Grand Illusion: Mirage of Glory, 1914 Rulebook

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction
- 1.1 General
- 1.2 Game Scale
2.0 Components
3.0 Set Up & Victory Determination
- 3.1 Set Up
- 3.2 Victory Determination
4.0 Turn Sequence
5.0 CAPS Phase
- 5.1 General
- 5.2 Spending CAPS
6.0 Initiative Determination Phase
7.0 Mutual Reinforcement and Replacement Phase
8.0 The Action Phase
9.0 Battles
10.0 Strategic Movement Phase
11.0 The Administrative Phase
12.0 The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and Belgium
13.0 Scenario Set Up
- 13.1 Set Up (Applies to all Scenarios)
14.0 Scenarios
Play Notes
Developer's Notes

1.0 Introduction

1.1 General

In 1914 the great European powers cherished the grand illusion that the "next war" would be short and relatively bloodless. Given the vast increases in army size and the lethality of machine guns and rapid-fire artillery, realistically, nothing could have prevented the horrific loss of life. But what of a short, decisive victory—was that out of reach?

Grand Illusion is a simulation of the opening campaigns of WWI in the west. The German Schlieffen Plan called for a gigantic scythe through neutral Belgium into Northwest France, to envelop Paris and the French armies from the west, and was designed to end the war in one blow. It failed, and was followed by the Race to the Sea in which the Allied (French, British and Belgian) armies and the German forces made repeated attempts to outflank one another, until halted by arrival at the English Channel. As both sides dug in, a last German attempt to break through the British lines at Ypres was narrowly repulsed, and the war settled into a trench stalemate not to be broken for another four years. This was the historic outcome.

Grand Illusion is a unique look at this fascinating topic. The game is built around the limitations of command, through the use of Command Administrative Points (CAPS). Both players find themselves trying to win a war with limited means. Can you avoid the bloody deadlock of 1914 and beyond?

1.2 Game Scale

The game is scaled at 30 miles to the hex.
Units are mostly corps, with some divisions and brigades.
There are also units representing immobile fortifications, heavy siege artillery, and army headquarters (HQs).
Turns represent six days.

2.0 Components

2.1 Components Generally

The components consist of these rules, 3 player aid cards, one 22x34" map sheet, two six-sided dice, and three die cut counter sheets. After reading through the rules, carefully punch out the counters.

2.2 The Map & Terrain

The map represents the militarily significant terrain in Western Europe during the campaign of August–November 1914. The map is divided into 107 large hexes. Each hex has a hex identification number in the upper portion of the hex.

A black box around the number indicates the hex is considered under German control at the start of the game. No box around the number indicates the hex is under Allied control at the start of the game.

Some hexes will contain a yellow box with a Terrain Effects Modifier number (preceded by a + sign).

Victory Point hexes contain either a red VP box (a German VP hex) or a blue VP box (an Allied Plan 17 VP hex). NOTE: One German VP hex (Antwerp, hex 52) has the red VP box omitted—we missed one.

The six hexes around Paris (hex 19) are the Paris in Danger hexes, and are enclosed by a dashed blue line (see rule 8.4.9).

Twelve hexes in northern France and Belgium either on or adjacent to the coast are Schlieffen Plan hexes. These hexes are enclosed by a dashed black line (see rule 8.4.8).

Hexes may also contain:

A red diamond along one or more hexsides indicating that it costs an additional movement point (MP) to enter that hex through the marked hexside(s).
Hexsides marked by a triple diamond impassable symbol—no units may cross such hexsides during the game.
A red (British), green (Belgian), blue (French) or gray (German) supply source symbol.

Two hexes, 102 and 103, contain the notation 'Retreat Not Mandatory.' These are the highest elevation Vosges Mountain hexes—eminently defensible. Hexes 102 and 103 also do not allow normal stacking (see rule 8.4.6). Stacking is limited to three infantry corps plus one additional division or brigade per side per hex.

NOTE: Except for the rail lines depicted on the map, only the symbols above have any effect on play. The woods, towns, hills, swamps, rivers, etc. depicted on the map are for decorative purposes only. Their effects have already been figured into the game mechanics. Towns, cities, rivers, swamps, hills and forest have no effect on play.

2.3 Counters

There are 406 counters included in the game. These represent both the military units involved in the battle, and various markers needed to help play the game. Military units represented are infantry units, cavalry units (both of these unit types are collectively known as combat units), fort units, heavy siege artillery units, and headquarters.

All British and some Belgian combat units have a red circle around their CS (denoting that their CS are increased by one on defense [see rule 12.2]).

Two French units have a yellow triangle around their CS, denoting they are mountain capable (see rule 9.3.1.b).

2.4 Sample Unit Counter

Each unit counter's front shows its historical designation (top left), its set-up hex (upper right), its unit type box and unit size symbol (center), its combat strength (CS, lower left), and its movement allowance (MA, lower right).

This unit is a combat unit—the German VIII infantry corps. The unit's historical identification is on the top left. In the center is the unit's unit type box and unit size symbol. On the lower left is the unit's combat strength (CS) used when firing on both attack and defense. The number to the lower right is the unit's movement allowance (MA), which indicates how far it can move across the map when activated.

The number on the upper right (84) is its set-up hex. VIII Corps starts the game at full strength in hex 84. If there were a white box containing a number, followed by a dash and a second number (or a dash followed by a ?) that would indicate it was a reinforcing unit. In that case the first number would indicate the turn the unit enters play, and the second number the hex in which it would begin. If there is a question mark (?) the unit may be placed as explained in the reinforcement rules.

HQ and Heavy Artillery units also use the same set-up hex notation system.

Four French units have the notation 'PD' followed by either 'R' for remove, or hex placement information for use when the Paris In Danger event is triggered.

The back of the unit shows the VIII Corps when disrupted (only infantry and cavalry units may become Disrupted). It has a movement allowance of 1 in a white box—all disrupted units have a movement allowance of 1 hex. Disrupted units suffer various restrictions when disrupted, as outlined in the rules. Units may be disrupted and undisrupted any number of times over the course of the game.

Special effects on Combat Strength: Any combat strength set in parentheses ( ) can be used on defense only. The unit may defend, but not attack (exception: Fortunes of War Events 6 and 11 Offensive to the Limit—see Fortunes of War Table).

Headquarters Units: HQs do not have a combat strength, but do have a movement allowance. HQs are never disrupted, however, they are flipped to their reverse side which contains a reduced movement allowance when:

They are used to move any disrupted activated combat units using the HQ movement allowance instead of the disrupted movement allowance, or
Their movement allowance is used to provide any activated units, disrupted or undisrupted, a movement allowance of 3 or 4, or
Forced to retreat
When entering a hex already occupied by another friendly HQ, both HQs are flipped

Fort Units: Fort units have a combat strength, and may never move. Some fort units also have a bombardment defense number in the lower right-hand corner that is added to the die roll in bombardments on the fort by German Heavy Siege Artillery. Fort units have their set-up hex numbers printed on the bottom of each counter.

Forts contain from two to four steps of strength. Those forts with three or four steps have those steps represented by a separate replacement counter bearing an 'R' designating it as a replacement counter.

Forts are never disrupted—instead they are permanently reduced when they sustain a combat loss.

German Heavy Siege Artillery Units: These units have the following characteristics:

Cannot be disrupted.
Have a movement allowance of one hex that is displayed on the lower right of both sides of each counter.
Have an artillery bombardment number (used only for bombarding forts) on the lower left of the front side of the counter.
The reverse (fired) side of the counter contains no artillery bombardment number, and the unit type box is replaced by the word 'Fired.'

2.5 Army Colors

Each army is distinguished by one or two basic counter colors. Army colors are for historical purposes only except when considering:

Belgian Retreat (rule 8.4.7)
British stacking in Paris (rule 8.4.7)
The Schlieffen plan for German units (rule 8.4.8)

Color	Army
Tan	British Army
Brown	Indian Army (treat as British)
Green	Belgian Army
Medium Blue	French Metropolitan Army
Light Blue	French Outre Mer (overseas) forces—Colonial troops and the 'exotics' such as the Zouaves, Tirailleurs, and Foreign Legion (treat as French)
Gray	German Army
Dark Gray	Bavarian Army (treat as German)

The following abbreviations are used on the counters:

B = Bavarian
BE = Belgian
BEF = British Expeditionary Force
C = Cavalry
COL = Colonial
E = Ersatz (training formations mobilized for combat)
F/FR = Fortress or Fortress Reserve
Gd/GdR = Guard or Guard Reserve
HA = Heavy Siege Artillery
LW = Landwehr (oldest class of German reservists)
M = Moroccan
N/RN = Naval or Royal Naval
OR = Observation Corps on the Upper Rhine
R = Reserve
T = Territorial (oldest class of French reservists)

2.6 Unit Types

There are five types of units in the game: Infantry, Cavalry, Heavy Siege Artillery (HA), Forts and Headquarters (HQs). Unit type is indicated by the unit type boxes or icons: infantry, cavalry (yellow unit type box), heavy siege artillery (HA units), headquarters (red unit type box), and fort.

NOTE: Units color coded with an orange stripe are optional units used only with Scenario 3.

Force Markers (see 8.4.6c for use).

2.7 Unit Size and Identification

All infantry and cavalry units have a size indicator printed atop the unit type box.

X = Brigade
XX = Division
XXX = Corps

All Corps units have a Roman numeral indicating the corps number. Divisions and Brigades use Arabic numerals.

2.8 Game Markers

The following markers are also included to aid in play:

Allied and German CAPS Remaining Markers—used on the General Record Track to indicate the number of Allied or German CAPS (Command Administrative Points) currently available.
Allied Control Markers—placed on the map to indicate a hex that began the game under German control is now under Allied control.
Battle Markers—placed on the map to indicate a battle initiated during the current Action Round.
Battle Board Markers (see 3.1.3e for Placement).
German Control Markers—placed on the map to indicate a hex that began the game under Allied control is now under German control.
Game Turn Marker—used on the Turn Record Track to indicate the current game turn.
German Victory Point Markers—placed in an opaque cup and drawn randomly when specified by scenario instructions and placed on German controlled VP hexes. (Exception—the Paris 10 VP marker is placed face-up in the Paris hex.)
German VP Total Marker—used on the General Records Track to indicate the total number of German VPs earned.
Hit Markers—used to mark units or stacks on the Battle Board receiving hits during combat.
Mandated Battle Markers—placed on the General Records Track to show the number of Mandated Battles remaining to be executed in an Action Phase.
Out of Supply (OoS) Markers—placed on units on the map to indicate those units are Out of Supply.
Plan 17 VP Markers—placed in an opaque cup and drawn randomly when a Plan 17 VP hex becomes Allied controlled (see rule 3.2.1).
Plan 17 VP Total Marker—used on the General Records Track to indicate the total number of Plan 17 VPs earned.
Siege Markers—placed on the map to indicate all forts in the hex in question are besieged.
Trench Markers—placed on the map to indicate that a hex is entrenched.

2.9 Terms, Abbreviations and Definitions

Action Phase—That portion of each game turn where both players expend Command Administrative Points (CAPS) to perform actions during their respective Action Segments.

Action Segment—Alternating portions of the Action Phase wherein each player may expend CAPS to activate hexes for movement and combat, entrench, undisrupt, or to pass the initiative to the other player.

CAP—Command Administrative Point. The central game mechanic that allows players to perform crucial actions such as moving or declaring battles (see rule 5.0). Neither player will ever have enough CAPS, reflecting the fact that in 1914, the generals did not have the technology needed to control the large armies they commanded.

