A House Divided: War Between the States 1861-65 (1981)

A House Divided

A House Divided is a strategic level board wargame set in the American Civil War for two players, featuring point-to-point movement, low-complexity rules, and relatively few counters to maneuver. It was designed by Frank Chadwick and published in 1981 by Game Designers Workshop (GDW). The game simulates the epic struggle of the American Civil War that was fought over the twin issues of slavery and state’s rights.

Why is A House Divided Popular?

A House Divided owes much of its popularity to its relatively simple rules, with more advanced rules for experienced players, and features a playing board covering most of the United States mainland. The game is played over a series of up to 40 game turns, each game turn being divided into two player turns, with the Union player having the first player turn every turn. The game was chosen for inclusion in the 2007 book Hobby Games: The 100 Best and has won several awards, including the Charles S. Roberts for Best Pre-20th Century Boardgame of 1981.S. Craig Taylor, Jr. commented, “Games that imitate reality on the game’s own selected level without bogging down in details are often referred to as elegant, and that, in one word, sums up the appeal of A House Divided, the little game that could, and places it unmistakably onto any list of the very best wargames”.

Game Components of A House Divided

– Rulebook
– Game board
– Counters representing military units
– Dice

Game Setup of A House Divided

– Each player chooses a side to play: either the Union or Confederacy armies.
– Place the game board on a flat surface.
– Each player places their military units on the board according to the scenario being played.

Gameplay Mechanics of A House Divided

– The game is played over a series of up to 40 game turns, each game turn being divided into two player turns, with the Union player having the first player turn every turn.
– Players move their military units across the board, engaging in battles and attempting to control key areas.
– Combat is resolved by rolling dice and comparing the results to a combat results table.
– Players can also attempt to gain political control of various states, which can affect the outcome of the game.

Game Objective of A House Divided

The objective of the game is to control the most victory points by the end of the game. Victory points are earned by controlling key areas on the board and by winning battles.

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