Lanzerath Ridge

Lanzerath Ridge is a solitaire wargame that takes places on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, during the Second World War.

The Battle of Lanzerath Ridge was fought on December 16, 1944, the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, near the village of Lanzerath, Belgium, along a key route for the German advance. The American defenders consisted of 18 men from the 394th Infantry Regiment’s intelligence and against a German battalion of about 500 paratroopers and another 50 German soldiers from a fusillier regiment. During a day-long confrontation, the Americans inflicted dozens of casualties ont he Germans and delayed the advance of the entire 1st SS Panzer Division, the spearhead of the German 6th Panzer Army.

In the game, you take control of a small group of American soldiers. Under your command, the Americans must fend off the relentless attacks from German paratroopers and fusiliers. Your goal is to recreate the incredible historic accomplishment of the American soldiers by defending the town of Lanzerath, Belgium and delaying the advance of an entire SS Panzer Division.

Lanzerath Ridge is the next design in the Valiant Defense series, following the critically acclaimed Pavlov's House, Castle Itter, and Soldiers in Postmen's Uniforms. The Valiant Defense series allows you to play amazing stories of courage, with small forces holding the line against unimaginable odds. Games in the series focus on the individual defenders and are deeply rooted in history, while providing a quick play experience with a light complexity rule set.

Lanzerath Ridge is divided into four attack periods, each of which is represented by a deck of enemy cards. Each attack period is divided into a number of turns, and each turn consists of two phases:

The game ends immediately if the defenders’ morale drops to 0 or if a German attacker takes over an American defensive position. Otherwise, the game ends after the last attack. Your level of success is based on the Americans’ morale, intelligence gained during the defense, and any objectives you accomplish.