Combat Unit—any unit bearing an infantry or cavalry unit type box.

Control—possession of a hex. The side controlling a hex may trace supply, move freely and retreat freely into and through that hex. The side not controlling the hex cannot trace supply through the hex (but can trace supply into the hex), if there are enemy combat units present must stop upon entering that hex, and may not be able to retreat into or through (see rule 8.4.4). Control also allows the controlling side to earn Victory Points at specified times (see rule 3.2).

DRM—Die Roll Modifier. A numerical addition to the attacker's die roll making a hit more difficult to achieve. DRMs for attacking combat units are caused by counterattack, attacking when besieged, terrain effects or entrenchments. DRMs for attacking heavy siege artillery are caused by defensive strength numbers on some forts.

FoW—Fortunes of War. Prior to each battle, players must roll on the FoW Table. This table represents chaos, friction, Murphy's Law run amok. No general's plan survives first contact—yours will not either (see rule 9.1.4).

OoS—Out of Supply (see rule 11.2.1). Units that cannot trace supply will either have their combat performance degraded, or will be eliminated.

TEM—Terrain Effect Marker. When units are transferred from a Battle Hex to the Battle Board (see rule 9.2), any defensive terrain value in the hex is denoted on the Battle Board by placing the TEM on its +1 or +2 side.

VPs—Victory Points

3.0 Set Up & Victory Determination

3.1 Set Up

Detailed set up instructions are located in the section preceding Scenarios.

3.2 Victory Determination

Both the German and Allied players may gain and lose victory points (VPs). Sections dealing with scoring VPs and VP ratios required for victory are included with each scenario.

4.0 Turn Sequence

I. CAPS Phase (5.0)

II. Initiative Determination Phase (6.0)

III. Mutual Reinforcement and Replacement Phase (7.0)

A. Non-Initiative Player segment

Place Reinforcements (7.1)
Spend CAPS to Replace eliminated units (7.2)

B. Initiative Player segment (performed identically to Non-Initiative Player segment)

IV. Action Phase

A. Initiative Player Action Segment. The Initiative Player may Pass - skip to the opposing player's Action Segment without expending any CAPs (8.1.1), or conduct up to two activations if he has sufficient CAPs available. In each activation he may do one of the following:

Expend one CAP to move units in one hex and possibly conduct one or more Battles (8.4).
Expend one CAP to entrench one hex, if allowed (9.7).
Expend one CAP to undisrupt units in one hex (this may cause the surrender of the initiative, see rule 9.8.3).

B. Non-Initiative Player Action Segment (performed identically to Initiative Player Action Segment)

C. If either player has CAPS remaining, return to step A unless two consecutive passes have ended the action segment (8.1.1a). If not, proceed to the Strategic Movement Phase.

V. Strategic Movement Phase (10.0)

A. Non-Initiative Player Strategic Movement

B. Initiative Player Strategic Movement

VI. Administrative Phase (11.0)

A. Mandated Battle VP Reduction (9.1.1b)

B. German Immediate Victory Segment (3.2.4a)

C. German Intermediate VP Calculation Segment (GT 9 only of scenarios 1 and 3)

D. End of Game Victory Segment (3.2.4c)

E. Check for Supply (11.2.1)

F. Attrition Check Segment, plus roll for surrender of Besieged Forts (9.5.3c, 11.2.6)

G. Undisrupt Supplied Units (11.2.7)

H. Trench Improvement Segment (11.2.8)

I. Advance Turn Marker (11.3)

5.0 CAPS Phase

5.1 General

5.1.1 At the start of the CAPS Phase both players roll a die and check their respective columns on the CAPS Table (one of the two Joffre columns for the Allies, Moltke or Falkenhayn for the Germans) to determine the number of CAPS received this turn. This number is then marked with their CAPS markers on the General Records Track. This is the number of CAPS that side has available to spend this turn (though additional CAPS may be received as a result of General Staff results received from the Fortunes of War Table during the Action Phase).

NOTE 1: Unspent CAPS may not be saved from turn to turn. Any unspent CAPS are lost.

NOTE 2: The maximum number of CAPS remaining for either side on the General Records Track may never exceed 10. Any CAP received from a Fortunes of War General Staff result would be lost if received when the CAPS Remaining marker is in the 10 box of the General Records Track.

5.1.2 Moltke and Falkenhayn. The German player rolls on the Moltke column on the CAPS table until the GT following the declaration and execution of German General Withdrawal. Then the player rolls on the Falkenhayn column for the remainder of the scenario.

5.1.3 Joffre. There are two Joffre columns (Joffre and Joffre II). The Allied player rolls on the Joffre column until the GT following the declaration and execution of Allied General Withdrawal. Then the player rolls on the Joffre II column for the remainder of the scenario.

5.1.4 GT 1 Exception. Players do not roll for CAPS on turn 1. The German and Allied Players receive pre-set numbers of CAPS on these turns (refer to the CAPS Table).

5.2 Spending CAPS

Players spend CAPS for many essential functions during each game turn. Careful allocation of the limited supply of CAPS will be vital for each player.

Uses and CAP Costs:

It costs 1 CAP to activate one hex during any given Action Segment. Basically this is the only way to move your units and fight battles (see rule 8.0).
It costs 1 or 2 CAPS to replace an eliminated unit (see rule 7.2).
It costs 1 CAP to entrench a hex (see rule 9.7).
It costs 1 CAP to move one unit using Strategic Movement (see rule 10.0).
It costs 1 CAP to undisrupt all supplied combat units in a single hex. A player may undisrupt up to two hexes (if he expends CAPS for no other purpose, but the initiative immediately is surrendered to the opposing player when he is done [see rule 9.8.3]).

NOTE 1: To qualify for undisruption, each hex must be completely free of enemy combat units or forts (including besieged forts).

NOTE 2: A player may also possibly undisrupt supplied units during the Administrative Phase at no CAP cost (see rule 11.2.7). This is the only way that HQ and HA units become undisrupted.

6.0 Initiative Determination Phase

Players determine which player has the initiative (who will go first) in the current Game Turn.

Turn 1: The Allied Player automatically has the initiative on GT 1, but may only conduct one activation before surrendering the initiative to the German player (this activation is presumed to be the second allowed—the first Allied activation resulted in the capture of Mulhouse). The first two activations of GT1 were German activations to place Liege hex 73 under German control and destroy the Liege fort unit and place hex 72 under German control.

Turns 2 & 3: On turns 2 and 3 the German Player automatically has the initiative.

Turns 4–15: On turns 4–15 the initiative is determined by having each player roll 1 die. High roll goes first. In the event of a tie the German player goes first.

7.0 Mutual Reinforcement and Replacement Phase

7.1 General

During this phase, both players place any arriving units on the map, whether new units entering play or previously eliminated units being rebuilt through the use of CAPS. Units may not enter in an enemy controlled hex. They may enter a friendly controlled hex able to trace supply, even if the hex contains enemy units. Stacking limits apply in placing reinforcements/replacements. The player with the initiative places his units second (and thus has the advantage of seeing the other player's placement before deciding his own). Reinforcements (unless variable) are placed in the specific hexes listed. If those hexes are under enemy control or stacking limits would be violated, they enter the following turn at any friendly controlled supply source hex of that nationality. Reinforcements may be voluntarily delayed by the owning player.

7.1.1 Variable Reinforcement Placement

Most reinforcement units are marked with their turn of entry and a question mark ( ? ) to denote they are variable entry units. These units are placed in any supplied, friendly controlled hex containing a HQ of that nationality (subject to 7.1.2), or on any friendly controlled supply source hex of the same nationality (all subject to stacking limits).

Prior to GT 7, no British or French variable reinforcements can be placed in any Schlieffen Plan (SP) hex (see rule 8.4.8).

7.1.2 Variable Entry HQs

HQ reinforcements with variable entry are placed in any friendly supplied and controlled hex (without a HQ of the same nationality), subject to stacking limits. A HQ cannot be used to make a hex eligible for placing variable reinforcement combat units in the same GT that the HQ was placed in the hex.

7.1.3 Fortified Camp of Paris

French variable reinforcements (including HQs) can always be placed in the Paris hex (hex 19) so long as that hex is Allied controlled and able to trace supply. The French maintained in Paris the HQ, Fortified Camp of Paris, the equivalent of a static HQ.

7.2 Replacements

Replacements represent rebuilding combat units that have taken large enough losses to render them combat ineffective (in game terms, units in the deadpile).

A player spends 2 CAPS to replace any eliminated French or German combat unit (regardless of size) and return it to the map during the current Reinforcement/Replacement Phase.

He spends 1 CAP per unit to replace any eliminated French or German combat unit (regardless of size) and return it to the map two game turns later (A unit replaced on turn 2 would reenter play during the Mutual Reinforcement and Replacement Phase of turn 4.) It is advisable to place such replaced units two turns ahead on the Turn Record Track to insure they are not forgotten and prevent later disagreements over the number of units replaced or their correct turn of entry.

Replacement Restrictions:

Eliminated HQs, HA units and fort steps are never replaced.
Eliminated Belgian and British (BEF) combat units cannot be replaced except when specified by scenario rules.

How Replacements Re-enter the Map: Replacements enter in any friendly controlled hex containing a supply symbol of that nationality, or any friendly controlled hex with a supplied HQ of that nationality (up to the stacking limit).

French replacements can always be placed in the Paris hex (hex 19) so long as that hex is Allied controlled and able to trace supply. The French maintained in Paris the HQ, Fortified Camp of Paris, the equivalent of a static HQ. Replacements cannot be placed in any hex that has received a HQ unit in that turn.

Prior to GT 7, no British or French replacements can be placed in any Schlieffen Plan (SP) hex.

Exception: Before Turn 5, German replacements may not be placed in a hex with a supplied German HQ in France unless the HQ is in a hex containing either the German or Belgian borders. Beginning with Turn 5, this restriction is lifted.

7.3 The East Front

On GT3, the German player must make the same choice his historical counterparts made. The Russians are mobilizing and attacking far more swiftly than anticipated. Are additional troops to be sent from the west? Here are your options:

Lose No VPs—Withdraw at least 9 points of German infantry combat strength, plus one Cavalry division from units in the hex (or within one hex) of the HQs of 1st, 2nd or 3rd German Armies. Simply pick up the units and remove them from the map.
Lose two VPs—send nothing, and adjust the German VP total downward by two points.

8.0 The Action Phase

8.1 General

PLAY NOTE: The Initiative player always has the first opportunity to spend CAPS in the Action Phase. When you encounter the phrases "passing the initiative" or "surrendering the initiative," they mean only that the other player now has the opportunity to spend CAPs.

8.1.1. The Initiative Player has the option to spend zero, one or two CAPS (see 5.2) before the other player has the same opportunity. If CAPS are spent, they are spent one at a time. The initiative is passed or surrendered to the other player in the following ways:

a. The initiative player voluntarily passes the initiative to the other player prior to spending a CAP.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If both players pass the initiative consecutively (one player passes without spending any CAPS, followed by the other player passing without spending any CAPS), the Action Phase ends immediately regardless of the number of unspent CAPS remaining to both sides.

b. The initiative player must surrender the initiative to the other player in the following cases (surrendering the initiative is not the same as passing the initiative):

After the initiative player completes two consecutive activations (unless the opposing player has no CAPS remaining).
The initiative player has no CAPS remaining.
The initiative player spends a CAP to activate a hex and undisrupt supplied combat units in that hex (see rule 5.2, 5th bullet). If the activation to undisrupt is the first activation, he must surrender the initiative unless he chooses to spend a second CAP to activate a second hex for undisruption—then surrendering the initiative is required because of two consecutive activations.
A FoW result forces the initiative player to surrender the initiative to the opposing player. Any Battles yet to be resolved are cancelled.
Immediately upon completion of a General Withdrawal (see rule 8.7).

