In the September 1981 edition of Dragon (Issue 53), Bill Fawcett lauded the innovative movement system that eschewed the traditional hex-grid. He also admired the combat system, which he found "moves quickly, and reality is enhanced by the addition of modifiers for such factors as entrenchments and river crossings." However, he was not impressed by the South's victory condition of simply capturing Washington, pointing out "This can mean victory to the South when it is losing on all other fronts, and it encourages a last-minute lunge at the Union capital." However, Fawcett concluded on an upbeat note, saying, "A House Divided is fast moving, especially for a strategic-level simulation. All the necessary elements are accounted for in only four pages of rules, and even a game lasting the 40-turn maximum takes less than a full evening of gaming. Though there is less 'color' than in a tactical game, A House Divided does an excellent job of recreating the problems and decisions that the top commanders of both sides constantly faced."
