Sometimes a game grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. That’s exactly what happened after I played Rock of Chickamauga. Suddenly I found myself diving headfirst into the Blind Swords series and the American Civil War era. I’ve always been a sucker for chit-draw systems. I love the tension and the unpredictability.

The feeling that the battlefield is just a little out of your control is thrilling. I discovered Thunder at Dawn. It is a battle fought practically in my own backyard. It felt like the perfect next step. Even better, the folio version appeared at a price that was irresistible. Naturally, I made the purchase. If you want a closer look, you’ll also be able to catch the unboxing over on the channel.

For those who do not know the history behind the game, Thunder at Dawn covers the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. This battle was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri. It was the first major battle west of the Mississippi. It was only the second major battle of the entire Civil War. Three relatively green armies clashed along the ridges and valleys around Wilson’s Creek. One Union force and two Confederate forces participated. The fiercest fighting took place on what would later be known as “Bloody Hill.” Like many early war battles, confusion ruled the day.

Soldiers showed up wearing everything from homemade uniforms to everyday street clothes. This variety made identifying friend from foe a real problem. At one critical moment, Union General Franz Sigel mistakenly thought an approaching Confederate force was friendly. This confusion caused the collapse of his command. There was inexperienced leadership. Confederate commanders McCulloch and Price had divided strategies.

General Lyon planned a daring but risky Union attack. As a result, the battle was chaotic and could have easily gone another way. This is something the game’s “What If” scenario gives players the chance to explore.

I quickly punched and clipped the counters. Then I set up the first scenario. It recreates the historical battle plan used by Lyon and Sigel. Right away the game makes a great impression on the table.

My first reaction, though, was that the map looked a little “busy.” There’s a lot going on with the colors and elevation shading. The good news is that the elevation levels are clearly marked with numerical values right on the map. I really appreciate this.

At first, my old eyes had to work to sort it all out. The counters started going down and the battlefield began to take shape. Those concerns faded pretty quickly.

The game came with version 1.0 of the Blind Swords series rules, but a quick trip over to the Revolution Games website solved that. I downloaded the updated 1.5 rules, which is always nice to have when a system has been refined over time. The series rulebook comes in at about 15 pages. So far, it has been pretty easy to digest. At least that’s my story before the first rules mistake shows up.

Then there’s a separate set of exclusive rules for the Wilson’s Creek campaign, which adds another 7 pages. Once you’ve worked through the main 1.5 rules, these scenario-specific rules are straightforward and easy to follow. The player aids are colorful and do a solid job laying out the key charts and tables. Of course, the real test will come once I start pushing counters around. I will probably toss a few dice too. That’s usually when the “oh wait… did I do that right?” moments begin.

I have the game set up on the table. As you can see, I’m ready to start pushing some counters.

However, I’ve run into a small setup question that has me scratching my head. In the rulebook under 7.0 Chit Draw Phase, section 7.3 Drawing and Applying a Chit, it states: “Command Events: There are no Command Events.” You should disregard the printed back side of the event chits.

That seemed pretty straightforward at first.

Later in the scenario rules, under Special Scenario Rules – Eligible Chits, it gives specific instructions. It tells you to add all USA Activation Chits at 5:00 AM. You also add all USA Event Chits except Low Ammo and Find Ammo.

That’s where my confusion kicks in. The scenario setup specifically tells you to include the Event chits. Yet, the rules say there are no Command Events. I’m left wondering exactly how those are supposed to interact.

So before I start the first turn, I figured I’d ask the question here. I want to see if anyone else has encountered the same head-scratcher.

All in all, I’m really excited to get this game started. I actually have a face-to-face game scheduled next week. My goal is to get a solid grasp of the rules beforehand. I want to avoid looking like the guy who has to stop every five minutes to flip through the rulebook. That’s the plan anyway, we’ll see how that works out once the chits start coming out of the cup. Thanks again for taking the time to read along with my early impressions. And don’t forget to check out the Cardboard Commander community over on YouTube and Facebook. We talk about wargames, playthroughs, and everything related to pushing cardboard around the table.

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Until next time, Be Safe, Be Kind and Happy Wargaming!