The Wilderness (wargame)

The Union forces attempted to flank Lee's army by moving through a patchwork of thick forest and clearings known as The Wilderness.

The game uses an elaborate five-level "command and control" system for leaders while they are taking and giving orders, being promoted, suffering injuries or being captured.

[2] The turn sequence is a hybrid of the standard alternating "I Go, You Go" system, where the non-active player is given an opportunity to initiate combat:[3] Optional rules deal with the thick undergrowth that was a hallmark of this battle — bush can be hacked down to provide defensive fields of fire.

It was not as well received as its predecessor, Lee at the Crossroads, and designer Steve Newberg later wrote, "It worked out well as history, and even reasonably well as a game, but I think the closed nature of the terrain hampered the players.

"[4] In Issue 95 of Strategy & Tactics, David Cook was grudging in his acceptance of the game, writing, "Somewhat awkward on bookkeeping and systems, but it works."

Cook did not feel the game system suited the Battle of the Wilderness and concluded, "Historically weak and lacking in the grit of tactics or the sweep of strategy.

But O'Toole was not convinced that this latest attempt was any better, writing, "Simulations Canada's game, in filling the gap [between large and small], has nonetheless done it in a way curiously reminiscent of SPI — it is more educational than entertaining."