This review first appeared in IPW, the newsletter for all discount games
club members. Contact colin@allusedgames.demon.co.uk for details.

Across the Potomac

(Command #30 Issue game)

Across the Potomac is a simulation of the American Civil War campaign of
3rd June - 22nd July 1863. As such, it historically covers the battles
of Brandy Station, Seeond Winchester and Gettysburg. Being quite keen on
this designer's previous effort, 'Victory in Normandy', I was looking
forward to its release.

Remcmber the so called 'double blind' games that enjoyed a brief
popularity some time ago? They featured two identical maps, each player
moving his own units on his own map. Markers were uscd to designate the
known positions of enemy units. Although they never caught on, the
result was usually a very tense and exciting game. The drawback was that
an opponent that you could trust was absolulely vital. Across the
Potomac is just such a game, but can be played on a single map, solo if
necessary.

A game turn starts with an administrative phase. Players receive
reinforcements, make any required withdrawals and roll a die to
determine weather. Bad weather has a very detrimental effect on
movement. Both players complete this phase simultaneously.

The Confederate player turn starts with the allocation of command
points. A player can spend his command points on one of three functions.
Firstly, a point can be spent to activate a unit/stack to engage in
combat with an adjacent enemy. Units involved are removed from the map
and placed on a seperate battle card in two opposing groups. The
attacker's artillery fires first, then all defending units return fire
before the remaining attacking units fire. Combat is resolved in a
manner similar to GDW's 'A House Divided' except that units are reduced
in strength by steps, often involving replacement counters for lower
combat values. A few special rules exist for flank attacks, heavy
artillery and cavalry. Units that are involved in combat become
fatigued.

Command points can also be spent for units or stacks to move. Movement
factors are fairly low, but can be increased by using roads or force
marching, but this also causes fatigue.

The final use for command points is to enable friendly units in enemy
towns to forage. This action's sole effect is to earn the player victory
points. Units that take no action in a turn are resting and, if
fatigued, recover as a result. The Union player then follows the same
sequence, but generally has fewer command points.

Being a double blind game, a few rules exist for probes and cavalry
patrols, both useful for finding out where the enemy are, how many units
are in the hex, but not their exact strength. Like all the rules in this
game, they are relatively simple and, though not for beginners, players
with only a little experience should be able to master them easily.

As I had hoped, Across the Potomac is a fantastic game - if you have a
trustworthy oppponent with whom to play double blind. Although possible,
playing on a single map, or solo, it loses most of what makes it
interesting and its fifty turns can become rather tedious.

However it was designed to be double blind and if played that way, I
would pronounce it excellent!

Alan Sharif