Patton’s Vanguard: The Battle of Arracourt, 1944

About this board game

Patton’s Vanguard: The Battle of Arracourt, 1944 is a two-player area-movement game that recreates the German counterattacks in Lorraine, France, with a playing time of about 240 minutes.

Set in September 1944, the game portrays the largest clash of armor on the Western Front until the Battle of the Bulge. Combat Command A of the American 4th Armored Division faces German efforts to drive the Americans away from the German border as deteriorating weather limits Allied air reconnaissance.

Two quick-playing scenarios each cover four game turns, with one turn representing a day. The first scenario, from September 19–22, pits two inexperienced German panzer brigades against the confident, veteran American Combat Command A. Germany has more armor, including the superior Panther tank, while the Americans benefit from more artillery and better tactics and leadership.

The second scenario, covering September 25–28, features the experienced German 11th Panzer Division against Combat Command A and the newly arrived Combat Command B. Restricted fuel supplies hamper the American side, creating a different tactical challenge.

In both scenarios, players must decide whether to attack immediately or spend valuable time maneuvering while the weather changes. Poor weather generally favors the Germans, but American artillery, tactics, and leadership offer important advantages. The result is a fast, furious, and chess-like contest of concentrated armored action.

• Game scale: one turn equals one day; one inch equals 0.75 mile
• Units represent companies
• Includes a 22 × 17-inch full-color map and 176 die-cut counters
• Medium complexity with medium solitaire playability

Patton’s Vanguard delivers two focused historical scenarios for players interested in armor, maneuver, weather, and difficult battlefield decisions.