Publisher: Victory Point Games
Designer: Hermann Luttmann
Artists: Rick Barber and Brandon Pennington
Year: 2011
Players: Two players
Ages: 14+
Playing Time: Two to three hours
Category: Historical ACW boardgame
MSRP: $40.95
I’ve always been drawn to miniatures of all kinds (yes, I can even appreciate well designed dollhouse items) and was introduced to the hobby in the early eighties. Some of the first minis I painted were the old Grenadier AD&D series that were available. Another of my interests has always been history as well, especially the American Civil War, so as I got older I was drawn to historical miniatures as one of my many hobbies. There were plenty of afternoons where I battled away on representations of the fields of Manassas, Chancellorsville, and Wilson’s Creek with my hand painted 15mm figures. My opponent was almost always my pal Ed Rupprecht while I helmed the Union through every fight.
Plenty of rules systems hit the table but, for the most part, the old Fire and Fury set gave us just enough period flavor (and the ability to refight large scale battles) so it became our rule set of choice. I always enjoyed the meat and potatoes included in something like John Hill’s Johnny Reb series but we weren’t fans of the scale – over 200,000 men met at Gettysburg so why would I want to game simply what happened in Devil’s Den?
I mention these things simply because I’m honest enough to state I’m not necessarily the best suited reviewer when it comes to games that you might want to tackle with your five year old daughter but I certainly have hundreds of hours of gameplay when it comes to titles revolving around the War Between the States…
It’s important to note that Gettysburg: The Wheatfield is a look at miniatures rules as applied to a board game: The map has no hexes, the units are not simply square counters, and the focus is not stacking counters to create an unstoppable force. Wargamers who have not had an opportunity to play historical miniatures might find themselves scratching their heads when they’re first taking a look at G:TW.
It goes without saying that this is a Victory Point Game release and the components are at or above the usual expectations. The map has a nice feel to it and the realistic sense eminds one of an overview of a miniatures table nicely laid out. Honestly, I really dug the map and it’s very eye catching. The units themselves have the look of a stand of figures as viewed from a top down perspective. I honestly believe that VPG saw the potential of this design and did everything they could to bring the visual sense of a miniatures game to Gettysburg: The Wheatfield.
That may be all well and good but the question remains, how does the game play and will you want to buy it? For those who enjoy a good tactical workout the game plays very well and is a must buy. Yet for those looking for immediate payback each turn or wanting a mile a minute battle royale I’d have to say they take a pass on G:TW.
By nature historical miniatures games are slow going; I remember being introduced to the Empire Napoleonics system when I was around fifteen years old and wanted to pry my eyes out with a dull cavalryman’s sabre… Even to this day when I glance over that set of rules I begin to doze off. Regardless of the fantasy or SF miniature 
You won’t find over the top moments in Gettysburg: The Wheatfield as the design is of a higher focus. The problems of unit cohesion (one that faced any 19th century officer), terrain, morale, and so forth come into play. This isn’t a game of fast attack and defense but a commendable simulation of the slow, and sometimes plodding, development of a Civil War battle and the lack of control command in reality had. Keep in mind that this is all packed into twelve pages of rules. The number of pages to the rules is also an example of how VPG must feel about this series because it’s very rare to see that high a page count for one of their games.
Also included in the Gettysburg: The Wheatfield are Battle Cards that help create a deeper fog of war while providing bonuses to one side or the other if played at the right moment. These cards introduce a degree of randomness (VPG loves their chaos!) that would historically play a role on the battlefield.
Combat feels right and mechanically reflects the period. Unit formation, facing, and movement strike the right note as well. I will mention that the play time might seem excessive for some but, as someone who has seen Civil War miniature battles take an entire weekend without any true conclusion, I think the game actually breezes along pretty well.
Gettysburg: The Wheatfield is a solid entry into the line of historical wargames from VPG and is a great way for people interested in playing miniatures to get their feet wet without the cost and time involved with buying and painting figures. With minimal modifications I can easily see G:TW taking the place of some folks established miniatures rules as well.
I really enjoyed Hermann Luttmann’s latest design and look forward to the next installment! G:TW really hits the spot for someone like me who really misses those pitched battles on the table top from twenty years ago. Gamers who aren’t familiar with the mechanics of historical miniature rules might take a little bit of time to grasp some of the concepts within but, with minimal effort, the enjoyment of Gettysburg: The Wheatfield is worth it.
Or in other words, there’s a reason that the first release in the new Tattered Flags series is the fastest selling title ever produced by Victory Point Games!
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