8.1.2 This process continues until both players pass consecutively, or both players must surrender the initiative because they have no CAPS remaining. This ends the Action Phase.

8.2 Performing Actions

8.2.1 During an Action Segment, the currently active player activates one hex at a time. Each hex activated must contain at least one friendly unit.

8.2.2 All units in the activated hex do not have to perform an action at this time, nor do they all have to perform the same action, but once any battle is resolved, no further movement (except advance or retreat caused by combat) may take place.

EXAMPLE: The German player spends 1 CAP to activate a hex containing three combat units. Two units move into two different enemy hexes, automatically causing Battles (see rule 9.1.2b). Place a Battle marker on those two hexes. Once a player begins to resolve either Battle, the third unit may not be moved—it would have to move in a subsequent activation at the cost of another CAP to activate the hex.

8.2.3 The same hex and units may be chosen for activation any number of times. Activated units may Move, Attack in a declared Battle, or Move and Attack in a declared Battle.

8.3 Control

DESIGN NOTE: Control of hexes is important, not only for victory purposes, but also for the freedom of movement such control confers or denies.

8.3.1 Controlled Hexes: At start a player controls those hexes listed in the set-up section of the rules, or in the scenario instructions. The side controlling a hex may trace supply, move freely and retreat freely into and through that hex. The side not controlling the hex:

cannot trace supply through the hex (but can trace supply into the hex),
must stop, if there are enemy combat units and/or unbesieged enemy forts present upon entering that hex,
may not be able to retreat into or through the hex (see rule 9.4.3).

Control also allows the controlling side to earn Victory Points at specified times (see rule 3.2).

8.3.2 Contested Hexes: Hexes occupied by both friendly and enemy combat and/or fort units. A contested hex remains under friendly control when one of the following conditions exists:

One or more friendly combat units remains in the hex, or
One or more friendly forts remain unbesieged. Antwerp (hex 52) cannot become German controlled until the Belgian fort in the hex is eliminated (see rule 9.5.3.a Exception).

8.3.3 Changing Hex Control: A hex switches control the instant the opposing player has supplied combat units in the hex and there are no friendly combat units or unbesieged forts in the hex. This may occur during movement. See 8.4.4(b). Friendly HQ or HA units have no effect on hex control.

8.3.4 Cavalry and Hex Control: Cavalry alone converts control of a hex for all purposes except for allowing enemy units to trace supply during the Action and Check Supply phases. If only cavalry converts a hex to friendly control, place a Cavalry Control marker instead of a regular Control marker. If a friendly infantry unit subsequently enters such a hex, replace the Cavalry Control marker with a Control marker.

DESIGN NOTE: Cavalry was (surprisingly) not used in 1914 to interdict enemy supply lines.

8.4 Movement

Basic Rules of Movement:

Units may move singly or in groups.
Units move from hex to adjacent hex.
Units may move any number of hexes up to their current movement allowance (see rule 8.4.2).
All Disrupted combat units and German Heavy Siege Artillery (HA) units have an automatic movement allowance of one hex (not movement point).
Units moving as part of a group may be dropped off as movement progresses. Units cannot be added to a moving group once movement has started.

8.4.1 HQs and Movement

Disrupted and undisrupted combat units (infantry and cavalry) that begin (and continue) their movement with a HQ of the same nationality may move up to the HQ's movement allowance instead of their own movement allowance.

The HQ is immediately flipped to its back (reduced movement) side when movement concludes if one or more combat units moving with it are disrupted, or the HQ movement allowance is used to provide any activated units, disrupted or undisrupted, a movement allowance of 3 or 4.

NOTE: Heavy siege artillery units always move a maximum of one hex regardless of the presence of a HQ.

If a HQ enters a hex containing another friendly HQ, both HQs are immediately flipped to their reduced movement sides, if not already on them (simulates traffic jams when two army logistical tails collide).

8.4.2 Terrain and Movement

Terrain on the map has no effect on regular movement, except that units may not cross impassable hexsides, and pay an additional movement point to enter a hex through a hexside that is marked with a red diamond. Otherwise it always costs 1 MP to enter a hex.

NOTE: Disrupted combat units and German Heavy Siege Artillery units have a MA of one hex. They may always enter an adjacent hex through a hexside costing either one or two movement points.

8.4.3 Movement and Supply

a. Combat units, plus HQs and HA units, are in supply if they can trace a line of supply from the hex they occupy to an adjacent friendly controlled rail hex, and then along a rail net—a line of contiguous friendly controlled rail hexes to a friendly supply source hex. NOTE: If a friendly controlled hex contains a besieged fort, the hex cannot be used as part of a rail net for tracing supply (Exception: rule 8.4.3e).

b. Allied Supply Sources: Units may only trace supply to hexes of the proper nationality. The following are Allied Supply Sources:

FRENCH UNITS: hexes 1, 4, 13, 61, 80, and 89.
BRITISH UNITS: hexes 1, 4, and 14.
BELGIAN UNITS: hexes 1 and 14.
ANTWERP: Belgian units and the British Royal Naval (RN) division are in supply in Antwerp (hex 52) until the hex becomes German controlled.

c. German units are supplied through hexes 91, 94, 100, 105, 107.

VERY IMPORTANT PLAY NOTE: Study the rail net very carefully. Combat units cannot sweep across the map at will. Many hexes are logistical "dead-ends" either because the rail net does not extend into them, or enemy possession of other hexes makes tracing back along the rail net to a supply source impossible.

For the Allied player, note that capturing hexes 102 and 107 do not open hexes behind them to Allied advance. Both hexes are supply dead-ends. No further advance is possible from 102, and until hex 103 is Allied controlled no further advance can be made out of hex 107. Likewise, the German player cannot sweep by the Belgian army in hex 62 to enter Antwerp on GT1 without first eliminating the Namur fort and controlling hexes 64, 63 and 53.

d. No supplied unit can move into a hex if it could not trace a line of supply from that hex back to a friendly supply source (Exception: Even if the besieged Maubeuge fort unit remains in hex 54, German Army units may be able to trace rail supply through hex 54 on GTs 3–5 [see rule 8.4.3e]).

Exception: If a hex bears an enemy Cavalry Control marker, friendly units can still trace supply normally through the hex during the Action and Check Supply Phases, even if one or more enemy cavalry units occupy the hex (see rule 8.3.4).

e. Units may be retreated into hexes from which they cannot trace supply if no other retreat path is available.

g. German Emergency Rail Supply: If the German player controls hex 54, but the Maubeuge fort is besieged but not eliminated, from GT 3 through GT 5, tracing Emergency Supply through hex 54 to hexes further south and west may be possible.

DESIGN NOTE: The German 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Armies executing the "scythe" portion of the Schlieffen Plan were instructed to forage for food and fodder, and to pray fervently that ammunition columns would keep up. To that end, the majority of the army logistical units were allocated to these three armies to offset the lack of rail supplies until Maubeuge, astride the main double rail line, could be taken.

Procedure: If the Maubeuge fort is on map, but hexes 54 and 44 are German controlled, on GT3, place the Emergency Rail Supply marker on hex 44. Hexes 54 and 44 cannot be part of a rail net for tracing supply normally (8.4.3b), but hex 44 now becomes an Emergency Rail Supply Source for any German unit able to trace a line of supply from the hex it occupies.
Effects:

Combat unit and HQ movement is unaffected (foraging).
Allied controlled hexes may be entered so long as a line of supply (11.2.1) can be traced back to hex 44.
HQ units tracing Emergency Rail Supply to hex 44 must be flipped to their reverse sides during the Attrition Check Segment, unless already on them. Do not flip such HQ units back to their front sides during the Undisrupt Supplied Units segment.
Undisrupted combat units tracing Emergency Rail Supply to hex 44 suffer no adverse effects.
Disrupted combat units tracing Emergency Rail Supply to hex 44 remain Disrupted. Exception: In each hex containing a German HQ tracing Emergency Rail Supply, one Disrupted combat unit of the German player's choice may be undisrupted.
The German player may still expend CAPS during the Action Phase to perform Disruption Removal in hexes tracing Emergency Rail Supply.

On GTs 3, 4, or 5, remove the Emergency Rail Supply marker as soon as the Maubeuge fort is eliminated. Trace supply lines normally during the ensuing Check for Supply Segment and thereafter.
On GT 5, if the Maubeuge fort remains on map at the end of the Action Phase, remove the Emergency Rail Supply marker prior to the Administrative Phase. DESIGN NOTE: A lot of German units may suffer elimination or Disruption during the Attrition Check Segment, simulating the total collapse of the makeshift German logistical effort.

f. OoS units may only enter hexes that place them back in supply, or move them closer to hexes that place them back in supply.

h. Belgian and French Rail Destruction: At start place the German "End of Rail Net" marker on hex 56 (Mezieres). This marker comes into effect only after the Belgian Namur Fort Unit has been eliminated. The German player may only trace rail supply into hex 56, and no farther. If the Namur fort is eliminated prior to GT 5, remove this marker at the conclusion of the Supply Determination Phase of GT 5. If the Namur fort has not been eliminated by GT 5, do not remove this marker until the conclusion of the Supply Determination Phase after the Namur fort is eliminated.

DESIGN NOTE: The Belgians wrecked the major rail bridge over the Meuse at Namur, and the French effectively dynamited tunnels and bridges throughout the Meuse valley, making effective German rail supply past the frontiers difficult.

8.4.4 Hexes and Movement

a. Most conflict simulations do not allow units from opposing sides to occupy the same hex, but in Grand Illusion units of both sides must occupy the same hex in order to Declare Battles. The control status of a hex becomes very important in determining the ability to enter and exit.

b. Hex Entry and Exit.

Entry and exit of hexes depends upon:

Which side controls the hexes, and
Whether or not the hexes are occupied.

The possible situations are detailed in the Hex Entry and Exit Chart below.

Remember that sometimes movement through hexsides into allowed hexes will be prohibited if:

The hexside is marked by a triple diamond (is impassable).
The hexside contains an enemy Blocked Hexside marker (see rule 8.4.5).

The Hex Entry and Exit Chart

Hex To Be Exited \ Hex To Be Entered	Friendly Controlled Uncontested (5)	Friendly Controlled Contested	Enemy Controlled Uncontested Vacant	Enemy Controlled Uncontested Occupied	Enemy Controlled Contested
Friendly Controlled Uncontested (5)	Yes (1)(6)	Yes (2)(6)	Yes (1)(4)(6)	Yes (2)(3)(6)	Yes (2)(6)
Friendly Controlled Contested	Yes (1)(6)	Yes (2)(6)	Yes (1)(4)(6)	Yes (2)(3)(6)	Yes (2)(6)
Enemy Controlled Contested	Yes (1)(6)	Yes (2)(6)	Yes (1)(4)(6)	No	No

Yes = Entry allowed. No = Unit may not enter the hex in question.

Notes:

Unit may continue moving.
Unit must stop moving.
Mandatory battle results. Friendly HQ, HA, and disrupted units (alone or together) cannot enter unless they enter in a group containing undisrupted combat units.
The hex entered immediately converts to friendly control.
A friendly controlled hex is uncontested even if besieged enemy forts are in the hex.
Rule 8.4.3 Movement and Supply restrictions may not allow entry into hexes that could otherwise be entered.

