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

The Last Gamble, Designer Signature Edition is Danny Parker’s final effort to create a memorable game on the Battle of the Bulge. The scale is conventional: 2 miles per hex, battalions and regimental units; two turns per day. However, the game has many innovations never before seen. Day and night turns differ dramatically both with respect to movement and the likelihood of decisive combat. All units are rated for Morale which can often be more important than combat strength. Forced marches and fluid zones of control at night are a major German offensive weapon while the Allied air effort influences German movement. The game has many previously unseen influences: V-1 weapons attacks, weather impacts on combat (and even zones of control) and bridge discovery.

As you would expect from a Danny Parker game the Order of Battle for both sides has been exhaustively researched (evaluated in a detailed numerical fashion) and several new units and many changes to others. Besides the new morale rules, armor superiority from the original has been retained although combined arms is enhanced and artillery influences are significantly changed. There are many changes to movement based on weather conditions.