Ranger

About this board game

Ranger is a one-player tactical role-playing simulation of a Ranger patrol on a combat mission, designed for approximately 60 minutes of play. Released in 1984, it places you in the role of the patrol leader, making the decisions that shape the patrol’s progress and survival.

The game focuses on the choices and uncertainty faced during patrolling. You can plan for contingencies and prepare to respond, but you cannot control the environment. Chance is a deliberate part of the design: even an experienced player who makes the correct decisions may occasionally be destroyed, reflecting the danger of combat while operating forward of friendly lines.

Ranger was created to offer a realistic simulation of Ranger operations while remaining playable. Its system aims to avoid excessive administrative bookkeeping and rules memorization, presenting tactical situations from the patrol leader’s perspective rather than relying on standard wargame conventions. The patrol’s actions are central, making the subject particularly suited to solitaire play.

The game includes materials for tracking a mission, resolving combat, and supporting tactical decisions:

• Rules of Play, Patrolling Tactics, and Tactical Events booklets
• Laminated game map and Patrol Record Log
• Plastic Tactical Template, Combat Results Card, and Tactical Reference Card
• Extended Patrolling Card and 18 Mission Cards
• Two six-sided dice, a Glossary folder, and China marker pencil

With its emphasis on preparation, alertness, tactical judgment, and unpredictable danger, Ranger offers a focused solo experience built around the responsibilities of leading a patrol.