Division Command

Rally Round the Flag – Division Command is an operational game pitting the Union and Confederate Armies against each other during the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg. Each side is represented by each of the Army, Corps and Division Commanders at the Battle of Gettysburg and the Brigades under their command. Take control of the Confederate Army and use their consolidated command structure to try and wrest control of Gettysburg from the Union.

Or, take control of the Union Army and work to delay the Confederates long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Can the Union survive the confusion of command before Meade can arrive with the Army artillery reserves? Can Lee push forward far enough on the first day to sustain his position for the second and third days? Can you win the Battle of Gettysburg and decide the fate of the American Civil War?

The Division Command level is designed with the ability to take and hold ground. This is represented by controlling the critical road network surrounding the town of Gettysburg. This is accomplished by taking control of specific points along the roads called “March Circles,” and thus scoring Victory Points.

A standard Division Command level game covering all three days of the Battle of Gettysburg can be played in about 8-12 hours. Victory occurs either when you force your opponent’s army to retreat, or you have the majority of the 43 Victory Points by the end of the game. You force your opponent to retreat by having double their amount of Victory Points at the end of a day of battle, thus earning a decisive victory.

Rally Round the Flag – Division Command can also be played as a Campaign Manager within the Rally Round the Flag – Brigade Command game. This allows the Division Command game to act as a “campaign battle generator,” creating tactical battles that can be played in 2 to 3 hours, skipping past unnecessary actions and combats in the Brigade Command system and shaving a 40 to 60 hour long game down to 25 hours or less.

While Rally Round the Flag was painstakingly designed with historical accuracy at its heart, the outcome of the game is not predetermined. The design reflects the tactical, organizational, and operational limits of both Union and Confederate armies and their generals, but how you manage them is up to you. In this battle, your decisions make the difference.