Rifles in the Ardennes

About this board game

Rifles in the Ardennes is a single-player World War II game for one player, with sessions lasting about 120 minutes. It recreates the tense action of the Ardennes through small combat engagements involving five to ten units per side.

Instead of using a literal battlefield map, the game presents a stylized track that allows extensive customization of the battlefield. Its simple solitaire system uses blind chit draws, die rolls, and carefully designed charts to create an artificial intelligence system with a genuine sense of fog of war.

The rules are broad enough to support different periods and genres, including the World Wars, Classical Battles, Science Fiction, and Fantasy. The included units and scenarios, however, focus on the European theatre of World War II from 1942 to 1944, with American, German, and Russian forces represented.

With low complexity and extremely high solitaire suitability, Rifles in the Ardennes is designed for fast-paced combat in a compact package. Eight missions provide a selection of scenarios for recreating tense engagements, while the track-based battlefield supports a flexible presentation of the action.

• 43 unit counters and 42 operational markers
• One simplified map card and three army sheets
• Eight missions
• One full-color rulebook and one combat-ready ziploc bag

Designed and illustrated by Gottardo Zancani, the game combines accessible rules with uncertain battlefield outcomes. Its compact component set and focused solitaire format make it a dedicated choice for players seeking World War II combat action without a multiplayer opponent.