Thunder On the Mississippi is the latest design in the award-winning Great Campaigns of the American Civil War (GCACW) series. It depicts Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s 1863 campaign to capture Vicksburg. The game is designed by Joe Balkoski (the original GCACW series creator) and Chris Withers. The game map will adhere to the accuracy and high graphic standards of its predecessors, with map design executed by artist Charlie Kibler—whose work on the series dates to its creation in 1992. 

Thunder On the Mississippi uses the latest version of the GCACW Standard Basic Game Rules, which also apply to all other games in the series. After more than a quarter-century of refinement, these rules are extremely well organized and relatively easy to learn, even for series newcomers. Two new terrain features unique to the Vicksburg region are also introduced: loess hills and coastal bluffs. The Advanced Game rules cover situations specifically applicable to this unique campaign starting with an amphibious invasion, followed by sweeping cross-country movement ending in siege warfare.

Thunder On the Mississippi includes eleven Basic Game scenarios and one Advanced Game campaign, all extensively playtested:

• The Battle of Port Gibson (May 1, 1863, 1 turn)
• Invasion & Breakout (April 30 – May 4, 1863, 5 turns)
• Unite Your Troops (May 3 – 6, 1863, 4 turns)
• Yankee Blitzkrieg (May 10 – May 14, 1863, 5 turns) 
• Loring’s Memorandum (May 12-15, 1863, 4 turns)
• Grant Moves West (May 15 – 17, 1863, 3 turns)
• Champion Hill (May 16, 1863, 1 turn)
• I Move at Once (May 16 – 17, 2 turns)
• This Is Success (May 17 – 19, 1863, 3 turns):
• Army of Relief (June 9 - 11, 1863, 3 turns)
• Inflict All the Punishment You Can (July 6 – July 8, 1863, 3 turns)
• The Vicksburg Campaign 

Thunder On the Mississippi contains:

• GCACW Series Rules Booklet (24 pages, including illustrations, play examples, charts) 
• Thunder On the Mississippi Rules Booklet (about 56 pages, including scenarios, the Game as History, Gazetteer, etc.)
• Two 22"x 32" full-color map sheets
• Two 280-piece counter sheets and one 140-piece half counter sheet
• One Terrain Effects Chart
• Two full-color Force Displays 
• Two 4-page full-color Charts and Tables
• Two 6-sided Dice