The Wilderness (wargame)

The Wilderness is a historical wargame designed by Avalon Hill, simulating battles fought in the American Civil War's Wilderness Campaign of May 1864. The game focuses primarily on the two major engagements: the Battle of the Wilderness and the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.

The game typically features a hex-grid map depicting the dense, wooded terrain characteristic of the Wilderness region in Virginia. The game pieces represent infantry, cavalry, and artillery units of both the Union and Confederate armies, reflecting the historical organization and strengths of the forces involved.

The Wilderness is known for its emphasis on command control, supply lines, and the impact of the difficult terrain on maneuver and combat. The game mechanics usually incorporate rules to simulate the chaos and uncertainty of battle in a heavily wooded environment, often including restrictions on visibility and movement.

Players assume the roles of the Union and Confederate commanders, responsible for deploying their forces, issuing orders, and managing their resources to achieve victory. Victory conditions often involve capturing key objectives, inflicting casualties on the enemy, and controlling strategic locations on the map.

Published in 1981, The Wilderness is considered a classic wargame and is part of Avalon Hill's line of Civil War simulations. It has been lauded for its historical accuracy and challenging gameplay, though its complexity may make it less accessible to novice wargamers. It attempts to capture the strategic and tactical challenges faced by commanders in the notoriously difficult terrain of the Wilderness.