Blue and Gray Command: Battles of the American Civil War 1861-1865

What is Blue and Gray Command?

Blue and Gray Command is a browser-based, turn-based hex wargame set during the American Civil War. It lets a player command either side, with the historical span running from First Bull Run in 1861 to Five Forks in 1865. The battlefield game uses hexes, brigades, commanders, terrain and morale rather than real-time action. It is free, runs as an HTML5 game in a browser, and is released under developer SecretSquirrel2026.

The package is built around 38 historical battles across the Eastern, Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters, with examples including Antietam, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Chickamauga. Another 15 what-if battles explore alternate turns, such as a Confederate campaign toward Harrisburg and Philadelphia, an 1863 assault on Washington's forts, an attack on Cincinnati and a Union drive into Texas. Named brigades and their commanders appear with the arms they carried and the guns each army brought. Briefings explain what shaped each fight, and after-action reports summarize the outcome.

How to play

Play begins with two short guided tutorials, one for basics and one for field craft. A battle is fought on a hex grid, where orders include firing, charging, digging in, setting up guns and dismounting cavalry; generals can be placed at the head of their regiments. Terrain, defensive works, flanks, ammunition, fatigue and morale all affect the result. The opponent can be either side, and three difficulty levels are available; on Colonel and General the enemy plans ahead. Optional fog of war hides information.

Campaign play moves beyond single battles. A player can choose the East, the West or the trans-Mississippi, or take the Full War across all three fronts, picking each season which army to lead in person. Army experience, generals and results carry forward, and each outcome shifts the front and determines where the next battle occurs. Between battles the War Council handles troop raising and refitting, treasury, blockade and cotton matters, spies, relations with Britain and France in the Full War, and political decisions. Quick Command delegates politics to a cabinet. Strict history and alternate history are both available.

Controls

Mouse and keyboard are the stated control method. The game is an HTML5 title that runs in a browser, so play starts inside the browser window. Hot-seat mode supports two players on one device, with turns passing between them. Optional fog of war and three difficulty levels shape how much information and resistance a player faces, while the two guided tutorials introduce the command layer before a campaign or standalone battle.

The interface also includes Save & Load with eight slots or a file save. The title screen carries a Send Feedback option that prepares a short report with the game's details. Period music on fife, brass and drums plays alongside the game. The tutorials cover basics and field craft, so the first mouse-and-keyboard session can start with instruction rather than a full battle.

Tips for your first run

Start with both guided tutorials; the first covers basics and the second moves into field craft. Then choose a difficulty that matches experience, remembering that Colonel and General give the enemy a planning edge. Read the briefing before issuing orders, because terrain and historical setup matter: fog at Cedar Creek and the stone wall at Fredericksburg are named examples. Keep ammunition, fatigue and morale in view, and use dig in, gun setup, cavalry dismounting and general placement when they fit the ground. Save often in one of the eight slots or to a file. If politics is not the attraction, Quick Command lets a cabinet handle it while the fighting continues. Use strict history first if the alternate battles feel like a bigger jump; the what-if clashes are marked as alternate history.

• Complete the basics tutorial before the field-craft lesson.
• Check the briefing for terrain and historical turning points.
• Watch ammunition, fatigue and morale before a charge.
• Use terrain, works and flanks together.
• Save in a slot or file before a major battle.

Content and replayability

The content split is broad: 38 historical battles and 15 what-if battles, with the historical set crossing the Eastern, Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters. Named brigades, commanders, weapons and artillery appear on the field. The alternate set includes a Confederate move toward Harrisburg and Philadelphia, an 1863 attack on Washington's forts, a strike at Cincinnati and a Union push into Texas. Campaigns can be run in the East, the West or beyond the Mississippi, or as a Full War across all three fronts. Each season the player picks which army to lead in person. Army experience and generals persist, and every result changes the front and the next battle location.

The War Council adds a second layer between battles: raising and refitting troops, treasury management, blockade and cotton, spies, diplomacy with Britain and France in the Full War, and political choices. Quick Command simplifies that side. Strict history and alternate history give two different frames. Three difficulty levels, optional fog of war and hot-seat play for two players on one device extend replay. Eight save slots or a file save support long campaigns.

Presentation and performance

Period music on fife, brass and drums sets the tone, while the command layer stays in a browser window. The game saves as play proceeds, with eight slots or a file save, which suits campaign sessions that stretch across many battles. A title-screen Send Feedback option prepares a short report with the game's details, and the release is a beta, so feedback is part of the launch picture.

The historical presentation lives in the briefings and after-action reports. Briefings explain what shaped each battle, after-action reports describe what happened, and named terrain features such as the stone wall at Fredericksburg and the fog at Cedar Creek carry the battlefield character. The interface supports mouse and keyboard, optional fog of war and hot-seat play for two players on one device. The whole package is HTML5 and free.

Who should play it

This is for players who want a turn-based hex wargame with historical detail rather than real-time action. The 38 historical battles and 15 what-if battles give Civil War readers plenty to compare, while named brigades, commanders, arms and guns reward attention to the order of battle. Campaign players can choose the East, the West or the Full War, carry army experience between fights and watch results move the front. The War Council adds treasury, blockade, cotton, spies and diplomacy, so the game also suits strategy players who enjoy political decisions between battles.

Hot-seat mode makes it a fit for two players sharing one device. The two guided tutorials and three difficulty levels lower the entry barrier, though Colonel and General plan ahead. Players who prefer strict history can stay there; those who want Lee's army at Harrisburg or a Union drive into Texas can switch to alternate history. A mouse-and-keyboard browser setup is the stated control route.