Battle Bitz : Battle of the Bulge

Battle Bitz: Battle of the Bulge

Battle Bitz: Battle of the Bulge (2025) is a turn-based wargame created for the Pico-8 fantasy console. It simulates Nazi Germany's last major offensive on the western front during World War II - the desperate push through the Ardennes forest in December 1944 that created a "bulge" in the Allied lines.

The game emphasizes strategic depth through simple mechanics: maintain supply lines, control territory, and manage limited resources. Each decision matters, from positioning infantry and armor units to timing your offensives. The game's deterministic combat system ensures that victory comes through superior strategy rather than chance.

Built for the Pico-8 fantasy console, Battle Bitz embraces the platform's limitations to create a focused, engaging experience where every move has purpose. The minimalist visual style emphasizes gameplay clarity, letting players focus on the strategic elements that made the Battle of the Bulge a pivotal moment in military history.

Historical Context

The Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 - January 1945) was Nazi Germany's last major offensive on the western front. Key locations include:

• Bastogne: Famous for the 101st Airborne's stand and "NUTS!" reply
• St. Vith: Crucial crossroads town that delayed German advance
• Dinant: Strategic Meuse River crossing objective

Game Screen Layout

Main Display Features:

• Allied squares in blue
• German squares in grey
• Unsupplied areas in darker shades
• Infantry and armor unit sprites
• Cities appear as buildings
• Gold highlight for victory objective

Bottom Area Shows:

• Unit queue showing available forces
• Action points remaining

Turn Structure

During your turn you can:

• Place units from your queue
• Pick up existing units
• Attack enemy territory
• Attackable squares shown in red

Action Points (AP):

• Each move costs AP
• Receive fresh AP each turn
• When out of AP, turn ends
• Unused points are lost

Army Management

Allied Forces (per turn):

• 1 Armor unit
• 2 Infantry units
• Starts at 6 AP, grows to 12

German Forces (per turn):

• 1 Panzer unit
• 1 Wehrmacht unit
• Starts at 15 AP, drops to 8

Unit Operations

Unit Placement:

• Costs 1 resource
• Only on your territory
• Not allowed on cities

Unit Pickup:

• Costs 1 resource
• Returns unit to reserves
• Useful for repositioning

Combat System

Attack Requirements:

• Must attack adjacent enemy
• Attack value must exceed defense
• Must have unit in queue
• Must have sufficient AP

Combat Details:

• Adjacent friendly units provide support
• Unsupplied units defend at half strength
• Cities provide defensive bonuses

Territory Control & Supply Lines

Territory Basics:

• Territory extends from cities
• Unsupplied areas appear darker
• Unsupplied regions can flip to enemy

Supply Rules:

• Territory must connect to cities
• Cut-off areas become unsupplied
• Unsupplied areas are vulnerable
• One turn to reconnect supply
• Enemy can claim unsupplied land

Strategy Tips:

• Protect your supply lines
• Watch for weak supply paths
• Avoid spreading too thin
• Plan route to victory square
• Protect your own cities
• Consider turn limit in plans

Victory Conditions

Win by:

• Capturing all enemy cities
• Controlling victory square after last turn
• Enemy surrender

Controls

• Arrow Keys/Mouse: Move cursor
• O/C Key or Click: Perform action
• X Key: End turn
• P Key: Pause menu
• ESC: Return to title

AI Opponents

Four AI difficulty levels:

• Easy: Expands aggressively with minimal strategy
• Medium: Balances expansion and defense
• Hard: Uses tactical positioning and efficient attacks
• Erratic: Makes unpredictable choices that can surprise

Technical Details

• Platform: Pico-8 fantasy console
• Resolution: 128x128 pixels
• Controls: 2 action buttons + directional input
• Save support: No
• Multiplayer: Local 2-player

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Battle Bitz: The Battle of the Bulge © 2025 Pixarra Inc. All rights reserved.
Pico-8 is a trademark of Lexaloffle Games LLP.

This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied warranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages arising from the use of this software.

For additional support or information, visit:
https://pixarra.com