Strategy & Tactics #334: Rio Grande War 1865 is a two-player alternate history wargame that explores a fascinating “what if” scenario: what if the United States, fresh from victory in the Civil War, had gone to war with the French-backed Empire of Mexico? This operational-level simulation places players at the heart of a hypothetical 19th-century showdown for the fate of North America.

• Historical Background: Following the end of the American Civil War, France’s Emperor Napoleon III continued his controversial intervention in Mexico, supporting the rule of Emperor Maximilian I. In reality, the United States opposed this foreign intrusion under the Monroe Doctrine but avoided direct conflict due to exhaustion from its own civil war. Rio Grande War 1865 imagines a different outcome — one in which the US decides to enforce its influence by invading Mexico to overthrow Maximilian’s empire, while France sends its army to defend him. The result is a tense, continental war between newly reunited American forces and European-backed Imperial troops.
• Gameplay & Objectives: The game pits two asymmetric powers against one another. The Imperial player commands Maximilian’s loyalist army, supported by the French Expeditionary Corps and foreign allies. The Allied player leads the combined United States and Mexican Republican forces. Players must manage limited resources and navigate complex terrain while balancing conventional warfare with partisan uprisings and political pressure. Victory depends on securing key cities and regions while maintaining logistical integrity across a sprawling frontier theatre.
• Game System & Scale: Rio Grande War uses a flexible Action Point (AP) system that models both command capability and logistical strength. Players expend AP to recruit troops, move forces, and conduct operations. Each hex represents 45 miles (72 km), while each game turn equals one to two months. Units represent divisions, brigades, and regiments, as well as irregular forces such as partisans and bandits. Infantry and cavalry counters include integrated artillery, engineering, and logistics support. Leaders provide unique command bonuses, representing the competence and charisma of historical and hypothetical figures leading their troops across the rugged borderlands.
• Strategic Challenges: The Imperial player must hold Mexico together with limited reinforcements and scattered allies, while the Allied player must coordinate a vast but strained coalition of American and Republican forces. The dynamic Action Point system ensures that each turn is filled with difficult choices and shifting priorities, from launching offensives to sustaining supply lines or suppressing guerrilla activity. Terrain, weather, and politics all play crucial roles in this dramatic reimagining of post–Civil War geopolitics.

Game Components:

• 1 x 22” x 34” full-colour map depicting Mexico and the US borderlands circa 1865
• 176 die-cut counters representing Imperial, US, and Republican forces
• Comprehensive rules covering recruitment, logistics, leadership, and partisan warfare
• Historical and hypothetical event mechanics for added replayability

Scale:
Players: 2
Level: Operational
Hex: 45 Miles
Turn: 1–2 Months
Units: Divisions, Brigades, Regiments, Partisans

Gameplay Focus: Rio Grande War 1865 combines historical plausibility with strategic depth, offering a compelling look at how the fragile peace after the American Civil War could have ignited a new continental conflict. Balancing logistics, diplomacy, and military force, players can explore one of history’s great untested scenarios — the clash between Union blue and Imperial tricolour across the deserts and mountains of Mexico.

Strategy & Tactics #334: Rio Grande War 1865 is a must-have for wargamers who enjoy alternate history, 19th-century warfare, and grand strategic decision-making.

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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