1914: Germany at War

About this board game

1914: Germany at War is a strategic World War I conflict simulation for 2–3 players, with an approximately 200-minute playing time. Set during the opening year of the war, it focuses on the decisive battles fought by Germany on the Western Front in 1914.

Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia and then declared war when it was rejected. France and Russia immediately sided with Serbia, while Germany joined Austria-Hungary and launched a surprise offensive in the west, seeking to defeat France quickly before turning east against Tsarist Russia.

Players command two opposing factions and can alter the course of the conflict rather than simply replaying history. The game uses a system of wooden blocks and cubes on a 64 × 86 cm multicolor mapboard, with more than 200 wooden components painted using the “A buratto” technique.

• Each turn represents one month.
• One centimetre on the map is approximately 27 kilometres.
• A full-strength counter represents a major military formation, normally corps-sized with some divisions.
• Fog of war is mandatory, with wooden block faces hidden from the opponent.

The rules are divided into two sections, allowing players to learn the essentials before adding further detail. The basic Game Rules introduce the core concepts, while Optional Rules add features such as Surprise Attack, Retreat, the Marne Offensive, and British Fusiliers.

With good solitaire suitability as well as multiplayer play, 1914: Germany at War offers a structured way to explore the opening campaigns of World War I while leaving room for a different historical outcome.