Kesselschlacht Studios presents
Herbstnebel
The Battle for the West Wall, 1944–45. Command the German offensive into the Ardennes or the American and British defence, battalion by battalion, from the first barrage on 16 December to the last German withdrawal in January.
- Scale
- 1 mileper hex, flat-top grid
- Units
- Battalionsplus independent companies
- Turn length
- 1, 3 or 6 hourschosen by the player
- Map
- The ArdennesAachen, the West Wall and the Meuse
- Period
- 16 Dec – 31 Jan1944–45
- Forces
- German & Alliedhistorical orders of battle
What makes it different
The war on the roads
The Ardennes was won and lost at crossroads. Herbstnebel is built around the things that decided it.
Movement in minutes
Choose 1-, 3- or 6-hour turns to suit your preferred pace of play. Movement is measured in minutes, with roads, terrain, traffic and visibility affecting how quickly a unit reaches its destination.
Fuel, supply and traffic
Fuel runs out, supply lines get cut, and roads jam when two divisions use them at once. The Germans have to plan their drive to the Meuse around the fuel they have.
Encirclement that counts
Encirclement threatens supply and freedom of movement. Closing a pocket and keeping it closed are separate operational challenges.
Command and reserves
Headquarters and reserves are central to the design: how far a commander can influence events, and which formations remain available when the situation changes.
Fog of war
You see what your units can see. Enemy units are contacts until identified, and old reports go stale.
An opponent that plays fair
The design aims for a computer opponent constrained by the same operational problems as the player, including incomplete information, supply and command.
Scenarios
From one crossroads to the whole offensive
- Bastogne
The siege, 19–26 December. Hold the town with the 101st Airborne and Combat Command B, or take it before the 4th Armored breaks through.
Planned scenario - St. Vith
The battle for St. Vith and the Schnee Eifel. Explore the defence of the road network and the arrival of Allied reinforcements.
Planned scenario - Patton's Relief Drive
22–26 December. Third Army turns north through the 5th Parachute Division to reach Bastogne.
Planned scenario - Wacht am Rhein
The full campaign, 16 December to 31 January, with the historical schedule of reinforcements and transfers.
Planned scenario - The Small Solution
A proposed alternative offensive around Aachen, exploring a more limited operational objective.
Campaign
Scenario lineup and dates are provisional while development continues.
Closer to the record
Battalion by battalion
Inspect the counters and terrain in the development build. Select a screenshot for a larger view.
In action
Gameplay video
Gameplay footage will be added as development progresses. For now, explore the winter terrain and battalion counters in the development screenshots.
Gameplay footage
Video coming soon
Built from the sources
Researched, graded, cited
German order of battle from Trevor Dupuy's Ardennes Campaign Simulation Data Base, Hans Jung and George Nafziger, with every battalion's strength and its source.
American positions day by day from US Army records and the Twelfth Army Group situation maps.
Hugh M. Cole's The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge for the course of the fighting, checked against the German side.
Dispatches
Be there on day one
Follow the development of Herbstnebel, from new screenshots to future gameplay footage.
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HERBSTNEBEL is in development. A release date has not been announced.