8.4.5 Blocked Hexsides

a. Whenever an activated unit or force exits a friendly controlled hex, and enters an adjacent hex containing enemy units, the hexside through which they enter is blocked to enemy units—the enemy units can neither move or retreat through that hexside (doing so would have them moving through the friendly units that just entered).

b. Blocked markers are provided to be used at player option to place on these blocked hexsides (very useful when the adjacent hex is Friendly Controlled but vacant). They are printed in Blue (Allied) on one side, and Gray (German) on the other.

c. Blocked markers are removed in three ways:

Voluntarily by the owning player
When no friendly combat units remain in the hex entered
When the enemy player gains control of the adjacent hex.

8.4.6 Stacking

a. No more than eight Corps units of each side (16 Corps units total) may occupy a hex, though units in excess of these limits may move or retreat through a hex. No more than six Corps of a single side may consist of infantry. Exception: See Vosges Mountains below.

A division or brigade counts as 1/2 of a corps.
Each player may have one or more HQs per hex (see rule 8.4.1 for penalties).
Forts do not count for stacking.
Units may move or retreat through a hex in violation of the stacking limits—these limits apply when movement or retreat ceases.

THE VOSGES MOUNTAINS: stacking in hexes 102 and 103 is limited to three infantry corps plus one additional division or brigade per side per hex.

b. Both players may freely inspect enemy stacks on map.

c. Force markers and holding boxes are provided for each side to reduce hex crowding if desired. They are optional. For the Allied side, they are color coded for nationality.

To use a force marker, remove some or all of the units in a hex (for the Allied player the units must be of the nationality corresponding to the force marker), place them in the appropriate force marker holding box, and place the force marker on map in the hex where the units were located.

Holding markers simply represent the units in their holding boxes, and do not in any way alter the rules and restrictions pertaining to movement, combat, retreat, or supply for those units.

A player may freely inspect units in the opposing player's holding boxes unless both players agree in advance to use their force markers and holding boxes for hidden movement.

8.4.7 Allied Movement Restrictions

a. Belgian units may never leave Belgium unless forced to do so by the retreat rules. Any hex containing any amount of Belgian territory is considered Belgium for the purpose of this rule (hexes 23, 32, 33, 42, 43, 44, 52, 53, 54, 55, 62, 63, 64, 65, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 81).

b. British units may never end their move in Paris. They may not retreat into Paris unless no other option is available.

c. Prior to GT 7, no British or French variable reinforcements or replacements can be placed in any Schlieffen Plan (SP) hex.

8.4.8 The Schlieffen Plan—German Restrictions

DESIGN NOTE: The Schlieffen Plan called for a German scythe through northern France aimed at enveloping Paris (and the French armies) from the west. Only after the plan's failure did the German High Command look for other alternative routes to victory.

Until GT 7, German combat units may not enter a Schlieffen Plan (SP) hex (hexes 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24, 32, 33, 42, 43) unless that hex contains Allied combat units. Once hexes containing Allied units are entered, such SP hexes remain open to German movement.

NOTE: German combat units cannot move through vacant SP hexes to reach SP hexes containing Allied combat units.

8.4.9 Paris In Danger

a. The six hexes surrounding Paris (hexes 9, 10, 18, 20, 28, 29) are Paris in Danger (PD) hexes.

b. The first time one or more supplied German combat units enters a PD hex or moves adjacent to a PD hex, an Allied state of emergency exists. The Allied player must Declare a General Withdrawal on that GT or the following GT (unless a General Withdrawal has been previously declared).

c. Immediately remove the French Alsace HQ.

DESIGN NOTE: When the Germans were approaching the Marne, Joffre reluctantly concluded that he needed the troops in this army to save Paris rather than take Colmar, and disbanded the army.

d. Remove the two Allied units from the mapsheet Paris in Danger Box, and place one game turn ahead on the TRT.

e. 71 R Division Placement: Place as noted on counter.

f. IX Corps placement: If still on map, replace the French IX (-) Corps with the full strength PD IX Corps. Regardless of location, the IX Corps (-) is out of play for the remainder of the scenario. If IX Corps (-) is not on map, enter the PD IX Corps as a variable reinforcement.

g. Strategic Movement: The Allied player may move one French corps to Paris (hex 19) by Strategic Movement during the Strategic Movement Phase without spending a CAP to do so.

8.5 Movement and Battles in the Activation Hex

When a hex is activated, the following units are not allowed to move:

Friendly combat units in the hex when activation occurs designated to participate in a declared Battle.
Friendly HA units in the hex when activation occurs designated to Bombard in a declared Battle.

NOTE: Other units in the hex could choose to move (possibly causing other combats) as long as this movement is completed before the combat in the hex is resolved.

8.6 Movement into Non-Activated Hexes and Declaring Battles

Units not involved in Battle in the activated hex may move into non-activated hexes prior to resolving the Battle in the Battle Hex. Declaring Battles in these hexes may be mandatory or optional (see rule 9.1.2).

8.7 General Withdrawal

8.7.1 Once per game each player may be able to declare a General Withdrawal. General Withdrawal may not be declared on turns 1 and 2. General Withdrawal is declared at the start of any Initiative or Non-Initiative Action Segment (Yes, the Allied player can declare a General Withdrawal at the start of a German activation segment prior to the first German activation, and vice versa for the German player. Sometimes doing so will be the only way to avert certain disaster).

The Allied player must declare a General Withdrawal before the German player can declare a General Withdrawal. Once the Allied player has conducted a General Withdrawal, the German player is free to declare and conduct a General Withdrawal on the following game turn, or any game turn thereafter.

It costs no CAPS to declare a General Withdrawal, but once it is completed, the player must immediately surrender the initiative to the opposing player.

8.7.2 Allied General Withdrawal Effects—When an Allied withdrawal is declared:

Place the Joffre II marker one turn ahead on the Turn Record Track. On the next game turn, the Allied player begins rolling on the Joffre II column of the CAPS Table.
All French and British units (but not Belgian units) on the map may move, using their normal movement abilities (including HQ effects).
French and British units are activated (at no CAPS cost) one hex at a time.
Activated units may only enter friendly controlled hexes which are uncontested (contain no enemy units or unbesieged enemy forts).
No unit may move more than once during this process.

When the Allied player has executed as many such moves as he wishes, Initiative is surrendered, and the German player begins his Action Segment.

Any remaining unexecuted Mandated Battles are cancelled. There is no penalty for the cancellation since the Allied High Command has ordered a withdrawal.

Executing a General Withdrawal costs the Allied player three Plan 17 VPs if declared and executed on GT 3. If declared and executed on GT 4 or later, the Allied player pays two VPs. Adjust the Plan 17 VP marker down by two or three VPs (whichever is applicable) at the conclusion of General Withdrawal.

8.7.3 German General Withdrawal Effects—When a German General Withdrawal is declared:

Place the Falkenhayn marker one turn ahead on the Turn Record Track. On the next game turn, the German player begins rolling on the Falkenhayn column of the CAPS Table.
All German and Bavarian units on the map may move, using their normal movement abilities (including HQ effects).
Units activate (at no CAPS cost) one hex at a time.
Activated units may only enter friendly controlled hexes containing no enemy units or forts (ignore besieged enemy forts and any units garrisoning them).
No unit may move more than once during this process.

When the German player has executed as many such moves as he wishes, he may now spend CAPS, 1 per hex, to place Level 1 Trench markers in any hex containing supplied friendly infantry units, regardless of the presence of enemy units. When the German player has concluded placing any entrenchments he wishes or can pay for, Initiative is surrendered, and the Allied player begins his Action Segment.

Executing a General Withdrawal costs the German player four VPs if declared and executed on GT 4. If declared and executed on GT 5 or later, the German player pays only 3 VPs. Adjust the German VP marker down by three or four VPs (whichever is applicable) at the conclusion of General Withdrawal (use the negative side of the German VP marker).

9.0 Battles

9.1 General

Battles occur at the end of each Activation. The Initiative Player is the attacker. Battles occur on a hex-by-hex basis, and more than one hex may receive a Battle marker. The Initiative Player may have the option of declaring a Battle in certain hexes, while in other hexes, declaring Battles may be required (see rule 9.1.2).

9.1.1 Mandated Battles

DESIGN NOTE: Blind adherence to the doctrine of attack nearly cost the Allies the campaign, contributed mightily to German failure, and ended the lives of untold thousands. To simulate this madness, both players will be forced to make attacks they might otherwise avoid.

a. Players will receive Mandated Battles in one of two ways: either the number of Mandated Battles will be given as a part of scenario instructions, or will accrue as a result of certain FoW die rolls.

NOTE: A FoW Mandated Battle received as a result of a FoW die roll is disregarded if: 1) The side receiving the mandated Battle has zero CAPS at the time the FoW die roll was made. 2) If the Mandated Battles Remaining marker occupies a box on the General Record Track equal to or greater than the number of CAPS remaining at the time the FoW die roll result is obtained.

b. Record the number of Mandated Battles on the General Record Track with the Mandated Battle marker. Move the marker down by one number for each Mandated Battle made. During the Administrative Phase score –1 VP for each Mandated Battle not made, and reset the marker to 0.

NOTE: Allied Plan XVII Mandated Battles cancelled by Allied General Withdrawal are not counted.

c. To count as a Mandated Battle, at least four infantry corps must attack two or more enemy infantry corps and/or forts. Battles are resolved normally (see rule 9.1.3).

d. A Mandated Battle not fought because of a FoW die roll does not satisfy the requirement (Exception: 9.1.1e below). The Mandated Battle marker is not moved (this may result in the loss of a VP if you have waited to conduct the Mandated Battle with your last available CAP). The FoW die roll results negating a Mandated Battle are:

Die Roll 3 – Cautious Attacker
Die Roll 7 – Defender Tactical Advantage: withdrawal option

All other FoW Die Rolls allow a Mandated Attack to proceed.

e. During GTs 1–4, the Allied Player can gain Plan 17 VPs by carrying out Mandated Battles against Plan 17 VP hexes (refer to scenario instructions). These Mandated Battles portray the French doctrine of The Attack by treating FoW results of 3 (Cautious Attacker), 4 (Skirmish), 7 (Defender tactical Advantage), and 10 (Counterattack).

f. Mandated Battles are resolved at any time during the Action Phase at the owning player's discretion.

9.1.2 Battle Declaration

a. The attacker may declare a Battle in a hex containing enemy units where friendly combat units began the action round.

The attacker spends 1 CAP to activate the hex.
A Battle Marker is placed in the hex.

Not all friendly infantry and cavalry units in the hex must be designated as attacking units, but those units so designated forfeit all of their Movement Points. Friendly units not designated as attacking units may move out of the hex (and possibly trigger other battles in other hexes), but they must move prior to battle resolution (see rule 8.6).

NOTE: GT 1–4 French Offensive to the Limit FoW results make it mandatory for Disrupted French units to be placed on the Battle Board if any Front Line spaces are vacant opposite enemy occupied front line spaces.

b. The attacker must declare a Battle if any friendly combat units enter a hex that contains no friendly combat units or unbesieged friendly forts, but does contain any combination of unbesieged enemy Forts or enemy combat units. Exception: Cavalry Delay

d. Should a Fortunes of War (FoW) result switch the Action Phase to the Defending Player, the current Battle, and all remaining unexecuted Battles are immediately cancelled (see rule 9.1.4).

e. During any activation, a hex containing enemy units can only be attacked once, but over the course of an Action Segment with more than one activation, a hex containing enemy units could be attacked during each activation.

f. Battle Set-Up Sequence:

Designate the Battle to be resolved
German Player executes HA Bombardment (see rule 9.5.4)
Make the FoW die roll (mandatory). If Battle is still possible, proceed (see rule 9.1.3)
Battle marker placement on the Battle Board (see rule 9.2.1)
Defender unit placement (see rule 9.2.2)
Attacker unit placement (see rule 9.2.3)
Reserve placement (9.2.4)

9.1.4 Fortunes of War (FoW) Die Roll

Before each Battle is resolved (but after any HA Bombardment), the Attacking Player rolls two dice and consults the FoW Table (refer to the CAPS Table Player Aid Card for results). The FoW die roll must be made even if the only enemy units in the Battle Hex were forts that were eliminated by HA Bombardment. The FoW Table result may be no effect, it may influence how the combats in the battle are resolved, or it may end the battle (and any additional battles yet to be resolved) before it begins by switching the Action Phase to the Defending Player.

