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CWATS 3.0 — The American Civil War, Reimagined at the Tactical Level

The weekend of August 1, 2026 marks the debut of CWATS 3.0, a major evolution in Civil War tactical simulation within the ATS system. Four new Gettysburg modules—Peach Orchard, Barlow’s Knoll, Oak Hill, and an expanded Bliss Farm—arrive with a refined rules update that integrates seamlessly with ATS 2024 and future editions of the main rulebook. These expansion-only rules remove redundancy and focus entirely on the battlefield realities of the American Civil War, presented on large hexes perfectly suited to ATS-style 5/* infantry counters.

CWATS 3.0 introduces a new marker set and a new Infantry & Gun presentation that unlock the system’s full potential: a tactical-level Civil War simulation grounded in the look and feel of the period. Soldiers appear as overheads, each with a true covered arc, allowing enfilade fire, side and rear charges, and column movement to emerge naturally on the map. Nothing is abstracted or hidden. The field reveals itself as it did to the men who fought upon it, with every formation and every threat plainly visible.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Major Mark W. Johnson, U.S. Army, author of That Body of Brave Men: The U.S. Regular Infantry and the Civil War in the West, whose original Concept Paper and design work led to CWATS 1.0. Our aim is to honor Major Johnson and his scholarship through ceaseless efforts to augment, expand, and carry forward the only true tactical-level Civil War board wargame simulation—bringing it to more battlefields than ever before.

The New Gettysburg Modules

Peach Orchard

The swirling fight along the Emmitsburg Road comes alive through overhead infantry, exposed flanks, and the deadly geometry of Civil War artillery.

Barlow’s Knoll

XI Corps faces the full weight of Early’s attack across open ground, with CWATS 3.0’s new presentation making collapse, rally, and counter-movement unmistakably clear.

Oak Hill

The Confederate artillery platform that shaped Day 1 is rendered with authentic covered arcs and long-range fire lanes that behave exactly as they did historically.

Bliss Farm (Expanded)

Fence-to-fence fighting, skirmish screens, and sudden charges are shown with a clarity only overhead counters and large hexes can provide.

A New Visual Language for Civil War Combat

CWATS 3.0’s redesigned Infantry & Gun presentation is more than cosmetic—it is functional. Overhead soldiers with true covered arcs allow enfilade fire to be seen instantly, flank and rear charges to register visually, column movement to appear naturally, regimental formations to be understood at a glance, and Civil War artillery behavior to emerge organically. Large hexes give ATS-style 5/* infantry counters room to breathe, maneuver, and display the era’s tactical nuance without clutter or abstraction.

Expansion-Only Rules: Clean, Focused, Seamless

CWATS 3.0 avoids redundancy by presenting only the rules needed for Civil War combat:

• Infantry formations and cohesion
• Skirmishers and screens
• Column, line, and mass movement
• Period artillery, including covered arcs and X# reliability
• Morale collapse, rally, and regimental behavior
• Cavalry dismount and battlefield role
• Terrain effects specific to 1861–1865 battlefields

Everything else remains in ATS 2024. CWATS 3.0 simply plugs in.

Honoring the Origins, Expanding the Future

CWATS 1.0 began with Major Mark W. Johnson’s Concept Paper—a work of clarity, scholarship, and tactical insight. CWATS 3.0 stands on that foundation, expanding the system to new battlefields and new levels of visual and mechanical fidelity. The goal is clear: to bring the only true tactical-level Civil War board wargame simulation to more players, more tables, and more battles than ever before.