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By Swords and Bayonets

By Swords and Bayonets

GMT Games · 2025
1–2240–360 min14+ yrs3.8/5 complexity8.3 BGG#12.703 BGG548CouplesStrategy
short answer

How do you play By Swords and Bayonets?

By Swords and Bayonets is the ninth member of GMT Games' Great Battles of The American Civil War series (GBACW). This game is meant to serve as a introduction for players new to the series by limiting the size of the playing area as well as the number of combatants on the map.

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By Swords and Bayonets box art
official art · GMT Games

By Swords and Bayonets is the ninth member of GMT Games' Great Battles of The American Civil War series (GBACW). This game is meant to serve as a introduction for players new to the series by limiting the size of the playing area as well as the number of combatants on the map. Experienced GBACW players will appreciate the addition of these four short, sharp "done in an afternoon" battles.

Features Include:

 Four Civil War battles, each on a 22" x "17 "half size" map
 Opposing forces are no more than one division per side with 50 or fewer combat units each
 The full GBACW rulebook is supported so there is nothing to "unlearn" when players delve into other GBACW series games

The Battle Scenarios:

 Big Bethel, June 10, 1861 detailing Gen. Benjamin Butler's overconfident assault on John Magruder's Confederates



 Rappahannock Station, Nov. 7, 1863 in which elements of Sedgewick's VI Union Corps attempt to isolate and disperse a section of Early's CSA division.  There is a one turn "learning scenario" for this battle.



 New Bern, Mar. 14 1862, featuring Maj. General Ambrose Burnside's launches an attack on dug-in but inexperienced Confederates in the vicinity of Fort Thompson.



 Mill Springs, Jan. 19, 1862 where Rebel Gen. G. Crittenden raced to surprise a large Union contingent before they could be reinforced.

—description from the publisher

🔬 game anatomy
Complexity3.8 / 5
BGG rating8.3 / 10
Vibe
CouplesStrategy
Language dependence
Moderate text — a crib sheet helps
Play time
240–360 min
Players
1–2
Recommended age
14+ yrs
BGG rank
#12.703

from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does By Swords and Bayonets cost?
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Q2Where can I buy By Swords and Bayonets cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play By Swords and Bayonets?
By Swords and Bayonets is a american civil war game, for 1–2 players, taking ~240–360 minutes, featuring dice rolling. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about By Swords and Bayonets — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does By Swords and Bayonets support?
By Swords and Bayonets is played by 1–2 players.
Q5How long does a game of By Swords and Bayonets take?
A game of By Swords and Bayonets takes about 240–360 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is By Swords and Bayonets for?
By Swords and Bayonets is recommended from age 14.
Q7How complex is By Swords and Bayonets?
By Swords and Bayonets has a BoardGameGeek complexity of 3.8 out of 5.
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