The attacker does not spend a CAP (a CAP was spent to activate the units moving into the hex).
A Battle Marker is placed in the hex.
All friendly infantry and cavalry units entering the hex must be designated as attacking units.

c. If friendly and enemy units are already present (regardless of control) the moving units may declare a Battle but are not forced to. In this case only the moving units would take part in the attack—friendly units already in the hex would be ignored.

The attacker does not spend a CAP (a CAP was spent to activate the units moving into the hex).
A Battle Marker is placed in the hex.
All friendly infantry and cavalry units entering the hex must be designated as attacking units.

9.1.3 Battle Resolution

a. Usually, only one Battle may need to be resolved in any activation, however, friendly moving combat units may require additional combat declarations (see rule 9.1.2.b above).

b. The attacker resolves such multiple Declared Battles in any order desired.

c. Within each Battle there will be one or more Combats between opposing attacking and defending units (see rule 9.3).

9.2 The Battle Board and Set-Up for Battle

9.2.1 General

The Battle Board to the side of the map is where each Battle is resolved. The number of units participating in battles, and the method of combat resolution makes resolution far easier in a linear area than in the confines of the Battle Hex.

NOTE: Each side of the Battle Board contains eight spaces – four frontline spaces and four reserve spaces. Neither the attacker nor the defender may fill more than the four attacker spaces on their respective sides of the Battle Board for any battle. The use of the reserve spaces will be covered in paragraph 9.2.5.

EXAMPLE: In a battle hex, the attacker has six units eligible to fill spaces on the Battle Board, and the defender has five such units. Both sides may each move a maximum of four units each to fill the four available attacker spaces on their respective sides of the Battle Board.

Marker Placement. Place any of these applicable markers in the Marker Holding Box on the Battle Board in the appropriate spaces as a visual reminder about DRMs to apply or about Battle conditions:

The Terrain Effects DRM marker (TEM) on its applicable side. EXAMPLE: if the Battle Hex has a +1 TEM printed on the map, place the TEM marker on its +1 side in the TEM space.
If the Battle Hex contains a trench marker, place the Entrenched marker on the side corresponding to the DRM on the Entrenchment marker in the Battle Hex. An entrenchment applies to all defending units except forts.
If the Attacker is making a Concentric Attack, place the Concentric Attack marker on its –1 or –2 side as appropriate (see Rule 9.2.3b).
If a Battle Hex contains a defender fort unit (even if the fort is not on the Battle Board), place the Defender Fort marker.
If the Battle is a Plan 17 Mandated Battle, place the Plan 17 Mandated Battle marker.
If a FoW result of Skirmish or Counterattack is in effect, place the Skirmish/Counterattack marker on its appropriate side.
If the FoW result is Routed or Attacker Surprise, place the Routed/Attacker Surprise marker on its appropriate side.

DESIGN NOTE: Players will note that the rules below do not allow for much tactical decision making unless a player significantly outnumbers his opponent, allowing the concentration of reserves against part of the enemy line. The armies in 1914 (the British partly excepted) were victims of bad tactical doctrine (the Germans), or horrible tactical doctrine (the French). It generally required a significant advantage in numbers to achieve a decisive result.

9.2.2 Defender Placement

a. After resolving any German HA Bombardments on forts (see rule 9.5.4) and making the FoW die roll remove defending combat units and forts from the Battle Hex in question (leaving behind the Battle marker as a reminder) and line them up on the four front line defender spaces of the Battle Board until all spaces are filled.

b. Each space may be filled by a maximum of one corps or two divisions/brigades or a fort.

Divisions and brigades may stack or be placed singly at the owning player's option.
Divisions and brigades may only stack with divisions and brigades of the same nationality.

Defender units must be placed in the following priority:

undisrupted corps or stacks of two undisrupted divisions/brigades
single undisrupted infantry divisions
single undisrupted infantry brigades
undisrupted cavalry divisions
disrupted combat units
forts

9.2.3 Attacker Placement

a. After the defender has placed his combat units and/or forts on the front line of the battle board, the attacker places his combat units (not forts) in any of the four spaces of his front line opposite a defending unit.

The attacker must fill all spaces opposite undisrupted defending combat units before filling spaces opposite disrupted defending combat units or forts.

Attacker units must be placed in the following priority:

undisrupted corps or stacks of two undisrupted divisions/brigades
single undisrupted infantry divisions
single undisrupted infantry brigades
undisrupted cavalry divisions
disrupted combat units (See Note 3 Exception below)

NOTE 1: Cavalry cannot attack forts, and cannot be placed in attacker spaces opposite defender spaces containing forts.

NOTE 2: Undisrupted cavalry may always be placed in attacker frontline spaces opposite defending enemy cavalry regardless of the placement priorities above.

NOTE 3: The attacking player (unlike the defending player) may choose to leave any disrupted attacking units on the map in the Battle Hex; such units take no part in the combat, and are not affected by the result (though they may be forced to retreat at the end of combat).

Exception: On Game Turns 1–4, the Allied Player may be forced to place disrupted French combat units on the Battle Board if an Offensive to the Limit FoW die roll is received and there are vacant attacker spaces opposite occupied defender spaces. Priority of disrupted unit placement is corps, then infantry divisions, then cavalry divisions.

Infantry cannot stack with cavalry, and cavalry cannot stack with infantry.
The exact space chosen for each combat unit or fort is irrelevant.
HQ and HA units are left in the Battle Hex and are never placed on the Battle Board.

DESIGN NOTE: Army commanders, whatever their personal qualities, were notably unable to affect the tactics of the battles they fought in 1914; where generalship influenced the outcome of an engagement it was inevitably provided by corps, division, and brigade commanders.

c. Defender Combat and Fort units are removed from the Battle Hex and placed on the Battle Board in the following priority:

undisrupted corps or stacks of two undisrupted divisions/brigades
single undisrupted infantry divisions
single undisrupted infantry brigades
undisrupted cavalry divisions
disrupted combat units
forts

EXAMPLE 1: The Battle Hex contains the following units – Defender: one fort and three infantry corps (two undisrupted and one disrupted). Attacker: three undisrupted corps and a cavalry division.

The Defender places one corps and the fort unit in each frontline space, occupying all four spaces. The attacker must first place his undisrupted corps, and he must first place them opposite enemy undisrupted corps. The Attacker must now decide where to place the final undisrupted corps. If it is placed opposite the fort, there is a very low probability that the fort will take a hit, but it will keep the fort from going into reserve. The cavalry unit can then have a shot at the disrupted corps because it is prohibited from attacking forts. If the undisrupted corps is placed opposite the disrupted defending corps, it stands a good chance of eliminating it, but the unengaged fort will shift to a reserve space behind one of the engaged defending corps and have a free shot at an attacking corps. The attacker chooses to place the undisrupted corps opposite the disrupted defender corps. The attacker cavalry division remains in the Battle hex. It cannot be used. The defending fort is shifted into one of the three reserve spaces behind the defending infantry corps.

EXAMPLE 2: The Battle Hex contains the following units—Defender: two infantry divisions, one infantry brigade, and two cavalry divisions (all undisrupted). Attacker: four undisrupted infantry corps and three undisrupted cavalry divisions.

The defender does not want to allow the attacker to place units in reserve to get free shots, so he chooses to place the defending units as follows (one of several possibilities):

One infantry division to one frontline space; one infantry division and the infantry brigade stacked together in another frontline space. Each of the two defending cavalry divisions occupies a frontline space, filling all four frontline spaces. The normal placement sequence would have the attacker placing all four corps first. However since defender cavalry occupies two frontline spaces, attacker cavalry can fill the two attacker frontline spaces opposite them instead of the corps. The attacker elects to bring on three infantry corps and two stacked cavalry divisions. Two of the infantry corps set up in frontline spaces opposite the defender infantry, and the third sets up in a frontline space opposite one defender cavalry division. The two stacked cavalry divisions set up in the frontline space opposite the last defending cavalry division. The defender will have the choice of withdrawing one or both cavalry divisions from the combat. The downside is the certainty of disruption if withdrawing from the attacker cavalry, and the possibility of loss if withdrawing from the attacker infantry. Still the goal of preventing attacker units from going into reserve has been met because none of the attacker units facing the defender cavalry can go into reserve if the cavalry withdraws.

b. Concentric Attack. The attacker gains an advantage if the Battle Hex is partially or completely surrounded by adjacent friendly controlled hexes containing one or more friendly combat units. If there are three or four adjacent qualifying hexes, the attacker applies a –1 DRM to each attacker die roll. If five or six adjacent hexes qualify, the attacker applies a –2 DRM to each attacker die roll.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Any adjacent friendly controlled hex sharing a Blocked hexside with the Battle hex (see rule 8.4.5) qualifies as a friendly controlled hex occupied by combat units. Impassible terrain hexsides do not qualify.

EXAMPLE: The Battle Hex has a TEM of +1 and contains an Entrenchment marker on its +2 DRM side, yielding a total +3 DRM to each attacker die roll. The attacker notes the following: one impassible terrain hexside that does not count in the calculation, three hexes adjacent to the Battle Hex that are friendly controlled and occupied by one or more friendly combat units, and one adjacent friendly controlled hex that shares a Blocked hexside, for a net total of four hexes, yielding a –1 DRM. The net attacker die roll DRM is +2 (+3 less –1 = +2).

9.2.4 Counterattack

a. If the defender becomes the attacker due to Counterattack or Defender Tactical Advantage FoW die rolls, the following changes occur:

Any defender fort on the Battle Board must be returned to the Battle hex.
Disrupted units may be returned to the Battle Hex or remain on the Battle Board at the counterattacking player's option.
If the counterattacking player has only Disrupted units on the Battle Board and elects to return them all to the Battle Hex, then no counterattack occurs. Any FoW Initiative change remains in effect, however.
The ONLY DRM applied to the counterattack is the +1 DRM applied to each counterattacking unit.

b. If a counterattack occurs, the player who was the attacker must now place his units on the Battle Board in accordance with paragraph 9.2.2.

EXAMPLE: The Defender has two undisrupted corps and one disrupted corps in the Battle Hex, and must place all three on the Battle Board. The attacker has two undisrupted corps, one disrupted corps and a fort in the Battle Hex. The fort must stay in the Battle Hex, and the Attacker also chooses to leave the disrupted corps in the Battle Hex, placing the two undisrupted corps on the Battle Board in spaces opposite the two undisrupted defender corps. The FoW die roll results in Counterattack. The defender units are now attacker units, and the former defender player immediately returns the disrupted corps to the Battle Hex. All of the attacker's units are now defending units. The former attacker (now defender) must now place both his disrupted corps and fort on the battle board because there are spaces available for them. The two undisrupted counterattacking corps are placed in spaces opposite the two undisrupted defending corps. With no counterattacking unit opposite it, the disrupted defender corps is returned to the Battle Hex. The defender fort is moved to a Reserve space behind one of the two defending undisrupted corps. When combat is resolved the only DRM applied is the +1 DRM for each counterattacking unit.

