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The Battle of the Bulge
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Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944
1976
Rules assistance for Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944 is a board game released in 1976 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Larry Pinsky, Redmond Aksel Simonsen, and Kip Allen and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
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About the game
"The Siege of Bastogne is a battalion level simulation of the battles that took place in December 1944 near the town of Bastogne in southern Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge (the German Ardennes Offensive). The battle was divided into two distinct phases, and a scenario is provided that covers each phase as a self-contained game. Also included is a Campaign Game that allows the Players to refight the series of engagements as a single, continuous game. The first Scenario, "Spearhead", involves the period from December 18-21, 1944. It presents the phase of the battle when the spearhead of the German 5th Panzer Army first approached the vital road and communication center at Bastogne. The second Scenario, "the Relief of Bastogne", depicts the situation from December 21-26, the period of Patton's drive up from the south to relieve the siege of Bastogne and open a supply line to the defenders. Each Game-Turn represents one-half day of actual time, and the scale of the map is approximately 850 meters per hex." (from the Bastogne rules folder.) Bastogne is one of four games included in the Westwall: Four Battles to Germany set. The game includes a 17" x 22" three-color map, 100 counters and and Exclusive rules folder. A Standard rules folder, containing rules common to all four games included in the Westwall: Four Battles to Germany Quadrigame is also included. Game mechanics are a simple movement-combat system with hard zones of control that promote "surround and destroy" tactics.
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
Questions and answers
Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944 supports 2 players 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 Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944 is 120 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 Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944 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.
Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944 has a complexity rating of 2.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light 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.
Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944 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 Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944 are: Larry Pinsky, Redmond Aksel Simonsen, and Kip Allen. 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 Bastogne: The Desperate Defense, December 1944 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.