The best games set in the Civil War ⚔️ 2025

Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan is a strategic war game for two players, allowing them to relive the pivotal battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which unified Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate for over 250 years. Players take on the roles of either Ishida Mitsunari, defending the rightful heir, or Tokugawa Ieyasu, the most powerful daimyo, as they gather armies from their allies, all the while questioning their loyalty. With no use of dice, the game emphasizes strategy and loyalty through card mechanics, where cards are essential for motivating armies to fight. Loyalty is a fluctuating resource, represented by hand size, and battles involve deploying hidden units based on loyalty, with the potential for defections. The game aims to provide a historically accurate experience within a concise and intuitive set of rules, focusing on strategic deployment and the significance of loyalty without relying on luck to determine outcomes.

Star Wars: Rebellion is a grand strategy board game set in the Star Wars universe, offering an epic conflict between the Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance for two to four players.

Players take on the role of General Longstreet during the desperate Confederate assault on July 3, 1863, at the Battle of Gettysburg, known as Pickett's Charge. They must swiftly push their troops across deadly open terrain while balancing the need to regroup for another attack. With only five rounds to achieve their goal, players face the choice between death and glory as they race against time.

Spain, 1936: General Franco's troops move in, leading to a long period of civil war and oppression. A group of Republicans continues the armed struggle, forming resistance groups known as the "Maquis," who risk their lives hidden in the mountains to defend democratic ideals.

Two players control the armies of Julius Caesar and Pompey during the Roman civil wars (49-45 BC). As they vie for control of Rome, players engage in a card-driven block game to move, seize territories, or play events on a Mediterranean map featuring 13 victory point cities. Take charge of veteran legions or train new ones and strategize your path to becoming the emperor of Rome.

Battle Cry immerses players in the tumultuous era of the American Civil War, offering a low-complexity, highly modular board game experience. Through the strategic use of hexagonal tiles, players can recreate a variety of historical battlefields, bringing the conflict to life with an extensive collection of plastic miniatures representing infantry, cavalry, artillery, and leaders. The heart of the game lies in its innovative use of cards, which command troops across the battlefield's flanks and center, a system that would become the foundation for Richard Borg's acclaimed Command and Colors system.

Expect a thrilling journey through history, from gladiator battles to space wars. Players can test their skills and luck by reenacting famous battles or exploring alternate history scenarios, using simplified rule sets outlined in seven chapters. Each chapter covers a unique era, including ancient times, the era of horse and muskets, and modern warfare.

In March 1917, Tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate the Russian throne. A conservative provisional government emerged, while the Petrograd Soviet, a council of socialist activists, opposed it. Players control the forces in this power struggle through political action, social maneuvers, and military conflict, ultimately shaping Russia's future and determining whether a civil war will erupt or be suppressed.

Freedom: The Underground Railroad is a compelling cooperative game that immerses players in the crucial historical period of the Abolitionist movement in the United States. Players collaboratively work to build up the movement's strength using cards representing notable figures and events from Early Independence to the Civil War. The game balances the challenging tasks of moving slaves to freedom in Canada and raising funds to sustain abolitionist activities. The presence of slave catchers on the board adds a tense and realistic element, as they seek to thwart the players' efforts.

Players reenact important battles from Japanese history using flexible troop formations and terrain features. The game includes scenarios that vary in scale, with some representing entire clans while others depict just a few brave warriors.