9.2.5 Reserve Placement

a. If there are not enough attacking units to fill all of the front line attacker spaces opposite the occupied defender spaces:

Any disrupted defending units not under attack are returned to the map.
Any undisrupted defending units or forts left without an attacker opposite may be placed in any space or spaces behind the front line, "in reserve." Such units will get a "free shot" at the surviving attacking unit(s) opposite, without the attacker being able to reply, at the end of the combat.

b. Likewise if there are more attackers than defenders, the surplus undisrupted attacking units may be placed in reserve in any space or spaces behind the attacker front line and likewise get a free shot at any surviving frontline defenders opposite at the end of the combat.

NOTE: Cavalry units are restricted as to when they can be placed in reserve (see rule 9.6.1). Only British cavalry may be placed in reserve, and may fire on infantry or cavalry, getting the normal free shot.

9.2.6 Cavalry Withdrawal in Declared Battles

Undisrupted cavalry defending in a battle board front line space may withdraw from the Battle.

If withdrawing from attacking infantry, the cavalry suffers one hit on a die roll of 1 or 2.
If withdrawing from attacking cavalry, the cavalry unit is automatically flipped to its Disrupted side.
The owning player immediately places the withdrawn cavalry back on the map in the Battle hex.
Any defender unit in the reserve space directly behind the withdrawing cavalry unit loses its reserve status, and is moved up to the vacated front line space. Both front line units then fire normally at each other.
If no defender reserve unit fills the vacated defender frontline space, the attacking unit(s) may not be shifted into reserve behind other attacking units. Pursuing the withdrawing defending cavalry has taken them out of the battle.

9.3 Resolving Combat

9.3.1 General

The attacking player starts on one side of his front line on the Battle Board and resolves each space's combat one at a time in order until all combats in this Battle have been concluded.

a. Roll 1 die for each attacker space containing a unit or stack. Exception: cavalry attacking infantry (see rule 9.6.1).

b. Add or subtract the following DRMs to each attacker die roll:

Add the Terrain Effects DRM (+1 or +2) to the roll if there is a DRM marker in the TEM space.
Add the Entrenched DRM (+1 or +2) to the die roll if there is a DRM marker in the Entrenched space.
Subtract the Concentric Attack DRM (–1 or –2 from the die roll) if there is a DRM marker in the Concentric Attack space.
Subtract the Mountain capable DRM if either the French XIV Corps or Chasseurs Alpins Brigade attacks in hexes 102 or 103.
If the defender becomes the attacker due to Counterattack, instead of the above DRMs, add a +1 DRM to counterattacking unit die rolls.

c. If the number rolled, plus any DRMs, is equal to or less than the attacking unit's combat factor, the attacker scores a hit. Place a Hit marker on the defending unit or stack. Exception: if the actual die roll, regardless of DRMs, was 1 the result is always a hit. If the actual die roll was 6, regardless of DRMs, the result is always a miss.

d. If two divisions/brigades are stacked together, their combat strengths are added together in firing at the defending space.

9.3.2 Defender Fire

a. In each combat, after the attacker(s) fire, the defender(s) now fire back in the same way, rolling 1 die per unit, scoring hits and placing Hit markers in similar fashion.

b. Fire is considered simultaneous.

A defending unit that suffered a hit from the attacker fires back using its undisrupted strength.
A disrupted unit that suffered a hit fires back at its disrupted strength.
Forts with a hit marker fire back with their pre-battle defensive strength.
Exception: cavalry attacking infantry (see rule 9.6.1).

c. No defending unit applies DRMs for TEM, entrenchments, or Concentric Attack.

d. Regardless of whether a fort is on the Battle Board, a defender fort (besieged or unbesieged) in the Battle Hex confers a –1 DRM to all defender combat unit die rolls (except for the fort's combat die roll if on the Battle Board), including battles fought with an Attacker Surprise FoW result (see 9.5.1, fifth bullet). Exception: Skirmishes do not receive the –1 Fort defensive modifier.

e. If the Battle is a Plan 17 Mandated Battle, each defender unit applies a negative DRM equal to the Terrain Effects number of the Battle Hex (see 9.3.5b).

9.3.3 Combat Losses

After all front line combats have been resolved, apply losses to each unit or stack bearing a hit marker.

FORTS: A full strength Fort unit with a Hit marker is flipped to its next lower level or removed from play if a one step unit. A reduced strength Fort unit with a Hit marker is removed from play if a two step fort, or removed and replaced by the replacement counter if a multi-step unit.

UNITS: An undisrupted unit with a Hit marker is flipped to its disrupted side. A disrupted unit with a hit marker is eliminated. Eliminated units are now placed in the deadpile.

If two divisions/brigades are stacked in one space, both receive a hit.

9.3.4 Reserve Fire

If the attacker or defender has any unit(s) in reserve spaces, each unit or stack now fires at the surviving enemy unit(s) in the front line space opposite it.

A normal combat die roll (see rule 9.3.1) is made. If a hit is scored, a hit marker is placed.
Targeted enemy units in the front line spaces do not fire in return.
Combat losses are taken (see rule 9.3.3).

The Battle Board and an Example of Combat

Situation: Hex 26 is German Controlled and occupied by the German XIII and XVI Corps. There is a Level Two Trench marker in the hex. The French II Territorial Group is also in the hex, having moved into hex 26 from hex 35 several activations previously. The Allied player has the initiative and for the first activation, activates hex 27, moving the VI, VIII and XVIII Corps into hex 26. Since there is a friendly unit in the hex (the II Territorial), the newly entered units are not required to attack, and do not. The activation ends when movement is complete. The second Allied activation is hex 26 where all four French units are now activated. No movement takes place, but a battle is declared in hex 26 (the battle Hex). The Fortunes of War Die Roll is 5 (German General Staff—the German player receives one additional CAP, and the CAPs Remaining marker is adjusted up one space). The battle is now ready to be fought.

The Battle Board has 16 spaces—eight per side. Each side has a row of four frontline spaces directly facing the four frontline spaces of the other side. Behind each row of frontline spaces is a row of four reserve spaces.

In this case, a maximum of four combat/fort units from each side can go to the Battle Board even if the Battle Hex contains more than four such units. In most cases the owning player decides which units go to the Battle Board. The defender is obligated to place all combat/fort units in a Battle Hex on the Battle Board, including disrupted combat units (up to that maximum of 4 units). The attacker does not have to place disrupted combat units on the Battle Board, unless the GT 1–4 Offensive to the Limit Fortunes of War result is rolled.

The defender places a Battle marker in the Battle Hex, and transfers combat/fort units from the Battle Hex onto the Battle Board first. In this case, the German player has only two combat units, the full strength XIII and XVI Corps. They are placed on two of the four frontline spaces—which spaces are used is immaterial.

The attacker now places his combat units (forts can't be used in the attack—they are defensive only). The Allied player has four corps: the VI and XVIII (CS 6 each), the VIII (CS 4), and the II Territorial Group (CS 3). He places the II Territorial in the space opposite the German XIII Corps, and the XVIII Corps in the space opposite the German XVI Corps. The VI and VIII Corps are placed in the remaining two AL frontline spaces. Since the VI and VIII FR Corps have no defenders to attack, they may be shifted to the Allied reserve row behind the II Territorial and XVIII Corps. The VI is placed behind the II Territorial and the VIII behind the XVIII.

The DRMs for the combat are tallied, and the respective Battle markers are placed.

There are no defender DRMs.

Attacker DRMs:

Terrain Effects in the hex is +1 DRM (TEM marker on +1 side)
Level Two Entrenchments is +2 DRM (Entrench Marker on +2 side)
Concentric Attack—three of the six adjacent hexes are Allied controlled and occupied by one or more Allied combat units. Two additional adjacent hexes have the common hexsides between those hexes and the Battle Hex blocked because Allied combat units entered the Battle Hex through those hexsides. Five out of six adjacent hexes qualify for concentric attack, so the Allied player receives a –2 DRM.

The net attacker DRM is +1, +2, –2 = +1

Combat between frontline hexes is simultaneous.

II Territorial and XIII German Corps fire at each other. The German Corps (CS 5) rolls a 4 and scores a hit on the II Territorial, but the II Territorial with CS 3 rolls a 5 +1 DRM, and misses. A Hit marker is placed on II Territorial.

XVIII Corps and German XVI Corps fire at each other. XVIII Corps with CS 6 rolls a 3, +1 DRM =4, and scores a hit on the German corps. The German XVI Corps rolls a 6 (an automatic miss regardless of DRMs). A hit marker is placed on the German XVI Corps.

Those units with Hit markers are now flipped—II Territorial and German XVI flip to their Disrupted sides, and the Hit markers are removed.

Now, the reserve units get to fire at the defending units in the opposite front line hexes, and the defenders do not get to shoot back—in essence a free shot.

The French VI Corps (CS 6) fires at the XIII Corps, rolls a 1 +1 DRM = 2, and scores a hit. A Hit marker is placed on XIII Corps.

The French VIII Corps has a chance to destroy the disrupted German XVI Corps, but rolls a 6 which guarantees a miss without even applying the DRM.

The XIII is flipped to its Disrupted side, and the Hit marker is removed.

The battle concluded, the units of both sides are returned from the Battle Board back to the Battle Hex and the Battle marker is removed.

Since all of the German infantry units are disrupted, and the Allied player has at least one (three in this case) undisrupted infantry units, the German should be retreating automatically. However, since the hex is entrenched, retreat is no longer mandatory, the German player elects to remain in the hex.

End of Activation and Example.

9.3.5 Elan

a. On GTs 1–4, any Allied Mandated Battle executed in a Plan 17 VP hex may produce higher than normal losses for the attacking force.

b. Each defender unit or stack (including fort units) fires with a negative DRM equal to the Terrain Effect number of the Battle Hex to its combat die roll.

c. At the conclusion of the Battle, if the Allied attacking force has suffered no hits, the German player places one hit on an Allied unit (the unit must be undisrupted if one is available).

DEVELOPER NOTE: The French Army's blind obedience to élan, caused horrific French casualties in the opening weeks of the war. The step loss mechanism (which works very well in later turns) did not produce enough French step losses early in the scenario.

9.3.6 Concluding A Battle

After all combats of the current battle have been resolved, all surviving units are returned to the Battle hex (and remove the Battle marker). Make sure to place such units on their proper disrupted or undisrupted side.

Any retreats are now performed (see rule 9.4).

Players now proceed to resolve the next battle (if any) in the order the attacker chooses (return to rule 9.1.3f. and begin the Battle sequence again).

9.4 Retreats

At the conclusion of a Battle, all surviving Attacker and Defender units are returned from the Battle Board to the Battle Hex. Both players now determine if their units must retreat. If a mandatory Retreat (9.4.1) or Optional Defender Retreat (9.4.2) is taken:

Retreating non-fort units may be retreated singly or in groups.
Units may be retreated to more than one hex, subject to retreat priorities (9.4.3).

9.4.1 Mandatory Retreats (all non-fort units retreat)

a. If, at this point, one player has only disrupted infantry units, or no infantry units (ignoring friendly forts and cavalry), while the other has at least one undisrupted infantry unit the player with only disrupted infantry units or no infantry units must retreat.

b. If a Routed result occurs on the FoW Table, the side with fewer undisrupted combat units must retreat.

