Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15

About this board game

Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 is a tactical company-level wargame for 1–2 players, with an approximately 120-minute playing time. It focuses on the brief, mobile phase at the beginning of the First World War, before paralyzing trench lines had been dug and consolidated.

Rather than presenting the later, entrenched character of the conflict, the game explores an earlier period of warfare defined by movement before fixed trench systems dominated the battlefield. Its subject gives players a focused look at the opening phase of World War I through a company-level tactical perspective.

Released in 1972, Soldiers benefited from an unusually extended development period. According to designer Isby’s account, the design was suggested by Dunnigan roughly two years before publication, allowing time for research, design, and testing beyond the usual SPI schedule.

That preparation included trials of 40 proposed scenarios before the final set was selected. The result is described as a polished game that continues to hold up, making it a notable treatment of early-war tactical combat.

• Players: 1–2
• Playing time: approximately 120 minutes
• Focus: company-level combat during the mobile opening of the First World War
• Release year: 1972

The original rules credit both Isby and Glynn, while the errata identifies Isby as the designer and Glynn as the developer. This distinction reflects the game’s documented development history and the substantial testing behind its scenario selection.

Soldiers also influenced later design work: the more recent First Blood, Second Marne by Ty Bomba draws heavily on it. For players interested in historical wargames and the early, mobile phase of World War I, Soldiers offers a concise and carefully developed tactical experience.