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. The map in the original game included all of the villages in the Ardennes. The new map now includes not only those villages but also all the hamlets and castles. A study of the 1940 census has resulted in some towns being downgraded to villages and some village upgraded to towns. The contour lines in the original game are now gone and severe terrain has been added based on detailed evaluation using Google Earth. The map has been expanded to include more area in both the north and south. There are three maps with one smaller one devoted to the Battle Before the Meuse scenario The Game Booklet includes scenarios, Designer s Notes, Game Variants, Examples of Play and the Game as History. Also included is a Historical Background Booklet with Historical Analysis and Summary, Detailed Orders of Battle, Evaluation of Combat Strengths in the Ardennes and Design Bibliography. With more detailed historical background than any game to ever see print, TLG will also be a great reference tool. More than just a reworking of the original game, this version is really a brand new game that has seen constant work for nearly five years by a dedicated team. The research on every aspect of the game has been truly monumental. Of course there never will be a 'last word' in Bulge games, the subject is far too popular. But this game pushes the envelope far forward. The Last Gamble: The Ardennes Offensive, December 1944 – Designer Signature Edition, marks the return of a true wargaming classic by Danny S. Parker. First published in 1989, it has been faithfully remastered and updated with this all-new, super-sized edition. The CSR award-winning designer is well regarded as an author and expert on the Battle of the Bulge, having designed no less than six games on the subject. The original release showed great promise with an excellent order of battle but contained considerable errata that limited game enjoyment. These shortcomings are now fully addressed in this new and improved edition that promises to realize the full potential of this two-to-five player, operational level simulation covering the Battle of the Bulge in a highly detailed yet imminently playable format. This edition of The Last Gamble features super-sized map and counters and is another classic reborn by Compass. The Last Gamble covers the last major German offensive on the Western Front during World War II, which took place in the Ardennes during the winter of 1944. The objective of Hitler s last desperate gamble to win the war, code-named Wacht am Rhein, was Antwerp. This Belgian coastal city was the largest port in Europe and Eisenhower planned on using it to supply his final offensive into Germany. Hitler was certainly correct in judging that its capture would be a devastating blow to the Al

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