario to see if I can get used to movement and defensive fire and first fire and all those things maybe some close combat
- I've got Raiders of the deep and Phantom Fury I've got these in boxes right now
- my goal really for this year is to play a lot of games play five new games a month what I'm trying to do with this now is to get some breath to the tea to experience a lot of different games uh and play them but not necessarily go that deep yet
- do you have a gaming te um what and if so what are those things that you feel like you've played a ton of that have gotten you to a lot of depth
- The winner is Kevin a212 congratulations Kevin
- hope to see you at SD histon or maybe perhaps watching the professional wargaming live discussion on Saturday
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video sdEez9EDAMY
Zilla Blitz Review at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 85532 · mention_pk 219406
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Gameplay length of 1 to 2 hours is manageable.
- Low unit density with few units (7 Union, 9 Confederate) keeps the game focused.
- Identical rule books are a appreciated touch.
- Rules are straightforward to read.
- High-quality vinyl tactics cards.
- Excellent map quality with clear design.
- Map has dual-purpose areas for player aids and card/victory condition/turn management.
- Efficient execution of the system due to map displays.
- Handy card management spots around the game make setup and management easy.
- Quick setup.
Cons
- Executing the rules can be challenging initially.
- Less than ideal solo game due to hidden cards and masked unit strength.
Thematic elements
- Battle of Gettysburg
- Gettysburg
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Blocs — Blocks represent the formations for both sides, and there are only 16 of them in the game.
- card-driven — The game is also card-driven and card assisted. You'll be playing cards to activate various units under your command.
- Cohesion — Cohesion represents the overall energy and effectiveness of your units and is depleted both in combat and when activating a unit for movement. When a unit's cohesion gets to a lower level, it must pass cohesion checks or be wiped out from the battle.
- defensive readouts — Defensive readouts which are built on positions on the map to strengthen the unit's defensive capacity.
- Dice Rolling — The game resolves combat with dice chucking. Units have a set number of dice they can use, and this can be modified by a number of factors. Terrain, enemy defensive readouts, and force momentum.
- fog of war — There are a few elements of fog of war in the game, you don't know the cards your opponent is holding, so that information is hidden. And although the general strength of units is known, you know their cohesion. Players can shift around reinforcements in a way that makes it hard to be certain of the exact strength of your enemy's units.
- momentum cubes — Momentum cubes which you gain as you activate units. You spend these blocks to buy tactics cards that can be used in a variety of ways in gameplay and you can also use them as one of two ways to roll your attack dice in combat.
- Optional rules — There are some optional rules that can be folded into gameplay as you play more frequently.
- point-to-point movement — The map is a point-to-point representation of the battlefield with about 30 locations that you'll be moving units through.
- Stacking limits — Stacking in the game is two friendly units per area.
- tactics cards — Using tactics cards to assist with combat and some other gameplay elements.
- Unit activation cards — Players will have a few of these cards in their hand each turn and you alternate playing them to activate specific formations in the game.
- victory conditions — The Confederate forces can win by taking control of a specified number of victory point locations. Either side can also win by eliminating a specified number of enemy formations. If neither side wins by the end of the game, it's considered a draw.
- Victory Points — Victory point markers which are placed on the map when a Confederate force gains control of a key location in the battlefield.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- We did find executing the rules a bit challenging.
- Once we got going, um, things picked up nicely and we were able to overcome all of the obstacles we initially encountered with the rule set.
- I really liked the variety and creativity of these cards.
- Like everything else in the game, the quality here is excellent.
- It was really handy to have the card management spots around the sides of the game here.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video fSPLm2by5bQ
Zilla Blitz Top List at 16:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 84839 · mention_pk 216281
Click to watch at 16:55 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Highly positive, with a rulebook caveat
Pros
- Familiar historical battle with significance
- Relatively few units, easy system to learn
- Game builds complexity as you play
- Beautiful visuals
- Very replayable
- Fantastic historical connections
- Perfectly suited for introductory war games
Cons
- Rulebook can be tricky to figure out when learning on your own
Thematic elements
- Battle of Gettysburg
- American Civil War
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Access and Allies. So, uh, this is this game doesn't really need any introduction, but I've heard so many good things about it. I think it does meet a lot of the qualifications and criteria that we established as a war game and as an introductory war game for this list. Just haven't had time and made time to play it yet. I think it could have a very high spot on the list.