Exception: In all cases above, if an entrenchment marker is present or Vosges Mountain hexes 102 or 103 are the Battle Hexes, players do not have to retreat, though they may choose to do so if defending.

c. In a battle involving only cavalry on both sides (no infantry in the Battle Hex), a retreat is mandatory if only one side has no undisrupted cavalry units at the conclusion of the battle.

d. Control of the hex may switch sides at this time.

Likewise, if one or more enemy combat units enters a hex that contains only a friendly HQ (ignore friendly fort units) the HQ must retreat immediately as above.

9.4.2 Optional Defender Retreat

The defender always has the option to retreat non-Fort units if a valid retreat path is open (see rule 9.4.3). All defending non-fort units must be retreated in a voluntary retreat. Optional Defender Retreat always occurs after any mandatory Attacker retreat. Control of the hex may switch sides at this time.

Note: There is no Optional Attacker Retreat. Unless forced to retreat (9.4.2), attacking units remain in the Combat Hex.

9.4.3 Retreat Priorities

a. Retreating units must retreat into an adjacent hex in this order of priorities:

A friendly controlled hex free of enemy units (1,3).
A friendly controlled hex containing enemy units (1,3).
An enemy controlled hex containing no enemy units (1,2,3).
An enemy controlled hex containing at least one enemy infantry unit and no current battle marker only if friendly combat units also occupy the hex (1,2,3).
An enemy controlled hex containing one or more undisrupted enemy cavalry divisions, but no enemy infantry units. The retreating unit or stack may enter, but one unit of the owning player's choice must take one hit to enter such a hex (1,2,3). The cavalry units have the option to remain in the hex or retreat normally.

(1) Retreating units cannot cross impassable terrain hexsides. (2) Retreating units cannot cross Blocked hexsides (see rule 8.4.5). (3) Retreating units can retreat into hexes from which they cannot trace supply.

b. Units that cannot retreat to one of the above hexes are eliminated.

c. Units forced to retreat into a hex in violation of the stacking limits must retreat one additional hex under the same priority list as above. The retreating unit or stack must lose one step to enter such a hex (from one unit of the owning player's choice). If the retreating unit or stack is still overstacked, they would be eliminated and placed in the deadpile.

9.4.4 HQ Retreats

If there is a retreat, any HQ present retreats as well. If, after a Battle, a HQ is alone in a hex (ignore friendly forts) with enemy units (including enemy forts) the HQ must be moved to the nearest hex containing friendly supplied units and no Battle marker.

Likewise, if one or more enemy combat units enters a hex that contains only a friendly HQ (ignore friendly fort units) the HQ must retreat immediately as above.

If there is no path of friendly controlled hexes of any length leading to such a space, the HQ is eliminated and may not be replaced. This is the only way a HQ may be eliminated.

HQs forced to retreat are always flipped to their reverse (reduced movement point) side. If a retreating HQ enters a hex with one or more unflipped friendly HQs, all such HQs must be immediately flipped.

DESIGN NOTE: It is nearly impossible to eliminate an enemy HQ. Historically, none were overrun in this campaign. The rules work to discourage unrealistic "HQ hunts."

9.4.5 Retreating into the Sea (Allied Units Only)

Historically the Allies were not faced with a "Dunkirk" situation in 1914, but the possibility still exists that Allied units could be cut off in the Channel Ports and perhaps forced to retreat into the sea.

For each retreating Allied unit roll one die and reference the result on the table below:

Die Roll	Result
1	Place Disrupted 2 GT ahead on TRT
2	Place Disrupted 3 GT ahead on TRT
3	Place Disrupted 4 GT ahead on TRT
4	Place Disrupted 5 GT ahead on TRT
5	Eliminated
6	Eliminated

DRMs: –1 Unit is British; +2 Unit is French Territorial; +3 Unit is Belgian.

Undisrupted units are automatically disrupted. Disrupted units suffer no additional effect.

9.5 Forts

Fort counters represent the extensive earth and masonry works built by both sides before the war to block the main enemy avenues of advance.

9.5.1 Fort Characteristics

Forts may only fire defensively. They may not be placed on the Battle Board in any attack, and must be removed from the Battle Board if they are part of a defender force that must counterattack due to a FoW die roll. Cavalry units may not attack a fort.

Forts do not suffer Disruption—only step losses.
Forts suffer step losses when successfully bombarded by HA units (see rule 9.5.4). Forts do not get to fire at HA units during bombardment.
Forts attacked by infantry units suffer a step loss only on an unmodified die roll of 1.
A fort fires back defensively using its combat factor.

Regardless of whether a fort is on the Battle Board a defender fort in the Battle Hex confers a –1 DRM to all defender combat unit die rolls (except when battles are fought as skirmishes).

9.5.2 Fort Garrisons

In addition to their intrinsic combat strength, many forts contained a large garrison. Any Allied fort with a defensive strength number of +2 or +3 on any step contains a large garrison. The two German Metz fort units also contain large garrisons.

Forts with Large Garrisons:

Fort	Hex
Metz (both units)	86
Maubeuge	45
Verdun	67
Verdun	76
Toul	87
Epinal	98
Belfort	104
Antwerp (Scenario 3 optional unit—Exception to 9.5.2)	52

DEVELOPER NOTE: All forts contained an intrinsic garrison, but most were too small to be represented at this game's scale. The Metz, or Allied +2/+3 fort counters represent the large multi-fort complexes that had a several thousand infantry assigned to man the trenches between the forts and act as reserve or sortie forces.

Large garrisoned forts confer two advantages to the defender:

Large garrisoned forts surrender only on a die roll of 1 (see rule 9.5.3.c).
Large garrisoned forts require an undisrupted infantry corps (not division or brigade) to be besieged (see rule 9.5.3.a).

9.5.3 Siege

a. Forts may be placed under siege at the end of a battle if:

the enemy player has at least one undisrupted infantry unit in the hex, and
the defender has no units in the hex other than forts.

NOTE: Any fort with a large garrison requires that the undisrupted infantry unit is a corps.

Exception: The fort unit in Antwerp cannot be besieged (see rule 12.5.1).

b. Place a siege marker in the hex. Once a siege marker is placed, it remains there until:

the fort or forts are eliminated, or
there is no longer an undisrupted enemy infantry (must be a corps for a large garrisoned fort) unit to maintain the siege, or
all enemy infantry units retreat or move out of the hex.

c. Surrender: During the Attrition phase roll a die for each besieged fort. On a roll of 1 or 2 any forts without a large garrison surrender, and are removed. On a roll of 1 forts with a large garrison surrender and are removed.

9.5.4 German Heavy Siege Artillery (HA) Units

a. General: There are two German Heavy Siege Artillery (HA) units in the game, representing the 305mm guns from Skoda and the Krupp 420mm guns. HA units have the following characteristics:

HA units do not count for stacking.
HA units may not be used in Battle against Combat Units—only to Bombard forts.
If alone in a hex (ignore friendly forts) with any enemy infantry or cavalry unit at any time they are eliminated immediately and may not be replaced.
HA units do retreat normally after Battle.
HA units have a movement allowance of 1 hex, and may not have that allowance increased by moving with a HQ.
HA units may not use Strategic Movement, but may move normally during the German General Withdrawal when declared.

b. HA Bombardment: The sole ability of the HA units is to bombard enemy forts. They may not bombard alone but only as part of a normal German Battle. They may participate in only one Battle per TURN. Once used, they must be flipped to their reverse side to indicate they may not take part in further Battles this turn. Flip them back (if in supply) only during the Undisrupt Supplied Units Segment of the Administrative Phase.

c. Resolving HA Bombardment: Before the FoW roll, each HA unit in the hex may bombard. One HA unit must complete its bombardment before the remaining HA unit (if present) may bombard. To use a HA unit to bombard, simply indicate a fort in the hex (specify only if two fort units are present) and roll the die. If the die roll is equal to or less than the HA's Combat Factor, the fort loses a step.

Bombardment Modifier: The only DRM on HA attacks is the +# (the Defensive Strength Number of some Allied fort units) printed on certain forts. This # is applied to all HA attacks on that fort. Other than possibly applying its Defensive Strength number (if it possesses one), Allied fort units do not fire at German HA units bombarding them.

The HA unit must continue bombarding the same fort in the hex until it is eliminated before bombarding another fort (if a second fort unit exists in that hex).

MULTIPLE BOMBARDMENT ROLLS: Immediately after a successful bombardment die roll, the HA unit rolls again for another bombardment and continues to do so until it either misses or all forts in the hex are destroyed. When either event occurs, the HA must cease firing for the remainder of the GT. Flip the HA unit to its reverse side to indicate that it may not bombard further this turn.

d. Concentrated Bombardment: If both unfired HA units occupy the same hex, the German player may commit both units to bombard any and all fort units in the hex prior to making any bombardment rolls. If both HA units fail to eliminate all Allied forts in the hex, when the second HA unit is flipped, the fort being bombarded receives one additional hit to reflect concentrated HA effects. If all fort units in a hex are eliminated prior to bombarding with the second HA unit, it is still flipped to its fired side.

9.6 Cavalry

9.6.1 Cavalry Combat Restrictions

Cavalry units may not attack forts.
Cavalry units may attack infantry units, but each defending front line infantry unit gets one free shot at the attacking cavalry unit before normal combat is resolved. Any hits are applied immediately. Then normal combat with simultaneous fire is resolved. Thus, the defending infantry unit will get two shots at an attacking cavalry unit.

NOTE: Cavalry divisions can be used to attack infantry divisions and corps, and there are often good reasons for doing so. The trade-off is that the cavalry stands a very good chance of being destroyed outright (which usually happened whenever mounted charges encountered machine guns and artillery).

Attacking or Defending Cavalry units may not be placed in reserve opposite enemy frontline infantry units (but may be in reserve against enemy frontline cavalry units).

Exception: British cavalry in reserve may fire on infantry, getting the normal free shot.

9.6.2 Cavalry Withdrawal in Declared Battles

Undisrupted cavalry defending in a battle board front line space may withdraw from the Battle.

If withdrawing from attacking infantry, the cavalry suffers one hit on a die roll of 1 or 2.
If withdrawing from attacking cavalry, the cavalry unit is automatically flipped to its Disrupted side.
The owning player immediately places the withdrawn cavalry back on the map in the Battle hex.
Any defender unit in the reserve space directly behind the withdrawing cavalry unit loses its reserve status, and is moved up to the vacated front line space. Both front line units then fire normally at each other.
If no defender reserve unit fills the vacated defender frontline space, the attacking unit(s) may not be shifted into reserve behind other attacking units. Pursuing the withdrawing defending cavalry has taken them out of the battle.

9.6.3 Cavalry Delay

DESIGN NOTE: This rule prevents ahistorical use of cavalry to impose delay and cause CAP expenditure.

If a player expends a CAP to move an undisrupted infantry corps (or a group of units containing one or more undisrupted infantry corps) into a hex containing only enemy cavalry units, no Battle is conducted, but one of the following results occurs:

a. The enemy cavalry unit(s) elect to stand (owning player choice). The cavalry is eliminated and placed in the deadpile. The friendly units gain control of the hex, but move no further.

b. The enemy cavalry unit(s) elect to withdraw (owning player choice). All enemy cavalry units must retreat three hexes. At the end of the retreat, any undisrupted cavalry divisions are disrupted. If the cavalry units cannot retreat the full three hexes, they are eliminated. Friendly units may continue moving normally up to their remaining MP allowance.

9.7 Entrenching

9.7.1 Trenches may not be built until German General Withdrawal is executed.

NOTE: The German player does start with one Trench marker on map (hex 86—Metz).

9.7.2 Once the German player builds trenches, both players may build entrenchments for the rest of the game. A player may only place trenches in a hex that currently contains friendly AND enemy supplied infantry units.

