The Last Gamble: The Ardennes Offensive, December 1944 – Designer Signature Edition

About this board game

The Last Gamble: The Ardennes Offensive, December 1944 – Designer Signature Edition is a detailed operational wargame for 1–4 players, with play time listed at up to 4,800 minutes. It recreates Germany’s final major offensive on the Western Front, using regimental and battalion units across the Ardennes.

Each hex represents 2 miles, while turns distinguish between 8-hour days and 16-hour nights. Day and night play differ substantially: movement, combat, zones of control, forced marches, and nighttime infiltration all shape the German offensive. Morale is rated for every unit and can be as important as combat strength when determining combat results and staying power.

The game features a thoroughly researched order of battle, including detailed Allied and German formations, historically evaluated unit strengths, artillery effects, armor superiority, combined arms, air units, and weather-sensitive movement and combat. Bridge status and carrying capacity introduce uncertainty around river crossings, while Allied air activity can influence German movement.

• Four major full-map scenarios, including the historical campaign and a December 10 “What-If?” offensive
• A shorter “Battle Before the Meuse” scenario designed for an exciting conclusion in 4 hours or less
• Three map sheets, 5/8-inch counters, 524 ground units, 49 air units, and 480 markers
• Twenty-one player aid cards and researched order-of-appearance and setup cards
• Optional rules covering road space, commandos, fuel dumps, reinforcements, and enhanced capabilities

This Designer Signature Edition expands and remasters the 1989 classic with revised rules, new scenarios, enlarged components, expanded maps, and extensive historical documentation. The Last Gamble combines a challenging campaign with a substantial reference treatment of the Battle of the Bulge.