Three Days of Gettysburg Deluxe Edition

From the Publisher:

GMT Games and the GBACW design team are proud to announce Three Days of Gettysburg Deluxe Edition, the ultimate edition of the definitive game on the Battle of Gettysburg. First published in 1995, 3DoG has stood the test of time as one of the most popular games of the Great Battles of the American Civil War series.

The Great Battles of the American Civil War Series
This series is one of the hobby’s longest-lived design concepts, springing from the legendary regimental level Gettysburg game—Terrible Swift Sword (SPI)—designed by Richard Berg in 1976. Under GMT, the rules system has remained stable but has shown remarkable flexibility to allow each game to smoothly incorporate additional rules to reflect the historical battles. The series relies on interactive chit-pull mechanics to simulate the often-chaotic nature of the 19th Century battlefield at the regimental level.

The Game
Three Days of Gettysburg Deluxe Edition will include ten plus scenarios. They range from small Skirmisher contests on half sized maps to the ultimate Gettysburg experience on four full full-sized maps depicting the entire battle, including the East Cavalry Battlefield! Other scenarios will depict both the first and second day of the struggle. Experienced players will be able to play many of the scenarios in one sitting. The 3DoG Deluxe Edition will include many exclusive rules to represent the special situations at Gettysburg, including new Skirmisher rules. However, many of the rules are optional, allowing players to decide for themselves what level of complexity they want.

New components and exclusive rules include new cavalry counters, CSA dismounted cavalry counters, corrected artillery types, two types of skirmisher units, artillery sections for some scenarios (Calef’s battery on the first day!), and artillery overshoot. The new maps continue to use Mark Simonitch’s beautiful artwork but include stonewalls, the Devil’s Den, and sloping hexes to better represent the unique terrain at Gettysburg. The large rock formations are represented differently from earlier editions, and artillery will find moving up the slopes of Little Round Top as difficult in the game as it was in the battle.

Components:

• Three single-sided 34” x 22” maps representing the Gettysburg battlefield
• One double-sided 34” x 22” map for the East Cavalry battlefield and Second Day assault
• One double-sided 22” x 17” small-scenario map
• One double-sided 11” x17” small-scenario map
• Eight counter sheets of combat units and counters (Including VanDorn optional counters for Into the Woods)
• Two Combat Tables Folders (PAC) (each folded 11" x 17")
• Two TEC and 2nd Disorder Charts
• One Turn Record Chart
• Two 11” x 17” Efficiency/Activation Sheets
• Two Reinforcement Charts
• One GBACW Series Rule Book (2023 Edition)
• Battle Book
• Playbook, includes optional Skirmish rules and instructions for VanDorn optional counters
• Two 10-sided dice

Time scale: 1 hour per turn

Map scale: 125 yards per hex with 40-foot elevations

Unit scale: 50 Men or 1 Cannon per Strength Point

Players: 1-6

Game Designer: Dick Whitaker

Game Developer: Bill Byrne

Original Designer: Richard H. Berg

Are you ready to step onto the bloodiest battlefield of the American Civil War? Three Days of Gettysburg Deluxe Edition from GMT Games is the definitive, grand-scale regimental wargame of this historic turning point. Perfectly optimized for 1 to 2 players, this massive box spans playing times from manageable 3-hour sessions to epic 25-hour full-battle campaigns across multiple maps. Utilizing the legendary Great Battles of the American Civil War (GBACW) engine, this edition features highly interactive chit-pull mechanics that realistically simulate the friction, chaos, and command limitations of 19th-century warfare. This comprehensive package includes beautifully modernized maps, upgraded counter sheets, an integrated skirmisher ruleset, and an all-new "Simple Version" rules manual to lower the barrier to entry. It is a premier historical centerpiece for any serious wargaming collection.

Theme and Historical Setting

Three Days of Gettysburg Deluxe Edition delivers a highly detailed regimental-level recreation of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), a confrontation often cited as the high water mark of the Confederacy. Players take command of either the Union Army of the Potomac or the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. The geographic scale brings the rolling hills, ridges, and orchards of Pennsylvania to life across four beautifully drafted tactical maps, offering unprecedented operational fidelity to historical maneuvers.

Core Gameplay and Major Mechanics

The foundational core of this masterwork is the celebrated Great Battles of the American Civil War (GBACW) system. Designed strictly for a tight 1-to-2 player head-to-head confrontation, the simulation flows through an organic, unpredictable chit-pull activation framework.

Key mechanics that drive the depth of the game include:

• Command and Efficiency: Corps and division leaders generate efficiency points, which dictate how many Activation Markers (AMs) they receive. Blindly pulling these chits from a cup recreates the immense fog of war and command breakdowns that plagued historical generals.
• Line of Sight and Facing: Unit facing is critical. Flanking maneuvers, line of sight for artillery elevation, and specialized regimental formations (such as columns or battle lines) require strict tactical planning.
• Upgraded Rulesets: This deluxe package uniquely integrates the advanced Skirmisher Tactics rules alongside a streamlined "Simple GBACW" rules manual. The simple rules condense complex line-of-sight calculations and shock resolution to allow quick, accessible sessions without losing the rich historical flavor.

Why Players Enjoy It & Replayability

Wargamers highly praise this system for its unscripted historical realism. You aren't just pushing cardboard pieces; you are managing the fatigue of your brigade commanders, establishing operational rallying points, and trying to coordinate multi-corps assaults under shifting initiatives.

With over ten distinct scenarios included out of the box—ranging from the early morning clash of Buford's cavalry on July 1st, to Sickles' perilous salient on Day 2, up to the legendary cavalry engagements on Cress Ridge—the box provides nearly endless gameplay variation for 1 or 2 players.

Solo Playability

While designed as an exceptional competitive 2-player battle, it functions beautifully as a solitaire exercise. Because the chit-pull mechanic eliminates omniscient planning, a solo player can confidently run both armies, reacting dynamically to the chaos of each unexpected token draw.

BOARDGAMEGENERAL ADVICE

As a specialized team at Boardgamegeneral, we consider Three Days of Gettysburg Deluxe Edition a true crown jewel of Civil War wargaming. This dual-player release is unequivocally targeted toward intermediate to veteran wargamers who appreciate highly granular, regimental combat systems.

If you have played other titles in the GBACW family—such as Gleam of Bayonets or Death Valley—or if you have conquered large-scale hex-and-counter monsters like Terrible Swift Sword, you will feel right at home with these beautifully updated components.

The primary strength of this edition lies in its flexible dual-rule structure. Including both the classic, uncompromising system rules and the newly designed "Simple Version" rules means you can introduce the system to intermediate players without grinding the evening to a halt.

The obvious drawback is its physical scale and time investment: the full three-day campaign demands serious table space across multiple maps and hours of dedicated attention. It is definitely not a beginner's board game.

Verdict: For 1 to 2 serious students of the American Civil War, this is an essential definitive purchase that provides unparalleled historical immersion and value.