The Western Front: 1914 to 1918

About this board game

The Western Front: 1914 to 1918 is a two-player World War I board game with a listed playing time of 360 minutes, covering the major campaigns of the Western Front from 1914 through 1918.

The game includes six separate scenarios, a campaign game, and links to other games in the series. Each scenario presents a different stage of the conflict, from Germany’s opening gamble to the final German offensive before American troops and tanks could tip the balance.

• August 1914 – The Schlieffen Plan: Germany attempts to defeat France before Russia fully mobilizes, while Belgium, Britain, and France resist the invasion.
• May 1915 – Artois: French and British forces attack German positions strengthened by extensive trench fortifications.
• February 1916 – Verdun: Germany seeks to defeat France through a battle of attrition.
• July 1916 – The Somme: Britain attacks after a week-long bombardment, leading to months of bitter fighting.
• April 1917 – Nivelle’s Offensive: France launches an attack against the German salient and the formidable Hindenburg Line.
• March 1918 – The Great Offensive: Germany concentrates forces in France and uses new assault tactics against depleted British lines.

The game uses a scale of 20 kilometers per hex, with each turn representing four days. Units are represented at division and brigade sizes, supporting a broad view of the campaigns and their changing strategic circumstances.

Published in 2004, The Western Front: 1914 to 1918 includes a 34-by-22-inch map, 1,680 die-cut counters across six countersheets, and a scenario rulebook with charts and tables.