- David Thompson has been on the list a lot. He makes fantastically accessible war games. So, anything that he creates, I think is a candidate for this list.
- John Butterfield is a fantastic designer and this is a area control.
- John Butterfield designed some just amazing stuff.
- This is a game that might not fit into the classic war game category, but I've heard a number of war gamers say that it's definitely a war game with a lot of war game aspects and it fits probably in that subgenre of games, get the pun, where you are playing the role of a plane or a tank or a submarine or a ship and going over a campaign.
- War at Sea, if you're not familiar with it, it's an area based naval game that dates back to the 1970s, maybe 1980s.
- This is a game set in World War II where you take charge of female Russian pilots. This is based in actual history that run various aircraft missions over the German lines during World War II.
- Worthington does a great job with their production values with games.
- What games did I miss? What games on the list do you like and agree with?
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video yqXIU6pqoVk
Zilla Blitz Top List at 10:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 83430 · mention_pk 210245
Click to watch at 10:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
Very Positive
Pros
- Fun as a two-player experience
- Compact and playable in under two hours
- Easy to learn for beginners
- Offers depth and interesting decisions
- Spins great narratives
- Beautiful components
- Strong solo mode
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Civil War combat
- Battle of Gettysburg, American Civil War
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Randomized Commander Appearance — The order in which commanders appear is somewhat randomized, leading to different experiences.
- Solo Play — The game has a strong solo mode using modified rules for the bot.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- My criteria for this particular list is enjoyment. The games that pulled me in and captured my attention, had some sort of an emotional rush, or just created great memories.
- Gettsburg, A Time for Heroes from Worthington Publishing, a fantastic Gettysburg game.
- Old School Tactical Volume 5. If by the way, if you are curious about this one, there are four volumes before this. They're all, I imagine, very good, but this has just been my experience with the system so far.
- Combat Commander is number three on the list, and it might be one of the games I'm most excited to continue playing in 2026.
- This game, I I think part of the reason why I liked it so high and why I put it so high is that it has opened up my eyes to the potential of the Cold War Modern Combat series and families of games, which to be fair, I haven't really explored yet.
- I could probably rank these games in almost any order and be happy with it. So, I wouldn't take the rankings of the games so seriously.
- Traces of Victory. Uh my top game for 2025 and just I can't say more about this game. You should check it out if you like operational World War II level combat games.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video OtvkCX4QogM
Zilla Blitz Discussion at 3:38 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41738 · mention_pk 126457
Click to watch at 3:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Easy to teach
- Fast plays with depth in a single scenario
- Good entry point for war gamers into more complex titles
Cons
- Rules can present a learning curve for non-war-game peers
- Depth may be limited beyond a single scenario
Thematic elements
- Two-player tactical battle with post-release solo rules
- Civil War, Battle of Gettysburg
- Historical reenactment with focused skirmish-scale decisions
Comparison games
- A Time for Heroes
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Easy teach/learning curve for entry-level war gamers — Designed to be teachable in roughly 15 minutes for new players.
- Solo rules — Post-release dedicated solo rules to allow single-player play.
- Two-player abstracted tactical combat — Direct competition on a map representing battlefield zones with tactical moves.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we are but specks of sand on the beach of YouTube
- 20,000 subscribers, that's not teeny anymore
- This might be the longest monthly update
- I would invite you to join in if you've got the game and haven't played it yet
- Empire of the Sun and get there. That is my side quest for the summer
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XFYr2pBp6xM
The Discriminating Gamer Top 10 List at 1:07 sentiment: positive
video_pk 38559 · mention_pk 116146
Click to watch at 1:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Innovative doubles mechanic adds tension and strategic depth
- Strong thematic fit with Civil War battles and historical flavor
Cons
- Potentially luck-driven depending on dice
- May require familiarity with period to fully appreciate...
