- BGG rating
- 7.7
Ambush!: Move Out!
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1984
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,423
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Ambush!
1983
Rules assistance for Ambush!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1 player
- 180–240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.3/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Ambush!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ambush! is a board game released in 1983 for 1 player, 180–240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John H. Butterfield and Eric Lee Smith and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Ambush!: Purple Heart
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1985
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Traffic Control
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 1985
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Ambush!: Silver Star
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1987
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Block Party
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 1987
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Fallschirmjager
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1987
- BGG rating
- 8.9
Follow Me!: Mission #1 – Viva La Resistance
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2006
- BGG rating
- 8.9
Follow Me!: Mission #2 – Verletzer Tieger
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2006
- BGG rating
- 8.7
Follow Me!: Mission #3 – Toll Bridge
- 1 player
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2007
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About the game
from the back of the box: Ambush! is the solitaire wargame of combat, adventure, and heroism in World War Two France. Using a ground-breaking development of the programmed paragraph solitaire system, Ambush! gives the player control of an American squad, faced with a variety of missions against an ever-changing, hidden German foe. The variable events, innumerable tactical options, and wealth of unexpected occurrences make Ambush! a solitaire gaming experience unlike any that has gone before. The easily learned rules are specially designed to get the player into the action within minutes. The player selects and arms his squad, providing each soldier with command and initiative ratings, perception, weapons skill, driving skill, and movement capability. After selecting one of the eight missions provided, the player sends his squad into a mission map to conduct operations called for in the mission. Soldiers move freely, as far as the player wishes, checking for events each time they move...until the sequenced action rounds are triggered by the whine of German bullets!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Hobby Japan
- Victory Games (I)
Questions and answers
Ambush! supports 1 player according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Ambush! is 180–240 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Ambush! for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Ambush! has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Ambush! belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Ambush! are: John H. Butterfield and Eric Lee Smith. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Ambush! as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.