Battle of the Rosebud

Please note that this is a DTP (Desk Top Publishing) game designed on a desktop computer and all components, including the counters which will have to be cut and mounted, are printed on paper. These are designed by some very well-known designers and are a low cost alternative to today's professionally produced games. On rare occasions, some of these games are reproduced by other companies with higher quality components including die-cut counters but most of them are not. If you believe this game to have a professionally produced version, please contact us with your inquiry and we will help you to locate it if it does indeed exist.

George Armstong Custer and The Battle of the Little Bighorn have long overshadowed the Battle of the Rosebud. Preceding the Little Bighorn by a week, the outcome of this battle directly influenced what happened to Custer and the 7th US Cavalry.

General George Crook was given command of the Southern column of the Bighorn Campaign. With Gibbon's column coming in from the West and the Terry/Custer column from the Northeast, the campaign's objective was to trap the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne and forcibly return them back to their reservation.

Tactically the battle was inconclusive. Casualties on both sides were relatively low, and in the end Crook held the field. But strategically the Rosebud fight was a great victory for the Sioux and Cheyenne. Crook expended a huge amount of ammunition; most soldiers were down to 10 rounds or fewer each. Many horses were killed, injured, or worn out. Because of these reasons Crook decided to withdraw his command back to his base camp, effectively taking his column out of the campaign.

Had Crook been able to continue operations he could have linked up with Custer's column, adding his infantry and cavalry to the 7th Cavalry. Custer's last stand would have, in all probability, never have occurred.

Game Scale
Each combat unit represents:
- one US Cavalry company
- approximately 100 Indians
- individual leader
Each hex equals 1/4 mile across.
Each game turn represents 20 minutes.