Dead of Winter is GMT's recreation of Richard Berg's Great Battles of the American Civil War series title on the battle of Murfreesboro; also known as The Battle of Stone's River to Union Veterans. Perhaps one of the most evenly matched battles of the war, Murfreesboro/Stone’s River pitted the Federal Army of the Cumberland under Major General William Starke Rosecrans against the Confederate Army of Tennessee captained by General Braxton Bragg. With near parity of numbers (each side fielded roughly 40,000 men) and remarkably similar battle plans, both armies grappled in the December cold for control of Middle Tennessee.

Dead of Winter completely revisits this battle. The old version needed a face-lift. The biggest change is in returning the ground scale to 110 yards per hex. While going to the larger scale means an increase in maps, the added elbow room allows for much more historical unit frontages and more playable stacking.

One Introductory and ten regular scenarios examine every aspect of the historical battle and present the players with several plausible alternative situations based on events leading up to the actual engagement. Scenario sizes range from one-half of one map and an hour to play, to all four maps and many enjoyable gaming hours. Also included are a number of optional forces that could have plausibly been brought into the fight. Keep your opponent guessing as to what he will face next with this interesting range of options.

Dead of Winter is volume V of the great Battles of the American Civil War series.

Series Design: Richard H. Berg
Developer: John Alsen

Complexity: 7 of 9
Solitaire Suitability: 6 of 9
Time Scale: 1 hour / turn
Map Scale: 110 yards / hex
Unit Scale: 50 men / strength point
Number of Players: 1 - 4