Steve and Dana’s Update #1, October 15, 2025

This map shows the German 1944-45 winter offensive plan codenamed Wacht am Rhein – Watch (Guard) on the Rhine. The German divisions assembling in early December to launch the attack were concealed through strict radio silence, bad weather that prevented Allied aviation from flying and searching for German units, and a prohibition on patrolling by these German divisions so the Americans would not capture prisoners that could alert them to these reinforcements.

Hitler assured his generals that the Americans were the weak partner in the Allied coalition against Germany and the six U.S. Army divisions in that part of the front would collapse from the surprise attack. The German armored and motorized columns in the Sixth Panzer Army’s 20-mile wide section of the front would drive 100 miles and capture the major seaport of Antwerp before the Americans and British could respond effectively.

This was an unrealistic plan that had little chance of success. The area that the German 10-day onslaught captured is shown by the orange outline. Steve’s original OPB displayed the territory of the battle from the December 16 front line to the Meuse River and the city of Liege. Simply reaching this river would have been a major accomplishment. This river line is the German victory goal of OPB and OPB2. See the original game map (below) next to the new map art that needs a hex pattern based on the revised turn/unit scale for OPB2 – the playtest map will be posted soon.

Good flying weather that began on December 23 plus the relief of the besieged U.S. forces at Bastogne on December 26 ended the German offensive. The Battle of the Bulge would continue until January 25 as massive American reinforcements slowly pushed the German divisions back to their starting line.

A third of all the U.S. Army divisions raised during World War Two – 31 divisions – saw action in this battle. The Sixth Panzer Army used four veteran Waffen-SS panzer (tank) divisions to attempt the breakthrough to Antwerp. These fanatical Nazi units had been mauled by the U.S. Army, Canadians, and British forces during the Normandy campaign and retreat to Germany. By December 1944 these four divisions were rebuilt with replacement tanks, weapons, and equipment, but many of their most experienced soldiers were eliminated. (Note the young German tanker in the custom-made art created for the illustrated historical guidebook.)

More backstory to come.15