Hornet’s Nest: Buying Time at Shiloh

Hornet’s Nest: Buying Time at Shiloh is a compact American Civil War wargame from Decision Games, covering the desperate fighting around the Hornet’s Nest during the Battle of Shiloh on 6 April 1862.

At dawn, Confederate forces attacked Ulysses S. Grant’s Union army near Pittsburgh Landing, Tennessee. As the Union first line gave way, surviving troops and reinforcements formed a defensive position covering the roads to the landing. The resulting struggle became known as the Hornet’s Nest because of the intensity of the fire.

The game uses the Musket & Saber QuickPlay system to portray Civil War combat with an emphasis on unit quality, historical tactics, and careful use of reserves. Infantry forms the backbone of battle, artillery can break attacks or open gaps, and weakened units risk routing if pushed too hard. Leaders improve unit performance, while special rules cover the rallying of Union remnants and the formation of a large Confederate artillery battery.

Victory depends on deployment, timing, maneuver, attacks, and the careful use of leaders. A faster Confederate breakthrough could change the course of the battle, while the Union player must buy enough time to prevent disaster.