Not to be confused with the 1910 Civil War drama film Road to Richmond screenwritten by Emmett C. Hall
Road to Richmond, subtitled "The Peninsular Campaign, May–July, 1862", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 during the American Civil War.
In mid-1862, Major General George. B. McCLellan launched the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern theater of the American Civil War, landing his army at Fort Monroe and moving northwest, up the Virginia Peninsula, in the hopes of capturing the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. McClellan was initially successful against the Confederate States Army in Northern Virginia led by General Joseph E. Johnston, but when Johnston was wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines, he was replaced by General Robert E. Lee, who proved to be a much more formidable leader during the pivotal Seven Days Battles. [1]
Road to Richmond is a two-player board wargame where one player controls the Union army, and the other the Confederate army during 26–28 June 1862, the central three days of the Seven Days Battle. [2] The game, which lasts 20 turns, starts with most of the Confederate forces on the map and most of the Union forces off the map. [3]
The game uses a simple "I Go, You Go" system of alternating turns in which one player moves and attacks, followed by the other player. This completes one turn, which represents two hours of game time. [3] With a small 17" x 22" paper hex grid map and only 100 counters, the rules for this game have been characterized as "simple." [4]
Optional rules include limitations on advances after combat, Union siege train artillery, and variable Confederate reinforcements. [3]
In 1975, SPI published Blue and Gray , a collection of four American Civil War wargames in one box. The "quadrigame" concept proved popular, and SPI quickly produced more, including Blue & Gray II . In 1977, Joe Angiolillo designed another American Civil War wargame using the Blue & Gray rules titled Road to Richmond. It was published as a free pull-out game in Issue 60 of Strategy & Tactics (January–February 1977), and was also offered for sale as a "folio game", packaged in a double LP-sized cardstock folio. It did not crack SPI's Top Ten Bestseller List. [5]
In his 1977 book The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming , Nick Palmer noted that the balance changes during the game, saying, "An early Confederate advantage is gradually offset by Union reinforcements." [2]
In Issue 19 of Fire & Movement , Bill Haggart and Pete Belli commented, "Road to Richmond just doesn’t 'click. Poor old McLellan gets run off the map to Harrison’s Landing with Lee in pursuit, and that's it." [6]
In the 1980 book The Complete Book of Wargames , game designer Jon Freeman commented that "The situation presents some options for each player, and the fluidity of battle gives in more interest than those of the [Blue & Gray games]." Freeman also noted that the optional rules "despite some quirks, add to the realism of the simulation." He concluded by giving the game an Overall Evaluation of "Good." [3]
In The Guide to Simulations/Games for Education and Training, Martin Campion warned "The smaller Confederate army is in a position where it might destroy the Union army in detail as the Union forces attempt to enter the board. [The Union must] withdraw in another direction without losing excessive casualties to the Confederates." [4]
In a retrospective review in Issue 20 of ′′Simulacrum′′, Steve Newberg, Peter Bartlett and Luc Olivier commented, "As with every game of this scale, the historical value is low, but for Road to Richmond it is not absent. The game is not very well balanced, but quickly learned and played, so not all is lost." [7]
Cemetery Hill, subtitled "The Battle of Gettysburg, 1–3 July 1863", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 as part of the "quadrigame" Blue & Gray: Four American Civil War Battles that simulated four battles of the American Civil War. Cemetery Hill was later released as a stand-alone "folio" game.
Napoleon's Last Battles is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications in 1976 that simulates the last four battles fought by Napoleon. It was one of SPI's most popular games, and also received many positive reviews.
Blue & Gray: Four American Civil War Battles is a board wargame originally published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates four battles from the American Civil War.
Lee at the Crossroads is a board wargame published by Simulations Canada (SimCan) in 1980 that simulates the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Each player takes the role of one of the opposing commanders, Confederate general Robert E. Lee or Union general George Meade.
Foxbat & Phantom, subtitled "Tactical Aerial Combat in the 1970's", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates aerial dogfights using jet aircraft technology from the early 1970s.
Lee Moves North, originally titled Lee at Gettysburg and subtitled "The Confederate Summer Offensive, 1862 & 1863", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1972 that simulates Robert E. Lee's summer offenses of 1862 and 1863 during the American Civil War
MechWar '77, subtitled "Tactical Armored Combat in the 1970s", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates hypothetical tank combat in the mid-1970s between various adversaries, using the same rules system as the previously published Panzer '44.
Napoleon at War, subtitled "Four Battles", is a collection of four board wargames published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates various battles fought by Napoleon.
Napoleon at Waterloo is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1971 that simulates the Battle of Waterloo. The game, which features simple rules, was designed as an introduction to board wargaming, and was given as a free gift with each subscription to SPI's Strategy & Tactics magazine.
Breitenfeld, subtitled "Triumph of the Swedish System", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the 1642 Battle of Breitenfeld during the Thirty Years' War. Breitenfeld was a free game that appeared in Strategy & Tactics, designed to promote SPI's soon-to-be-launched wargame Thirty Years War. Breitenfeld proved popular and was also published as part of SPI's "folio" series of games.
Blue & Gray II, subtitled "Four American Civil War Battles", is a collection of four board wargames originally published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that each simulate a battle from the American Civil War. It is the sequel to Blue & Gray published earlier in the year. Each of the four games was also published as individual "folio games."
Mukden: Sino-Soviet Combat in the '70s is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates a contemporary hypothetical battle between Soviet and Chinese forces near the city of Mukden. It was one of four games that were part of the "quadrigame" titled Modern Battles: Four Contemporary Conflicts, but it was also released as an individual game. In a 1976 poll, Mukden was the least popular of the four games in Modern Battles.
Antietam: The Bloodiest Day, 17 September 1862 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War. The game was originally part of the four-game collection Blue & Gray: Four American Civil War Battles, and was also released as a stand-alone "folio" game. It proved to be one of SPI's most popular games in the year following its publication.
Chickamauga: The Last Victory, 20 September 1863 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Chickamauga during the American Civil War. The game was originally part of the four-game collection Blue & Gray: Four American Civil War Battles, and was also released as a stand-alone "folio" game.
Battle of the Wilderness: Gaining the Initiative, May 5-6, 1864 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of the Wilderness during the American Civil War. The game was originally part of the four-game collection Blue & Gray II, and was also released as a stand-alone "folio" game.
Chattanooga: Gateway to Victory, Nov. 24-25, 1863 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Chattanooga during the American Civil War. The game was originally part of the four-game collection Blue & Gray II, and was also released as a stand-alone "folio" game.
Hooker and Lee, subtitled "The Battle of Chancellorsville, May 2-3, 1863, Nov. 24-25, 1863" is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Chancellorsville during the American Civil War. The game was originally part of the four-game collection Blue & Gray II, and was also released as a stand-alone "folio" game.
Fredericksburg: The Union Repulsed is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Fredericksburg during the American Civil War. The game was originally part of the four-game collection Blue & Gray II, and was also released as a stand-alone "folio" game.
Shiloh: The Battle for Tennessee, 6–7 April 1862 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War. The game was originally part of the four-game collection Blue & Gray: Four American Civil War Battles, and was also released as a stand-alone "folio" game. It proved to be one of SPI's most popular games in the year following its publication.
War Between the States 1861–1865 is a grand strategy monster board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates the American Civil War. Players can choose to play scenarios representing a single year of the war, or can play a campaign game that covers the entire war in both the Eastern and Western Theaters from the Battle of Fort Sumter to the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House.