Ardennes II

About this board game

Ardennes II is a 1–2 player Standard Combat Series wargame covering the German Wacht am Rhein offensive and the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.

Set across the Ardennes Forest, the game follows Germany’s attempt to revive its offensive forces against US units recovering from the dash across France. The full campaign covers 16 turns, representing one day each from 16 December through 31 December 1944, with a scale of one mile per hex and units usually representing reinforced battalions or smaller formations.

This edition reissues the award-winning Ardennes with additional map and order-of-battle research from Last Blitzkrieg. It also highlights the distinct artillery capabilities of both sides, corrects the original supply system, and allows units to withdraw before an enemy attack.

Ardennes II emphasizes the determined US defenses, timely bridge demolitions, powerful artillery, and German armored formations that defined the campaign. Its clean Sequence of Play, straightforward unit interactions, and direct victory determination make it suitable both for experienced players and for those learning or teaching wargaming.

Six scenarios offer different ways to explore the offensive:

• Ardennes Campaign: two maps and 16 turns
• Breakthrough Campaign: one map and 6 turns
• KG Peiper: part of one map and 5 turns
• The Goose Egg: part of one map and 5 turns
• Bastogne: Screaming Eagles Under Siege: parts of two maps and 8 turns
• Tip of the Spear: one map and 4 turns

With its focused rules and compact scenarios, Ardennes II presents a detailed yet approachable study of the Ardennes offensive.