In June and July, Early used many of the same tactics as Stonewall Jackson had two years earlier, and was successful in drawing more Union troops into the Shenandoah Valley after Hunter was unable to pin him down.

[2] Shenandoah is a two-player wargame in which one player takes the role of Union forces, and the other controls the Confederates.

[6] However Walter Brink and Richard Giberson warned against using all MP in this way, pointing out "It is also a good idea to have some movement factors left to get out of the battle if things go wrong.

Critic Donald Mack pointed out that this resolution usually favors the defender, and warned "battle should not be offered or sought lightly."

[3] Seventeen of them are relatively short 2–4 hour scenarios[5] — several taking only one turn — that cover the individual battles and skirmishes fought in both 1862 and 1864.

As critics Walter Brink and Richard Giberson pointed out, "One must make a careful study of these values before playing the game.

"[7] Richard Berg noted that because bringing extra supplies onto the board gave Victory Points to one's opponent, "a Player must campaign very cautiously, conserving his energies and striking only when necessary.

"[5] In a 1976 poll conducted by SPI to determine the most popular board wargames in North America, Shenandoah did not fare well, rating only 176th out of 202 games.

[3] In Issue 13 of Jagdpanther, Walter Brink and Richard Giberson called this "a complex game even in its simplest form, though it is immensely enjoyable."

Battleline Publications has, to the time of this game, produced only three titles, and it says much about a company that they tested them to near perfection before release.

Berg pointed out "the emphasis is on feint and maneuver, and the designers have produced some very interesting refinements in their efforts to simulate this."

Berg concluded, "The feel of the game is one of conducting a grueling, intense campaign against a shifty, intelligent opponent ... you have a thought-provoking and stimulating simulation of one of the more interesting theatres of the Civil War.

Freeman warned "Surprise is a key factor, but this is not just a combat game; organization, planning, and an iron nerve are all vital."

Freeman gave this game an Overall Evaluation of "Good (but not for everyone)", concluding, "This is one of the best operational simulations on this era available — but it's decidedly not for the timid.