Thematic elements
- Military conflict, tactics, and maneuvering
- Civil War battles (Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Freeman's Farm, etc.)
- Historical scenario-driven with dice interactions
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice-driven combat and doubles system — Players roll doubles to influence damage; high doubles can inflict more harm whereas low doubles can hurt you; rerolls may occur on certain doubles.
- Point to Point Movement — Movement consists of tactical repositioning across a map or grid based on dice outcomes.
- point-to-point movement — Movement consists of tactical repositioning across a map or grid based on dice outcomes.
- Tension through dice outcomes — Dice results drive both damage and movement decisions, creating consequential choices.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm not ranking the games overall. I'm not saying these are objectively my favorite games in order.
- What do I think are the best dice rolling aspects?
- It's all about the dice rolls.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GY927MJPrIk
Zilla Blitz Top 10 List at 4:53 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36645 · mention_pk 109965
Click to watch at 4:53 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Solid two-player experience
- Replayability via alternative leader orders
Cons
- Rule complexity can be a barrier for new players
Thematic elements
- historical tactical conflict with alternate-history flavor
- Gettsyburg campaign, American Civil War
- focused on critical decision points and leadership choices
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- block-based movement — square/hex blocks simulate unit maneuvers and positioning
- solo mode with bot rules — the game supports a dedicated solitaire system activated by a simple set of rules
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- D-Day at Omaha Beach is the king of my top soliter war games.
- This is a masterful game that combines all of those genres into amazing storytelling experience that is just so much fun to go through.
- The stories that the game generates are outstanding.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video PfuJVwW7TP8
Zilla Blitz Discussion at 4:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 35743 · mention_pk 106909
Click to watch at 4:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- historical battles
- American Civil War
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I cannot wait for Pacific Chase.
- This is part of his recon series.
- If SD Histcon is probably two-thirds historical games and maybe one-third other games, Circle DC is probably half and half.
- Thank you to everybody who supports the channel.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video vLguKISgft0
Zilla Blitz Play Impressions at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 31222 · mention_pk 91997
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- beautiful production and accessible setup
- easy to learn after a good teaching, with depth revealed through play
- strong two-player experience and a surprisingly engaging solitaire mode
- high replayability due to tactics cards and semi-random activation order
- gateway-friendly for war-game curious players
Cons
- rulebook can be confusing on first pass; some ambiguities require cross-referencing
- early-game rule interactions can seem unplayable until clarified (e.g., first activation penalties when attacks aren’t possible)
- balance and learning curve benefit greatly from instruction, rather than solo learning
Thematic elements
- strategic maneuver, combat resolution, and historical battle feel
- Battle of Gettysburg, Civil War
- semi-realistic war game with variable activation and card-driven mechanics
Comparison games
- Vassal (digital/online implementation reference)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- activation cards — determine the order and availability of actions for units each turn, introducing semi-random flow
- cohesion checks — units can suffer cohesion losses in combat or activation, influencing their effectiveness and risk of breakage
- Dice combat — combat uses a pool of dice with card-modified interactions; doubles and special events affect hits
- end-of-day victory and stalemate rules — victory conditions include control of hexes and unit eliminations, with potential early wrap-ups
- momentum cubes — resource-like mechanic supporting actions and pacing across the turns
- scenario-based structure with replayability — a single historical scenario but highly replayable due to semi-random activation and card variation
- tactics cards — a large deck (30–40 cards) offering powerful one-off or strategic effects; timing matters and affects balance
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not a hard game, especially once you understand how to play, it's easy to teach other people
- the game is a gateway to bring people into the hobby
- the solitaire rules are strong and enjoyable
- replayability through tactics cards and variable activation makes each game feel different
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–9 of 9