Simple, easy to learn and fun but also frustrating because of the challenging AI. Battle of the Bulge is a simplistic turn-based wargame with only 3 different unit types (infantry, armored cav and tanks), only a few scenarios but an AI that actually proves to be very challenging no matter what general (different scripting and difficulty) you choose to fight against. Let's just say that it is literally waiting for you to make mistakes and will not hesitate to capitalize upon it. The game itself is easy to pick up (I understood most of the concepts after playing the first scenario a couple of times) and the fast paced nature of the game means that you won't have to play each mission for too long, so the gameplay is rather addicting in that regard. My favorite part of the game is probably the amount of meticulous research and data that has been provided in the "Reports" that you get at the end of every day and also the "History" menu which is pretty much just a nice bit of background for those interested in the battle itself.
Gameplay Footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMhINrufQtE
My one complaint with the game is the rather limited number of scenarios and unit types. Then again, this wasn't meant to be a difficult or long drawn out wargame which is actually one of it's charms. If there is a sequel, I'd definitely like to see this format again. All in all, for only 9.99, this will prove to be a valuable purchase.

I am a huge fan of this series on iPad. I've probably logged 100+ hours with each one of them. But every time I would play on that small screen, I wished that I could be playing on my giant PC screen. Well today my wish came true!

Played through the game once as the Germans, and the graphics and gameplay look terrific. I encountered no bugs, and the AI looked solid.

If you like beer and pretzels wargaming or any flavor of historical strategy game, then you will very likely enjoy this game. It's easy to pick up and play, but challenging to master. You can't just push panzers. You have to really think through what you are trying to accomplish, time the movement of your groups to ensure that you don't leave anyone exposed or able to be cut off. Support your attacks before you make them or drive forward and slice into the enemy's line...that is the question.

I supported the original Kickstarter and played a TON of this and the excellent sequels 'Drive on Moscow' and 'Alamein'. The new version with cross platform PBEM support is so good I didn't mind a bit paying to buy the game again on a second platform. Simply put, this is a serious wargame boiled down to what is vital with the fluff removed or abstracted into the system. You are faced with the crucial decisions of the campaign but have none of the tedious bits to worry about.

If you are a veteran wargamer don't be put off by the apparent simplicity, all the meat is there. If you are a PC gamer looking to experience real conflict simulation without spending your life reading rulebooks trying to climb the learning curve jump right in. You won't find a better value, a better game, or a better community of multiplayer opponents anywhere.

Excellent board game style turn based strategy. Lots of ways to play and win. Plenty of game modes and a massive variety of win conditions plus regular tournaments on the Slitherine home page. PVP and PBEM++ makes it incredibly durable playing quick games with friends or across time zones.

Highly Recommended.

9\10

https://store.steampowered.com/curator/29446660-Priority-One-Gaming/

Very good game. What I like is the simplicity. You can play this game immediately and have a good game with the AI wrapped up in 30-60 minutes. The real enjoyment is verus other players and PBM. It is a cross of chess and a traditional board wargame. The game is well balanced and both sides will be on offense and defense for roughly half the game. You do need to know the nuances of the rules but they are not overly complex. I hate when I play games that are about say Operation Barbarosa and you have to get down to the detail of how many tires need to be ordered for your motorized units...if you take my meaning. This game does not have that detail. Your big issues will be guessing the enemy's next move, concentrating your forces for offensive action and sometimes trying to withdraw from sticky situations. Offense and defense both take skill and preplanning. This is because once your forces are committed and engaged it gets hard to unengage and redirect. I feel this is historically accurate.

My only mild dislike is the combat system which often produces insane results on the extremes. A small single point unit holds off an entire Panzer Corps or Armored Corps. While smaller units can delay they could never stop such an attack especially for a day or two. However, the luck tends to average out and it is not usually completely determinative. Things absolutely will go wrong or against you at times but I feel that is accurate, too within a certain range. Combat never ever goes like your initial plan, at least not for long.

I give this game a top rating as for me it is the best kind of game to play. Virtually 100% of your time is spent on moving and playing and not game management. You will stare at the map considering your next move carefully as the sequence of your moves is as important as the tactical plan itself, much like chess.

well, i m still only into the second day of the campaign but so far i d say this game is excellent.
clear tutorial, simple but good game mechanics, clear interface, nice graphics, fun and thought provoking gameplay.

i particularly like the fact that you can only move units from one region only per turn. means you have to think very carefully about your priorities.

also, the full campaign has an option for initial random distribution of units thus adding to replay value.

its early days but so far i d give this game full marks.

NOTE: I DID PAY FOR THIS GAME.

I have no idea how many times the Battle of the Bulge has been recreated by boardgames and videogames, but I think it’s safe to say there are at least 40 different options out there.
This one is a new take on it, it has very little in common with the terms simulation or even wargame and is closer to a glorified game of chess with the added luck factor.

There are only three kinds of units (tanks, infantry and mechanized infantry).
Supply is pretty basic: you need to trace a line to the starting borders.
Air and artillery are somehow simulated off-map.
Each turn you get to activate all the units present in a single area, then those units are done for the day, each day is made up of a variable (pretty much random) number of turns.
The so-called (two) scenarios are actually just a portion of the entire battle, and the campaign, well that’s the whole battle.

PROS:
+ Extremely easy to learn, excellent tutorial
+ Playing it with a friend is fun (once or twice)
+ It is a fresh new approach

CONS:
- Some weird AI choices makes it too easy
- Playing (and winning) all the scenarios and the campaign, both as the Allies and Germany take 4 hours, which really amounts to next to nothing, making it good for multiplayer only
- Being able to activate just one “area” at a time, prevents any tactical maneuvering, which was the key point of the battle
- If there are units of both sides in the same area, unless you activate them, they just sit there and do nothing (even for a whole week)

OVERALL: 5/10

Recommended as an enjoyable strategy game, that retains the strategic and historical depth of much more expensive wargames, while being very approachable and fun to play. Given the quality and the price, I would rate this a must buy for wargamers, history buffs or anyone who enjoys a fun and challenging diversion that might actually teach you a little something into the bargain :)

A great intro-level wargame capturing the events of one of the shortest and most daring offensives of WWII, with side disbalance capturing the tactical and situational differences between German and American forces. Very good replayability, innovative turn system, simple, accessible mechanics and sleek interface. It's fast-paced, it's fun, and it is a great study of how each side of the battlefield had to cope with completely different problems.

Unfortunately, not without downsides. The AI is deffinitely not great, the afformentioned turn system makes PBEM last for days (and so the fast pace of the game quickly disappears), if not weeks, and large chunks of in-game documentation are plagued by historical corectness and/or are ported straight from the iOS with disregard to the change of platform.

Despite the afformentioned problems I strongly recommend buying this title, especially if you are new to the genre or crave for a more-than-usual casual experience.

First time I've seen infantry being able to overrun armour across open terrain, in a wargame claiming to be historically correct.

That aside, there are a lot of things done right, but in the end it's not something to write home about if compared to boardgames like Ardennes '44, The Last Blitzkrieg or even Enemy Action: Ardennes and FAB The Bulge, of which Battle of the Bulge borrows heavily from.

If you're into something easy and amusing for an evening or two, you can do worse and from that perspective it gets a thumbs up.

Note: Thumbs up.

But if you're a grognard used to pushing real life counterstacks around you're going to be disappointed by the hype and the rave reviews by a starved audience.

It's not a bad game. It's an okay game made to look amazing by the horribly poor competition of other PC wargames.

That's why I give it a thumbs down.