Special: Battle of the Bulge

Pilots,

The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive that happened between 16 December 1944 and 25 January 1945 in the Ardennes region. This massive military operation was aimed at destroying four major Allied armies in order to force the Western Allies into a peace treaty with the Axis forces. To this day, it remains the largest and most violent battle that was ever fought by the United States military during World War II. Today we want to tell you the story of this significant event, so that you can understand its background as you enjoy generous discounts and boosts during our dedicated history special. 

 In-Game Offers

Double Crew XP

Never underestimate the value of an experienced soldier!

30% discount on the following planes:

				North American P-51A Mustang
				Supermarine Spitfire V
				North American P-51D Mustang
				Supermarine Spitfire IX

The first line of defence during the battle were U.S. and British planes. Have a discount on both this weekend!

10% discount on the following planes:

				North American P-51H Mustang
				Supermarine Spitfire XIV
				Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe

Awaken the history nerd in you by flying some of the planes that participated in the battle!

Special Mission

Are you hungry for even more rewards? Finish our three dedicated missions and secure additional consumables that will come in handy during your future sorties!

History Flashback

On 16 December 1944 the German army surprised the Allies by attacking in the Ardennes Mountains of Belgium, France and Luxembourg, in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. They mounted a massive strike force of more than 200,000 men, 340 tanks and more than 2,400 aircraft – assembled previously for weeks under the cover of night in extreme secrecy.

The goal of this operation was to inflict massive damage to the enemy in order to force the Allies into negotiating a peace treaty under favourable conditions for Axis. The plan was to split, encircle and then defeat four Allied armies, as well as recapture the strategically important Antwerp harbour.

Aided by the surprise element and favourable weather conditions (heavy snowfall and extremely low temperatures), Hitler’s plan seemed to work out in the beginning, rattling the opponent and creating chaos amidst their lines. During the first German advances in December, Allied command broke down in numerous places. Communication, supplies and morale dropped to an all-time low.

As the weather improved, however, the Allies slowly regained their ground, resupplying their forces by way of a resurging Air Force. Eventually the German offensive simply ran out of fuel, ammunition, vehicles and manpower. On 25 January 1945 the Allies finally achieved victory – but at a high cost. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 soldiers are said to have fallen victim on both the Allied and Axis side, along with thousands of captured soldiers and hundreds of planes and tanks that were destroyed in the process. The Battle of the Bulge remains the largest battle that the U.S forces were involved in during WWII, with more than 610,000 soldiers over two months participating in the engagement. 

The result of heavy Allied anti-aircraft fire over Belgium: a shot-down Bf 109.

Did you know?

The name of the operation differed from country to country. While the Germans referred to it as Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein (Operation Watch on the Rhine), the French called it the Bataille des Ardennes (Battle at the Ardennes). The Allies named it, for understandable reasons, the Ardennes Counteroffensive. The name ‘Battle of the Bulge’ was coined much later during modern wartime reporting and describes how the Allied front line ‘bulged’ inward during the first, fast-paced German advances.

Learn from the past to improve your odds on the battlefield, pilots!