Strategy & Tactics #328: Vicksburg 1863 – The Assault on Stockade Redan is a two-player tactical wargame that recreates the dramatic and bloody Union assaults on the Stockade Redan during the Siege of Vicksburg. As Union forces under General Grant attempt to storm the strongest defensive position guarding the city, Confederate defenders fight desperately to hold the line and preserve the South’s control of the Mississippi River.

• Historical Background: The Battle of Vicksburg was one of the most critical campaigns of the American Civil War. In May 1863, Union forces sought to breach the Confederate defences surrounding the city through two direct assaults on the Stockade Redan, a formidable earthwork dominating the approaches along Graveyard Road. Both attacks failed with heavy Union casualties, forcing Grant to settle into a prolonged siege. Victory at Vicksburg ultimately split the Confederacy in two, but the bloody assaults on the Redan were defining moments in the campaign — and in this game, players can explore whether history could have turned out differently.
• Gameplay & Objectives: One player commands the Union attackers, tasked with storming and capturing the Stockade Redan. The other player controls the Confederate defenders, who must repel the assaults and maintain control of the fortifications. The game includes both historical assaults of May 19 and May 22, 1863, with options for varied strategies, reinforcements, and tactical decisions that can alter history. A unique Gettysburg Matrix mechanic allows players to explore alternate outcomes — determining whether a successful Union assault could have changed the course of the war by influencing events in the East.
• Game System & Scale: Each turn represents 5–10 minutes of real time, modelling the furious tempo of the battlefield. Each hex equals 12.5 yards (22.8 metres), and units represent companies or regiments, depending on type. The system focuses on close-range combat, morale, command, and the devastating effects of artillery and small arms fire. The game captures the claustrophobic and brutal nature of Civil War assaults on entrenched positions, rewarding careful planning, coordination, and timing.
• Strategic Significance: The fate of the Confederacy’s western flank rested on Vicksburg. The city’s fall would split the South and grant the Union control of the Mississippi River. Yet, as Vicksburg 1863 reveals, capturing the Redan was no simple task — and the implications of success or failure reach far beyond the battlefield, potentially rewriting the course of the war itself.

Game Components:

• 1 x 22” x 34” full-colour map depicting the Vicksburg defences and terrain around Graveyard Road
• 228 die-cut counters representing Union and Confederate forces at company and regimental levels
• Rules for assaults, artillery bombardments, morale, entrenchments, and alternate historical outcomes
• Two historical scenarios: The May 19th Assault and the May 22nd Assault
• “Gettysburg Matrix” system to explore campaign-wide consequences of success or failure

Scale:
Players: 2
Level: Tactical
Hex: 12.5 Yards (22.8 m)
Turn: 5–10 Minutes
Units: Company / Regiment

Gameplay Focus: Vicksburg 1863 – The Assault on Stockade Redan delivers a gripping recreation of siege warfare, combining tense tactical decision-making with historical depth. Players must manage command, morale, and timing to succeed where history failed — or defend the Redan against overwhelming odds. Its mix of historical accuracy, alternate outcomes, and fast-paced tactical play make it ideal for both Civil War enthusiasts and dedicated wargamers.

Strategy & Tactics #328: Vicksburg 1863 – The Assault on Stockade Redan offers a tense, historically rich simulation of one of the American Civil War’s most desperate assaults — where every decision could change the course of history.

Available now from Milsims Games — Australia’s most trusted retailer for historical wargames, strategy titles, and military simulations for over 50 years. Price-match guarantee and fast local shipping from Mont Albert, VIC.

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