Shiloh is a tactical level simulation of the largest single battle in U.S. military history up to that date. Before the two day battle was ended, elements of three complete armies totaling 100,000 men had participated, as well as elements of the U.S. Navy. At the end of the second day, over 23,000 men were casualties. The battle was launched by the South, hoping that the newly created Army of the Mississippi could decisively defeat the Union Army of the Tennessee before it could link up with the Army of the Ohio. Tactically, the battle was a marginal victory for Union forces, although its strategic implications were much more far-reaching. Had the South succeeded in its attempt, the state of Tennessee would have been recaptured by the Confederacy, and Union offensive power broken in the Western Theater for at least a year. A Confederate thrust into the North would have been by no means improbable. The Union victory at Shiloh, more than any other battle, sealed the Confederacy's fate in the West.
The game lasts 13 turns. The Confederate player is the first player.
Players set up their units in the hexes noted on the map
During his movement phase, the phasing player may place any of his units due to enter play as reinforcements at the location noted.
Reinforcements may not enter the map in a hex occupied by an enemy unit, but may enter the map in an enemy ZOC (note that this will affect their ability to move).
Each reinforcement expends one MP to enter the map.
Reinforcements unable to enter the map may be delayed until a later turn or may enter at the map-edge hex nearest their scheduled entry location (at the phasing player's choice if there is more than one such hex). The owning player may always choose to delay reinforcements if he wishes.
There are no Confederate reinforcements.
On turns one and two every Union unit not in a Confederate ZOC must move one, and only one, hex to the north or northeast (Union player's choice). Units in enemy ZOC's may not move.
Gunboats may only enter river hexes. They may move any number of hexes. Gunboats are treated exactly like artillery units. They have no ZOC's, are not affected by Confederate ZOC's and may not be attacked.
Units may not enter river hexes. Union units may cross the river through the river ferry hexes at a cost of three MPs, and only from east to west. Units may never end the movement phase in the river ferry hex. They may enter the river ferry hex only if they have sufficient MPs to enter both the river ferry hex and the hex on the opposite bank in the same movement phase, and may only enter and exit the ferry through the hexes indicated by the ferry symbol on the map. The river ferry may not be used if either entry hex is occupied by enemy units.
Victory is determined by accumulating victory points (VPs) and capturing Pittsburg Landing (hex 1508). One VP is awarded for each enemy SP eliminated. There are several different levels of victory possible for each player.
Confederate Decisive: The Confederate player achieves a decisive victory if he scores twice as many VPs as the Union player and his units occupy or were the last to pass through Pittsburg Landing.
Confederate Substantive: The Confederate player achieves a substantive victory if he scores at least as many VPs as the Union player and his units occupy or were the last to pass through Pittsburg Landing.
Confederate Marginal: The Confederate player achieves a marginal victory if he scores twice as many VPs as the Union player.
Union Marginal: The Union player achieves a marginal victory if he has more than half as many VPs as the Confederate player and his units occupy or were the last to pass through Pittsburg Landing.
Union Substantive: The Union player achieves a substantive victory if he scores at least as many VPs as the Confederate player and his units occupy or were the last to pass through Pittsburg Landing.
Union Decisive: The Union player achieves a decisive victory if he scores twice as many VPs as the Confederate player and his units occupy or were the last to pass through Pittsburg Landing.