Exception: At the end of a German General Withdrawal the German player (only) may construct trenches without supplied enemy infantry being present.

It costs one CAP to place a Trench marker in a hex. Once a hex is entrenched it remains entrenched for the rest of the game. Trenches are never removed (The hex itself is entrenched—units in the hex may move).

No matter which player places an entrenchment, its combat effects DRM applies to both the Germans and the Allies when they attack. The DRMs of trenches affect attacker fire only.

Only one Trench marker can be placed per hex.

9.7.3 Trench Levels

When placed on the map, a Trench marker always has its +1 side showing. During the Entrenchment Improvement segment of the Admin Phase, all hexes containing a +1 DRM level Trench marker and supplied combat units of BOTH sides are flipped to their +2 DRM side. A trench may never provide more than a +2 DRM. The +1 or +2 DRM represents the relative amount of "spadework" done.

The DRM is added to all non-HA attacker die rolls.

DESIGN NOTE: In 1914 trenches were generally constructed on or near the front line. (The one exception was the Germans digging in after the retreat from the Marne, represented by the General Withdrawal rule, where the Germans dug in before the pursuing Allies arrived.) Inevitably, once one side dug in, the other side took the hint and followed suit. Think carefully before spending a CAP to entrench a particular hex—trenches make it much harder for both sides to successfully attack.

9.8 Disruption

9.8.1 General

Only infantry and cavalry units become disrupted. This is signified by flipping them to their back (reduced) sides. (HQs and HA units on their back side are not disrupted, and forts are reduced rather than disrupted.) Disruption takes place as a result of combat or supply attrition.

9.8.2 Disruption Effects

Disrupted units have a movement allowance of one hex when activated (they may move faster when accompanying HQs).
Disrupted units may not enter a hex containing enemy units or forts unless accompanied by undisrupted units, or the hex is friendly controlled.
Disrupted units do not have to attack (see FoW exception) and are never placed in reserve in battle.
A disrupted unit that suffers a hit in combat is eliminated.

9.8.3 Disruption Recovery

a. It costs 1 CAP to undisrupt all supplied combat units in a single hex. To qualify for Disruption Recovery, each hex must be completely free of enemy combat units or forts (including besieged forts).

NOTE: Disruption Recovery can also be undertaken at no CAP cost during the Administrative Phase (see rule 11.2.7).

b. Disruption Recovery triggers surrender of the initiative to the opposing player.

If the first activation taken is Disruption Recovery, a second activation (if desired) must also be Disruption Recovery. If not, the initiative is automatically surrendered to the opposing player after the first activation.
If the first activation is not Disruption Recovery, the second activation may be Disruption Recovery—in this case the initiative would be surrendered because of two consecutive activations as well as using Disruption Recovery.

NOTE: Remember, if desiring to conduct any other activation in addition to Disruption Recovery, the other activation must be the first activation.

10.0 Strategic Movement Phase

10.1 General

This phase follows the Action Phase, and since CAPS are required, players desiring to utilize Strategic Movement should remember not to expend all available CAPS during the Action Phase. Strategic Movement costs 1 CAP per unit (regardless of size or type, including HQs). German HA units cannot use Strategic Movement.

10.2 Strategic Rail Movement (Both Sides)

A unit using strategic rail movement must begin, end, and move through only friendly controlled rail hexes (regardless of the presence of enemy units). Such movement must take through hexes connected by rail lines that can ultimately trace back to a friendly German or French supply source. Units moving by strategic rail movement may move up to 10 hexes.

10.3 Restrictions for Strategic Rail Movement

No strategic rail movement is allowed anywhere on the map on turns 1 & 2 for either the Allied or German player.
French and British units may use rail strategic movement from GT3 onward.
German units may use rail strategic movement from GT3 onward in German map hexes, and from GT5 onward in Allied map hexes bearing German Control markers.
Belgian units may never use strategic rail movement.
British units may pass through, but may not remain in Paris when using strategic rail movement.

10.4 Allied Strategic Sea Movement

A unit using Strategic Sea Movement must begin and end movement in a friendly controlled hex containing a named coastal city (Zeebrugge/Ostend, hex 32; Dunkirk, hex 23; Calais/Boulogne, hex 14; Dieppe, hex 7; Le Havre, hex 1). The hex at the end of movement must bear a lower hex number (be farther to the west) than the departure port hex.

NOTE: This is a mechanic designed for Allied withdrawal, should it become necessary.

Belgian units may never use strategic sea movement.

11.0 The Administrative Phase

During the Administrative Phase the following steps are performed in the following order:

11.1 Determine if the German Player has Won an Immediate Victory

The German player wins an Immediate Victory if he has gained control of Paris during the current GT and the current Allied Plan 17 VP total is less than half the German VP total (see rule 3.2.4.a). GT 7 (Scenario 2) or GT 15 (Scenarios 1 or 3), determine victory normally (see rule 3.2.4c). If it is GT9, determine the interim VP totals (see rule 3.2.4d).

11.2 Check For Supply Phase

11.2.1 During this phase, combat units, plus HQs and HA units check for supply. They are supplied if they can trace supply from the hex they occupy to an adjacent friendly controlled rail hex, and then along a rail net—a line of contiguous friendly controlled rail hexes to a friendly supply source hex. Remove Out of Supply markers from units now able to trace supply.

11.2.2 Units unable to trace supply in 11.2.1 above are considered Out of Supply (OoS) (see rule 11.3 Attrition). Place (or keep) Out of Supply markers on units unable to trace supply.

11.2.3 Forts do not require supply and do not check for supply, but may possibly surrender (see rule 9.5.3).

11.2.4 Allied Supply Sources: Units may only trace supply to hexes of the proper nationality. The following are Allied Supply Sources:

FRENCH UNITS: hexes 1, 4, 13, 61, 80, and 89.
BRITISH UNITS: hexes 1, 4, and 14.
BELGIAN UNITS: hexes 1 and 14.
ANTWERP: Belgian units and the British Royal Naval (RN) division are in supply in Antwerp (hex 52) until the hex becomes German controlled.

11.2.5 German Supply Sources: German units are supplied through hexes 91, 94, 100, 105, 107.

11.3 Attrition (refer to rule 11.2.2)

Attrition has the following effects:

Disrupted combat units judged to be OoS during the Attrition Check Segment are eliminated.
Undisrupted combat units judged to be OoS during the Attrition Check Segment are disrupted.

NOTE: If all surviving enemy infantry units in a hex become disrupted, any besieged forts in that hex immediately have their besieged markers removed.

HQs and HA units judged to be OoS in the Attrition Check Segment are flipped to their reversed sides (if not already there) but are not eliminated.
Forts are not affected by attrition. However, besieged forts may be forced to surrender. After completing the Attrition Check Segment roll a die for each besieged fort to determine if the fort surrenders. On a roll of 1 or 2 any forts without a large garrison surrender, and are removed. On a roll of 1 forts with a large garrison surrender and are removed (see 9.5.3c).

11.4 Undisrupt Supplied Units Segment

During this segment both players flip all disrupted supplied combat units (as well as supplied HQs and HA units) to their front side at no CAP cost.

Exceptions:

a. OoS combat units cannot be flipped to their full strength sides.

b. Not all Disrupted combat units in hexes containing any enemy combat unit or fort can be Undisrupted.

In hexes containing one or two friendly supplied combat units, one disrupted combat unit may be flipped back to its full strength side.
In hexes containing three or more friendly supplied combat units, two disrupted combat units may be flipped back to their full strength sides.
Which units to undisrupt is owning player's choice. Supplied flipped HQ or HA units can always be flipped to their front sides.

11.5 Trench Improvement Segment

+1 DRM trenches in a hex containing fully supplied infantry units of both sides are flipped to their +2 DRM side.

11.6 Advance Game Turn Segment

If the scenario has not ended, advance the turn marker and begin the new turn.

12.0 The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and Belgium

12.1 The BEF Goes It Alone

DESIGN NOTE: The British were by no means 100% committed to the campaign. The War Minister, Kitchener, had to order Sir John French, the BEF Commander, to retreat with the French 5th Army instead of retreating back to the Channel Coast Ports.

On game turns 1–5, the Allied player loses one Plan 17 VP per game turn if one or more British units occupies any Schlieffen Plan hex at the conclusion of the Action Phase.

12.2 The Old Contemptibles and the Insignificant Belgians

DESIGN NOTE: Learning from their mistakes in the Boer War, the British Regular Army was very well trained with high standards of marksmanship. The Belgians, the least prepared army to take the field, nonetheless fought with an unexpected tenacity.

In any Declared Battle, the Combat Strength of each defending British combat unit or Belgian Infantry unit is increased by one over its printed strength (there is a red circle around each unit's combat strength).

DESIGN NOTE: For the Belgians the red circle simulates their defensive tenacity. The BEF formations are already rated more highly in strength than most other Allied or German divisions due to their training and marksmanship. Their red circles simulate their enlightened reliance on entrenching.

12.3 Rule Britannia

The Royal Naval and 7th British Divisions, when entering as reinforcements, have the additional option of being placed on any friendly controlled coastal hex. Both divisions must trace supply normally. Antwerp serves as a supply source only for the Royal Naval Division (see rule 11.2.4).

12.4 Allenby's Cavalry

On GTs 1 and 2, the first Battle declared in any hex against a force containing British infantry and cavalry, the FoW result is automatically Skirmish at the Allied player's option. Any subsequent battles in the hex roll normally on the FoW table.

DESIGN NOTE: The Germans repeatedly mistook effective British cavalry screens for main lines of resistance. These screens not only bought time for British deployment, but also caused attacks finally made to be far less coordinated than they might otherwise have been.

12.5 Antwerp

12.5.1 The fort unit in hex 52 (Antwerp) cannot be besieged. Much of the Scheldt Estuary coastline was Dutch, making it impossible to fully invest Antwerp or its fortifications. Hex 52 cannot become German controlled until the fort unit is eliminated and no Belgian combat units remain in the hex.

DEVELOPER NOTE: One of the most interesting chapters of the 1914 campaign involved how Antwerp evolved from an afterthought in German strategic planning into a major operation. Quite simply, the Germans miscalculated. They assumed that the portion of the Belgian Army they did not destroy would melt away. First, most of the Belgian Army retreated intact into the Antwerp defenses. Second, the Belgians mounted two effective sorties out of Antwerp, forcing the Germans to deploy upwards of two corps to screen their vulnerable supply lines. Much of the action took place at a level too small to be effectively portrayed in Grand Illusion, so the following rules are in effect IF the Allied player on GT1 chooses to retreat all Belgian units in hex 62 into Antwerp (hex 52):

12.5.2 Until GT7, if the German player keeps two infantry corps in hexes 53 and/or 62, the Belgian Army must remain in hex 52 (unless the German player declares a Battle in that hex) and cannot be activated (to simulate the alternating sortie/containment actions taking place). If the German player keeps less than two infantry corps in one or both hexes, the Allied player is free to activate hex 52 and move/declare Battles with the Belgian Army.

12.5.3 Capturing Antwerp. If the German player has bottled up the Belgian Army in hex 52 (Antwerp), no unit of the German Army can enter hex 43 (Ghent) and convert it to German control until there are no Belgian combat units remaining in hex 52 (Antwerp).

DESIGN NOTE: The German assault was an unimaginative frontal assault, focused on creating a breach in the fortifications south of the Scheldt. Incredibly, an avenue of escape (hex 43) remained wide-open, and the Belgian Army used it to retreat to safety. Of course, in 1944 the Allies returned the favor, allowing the German 15th Army to escape across the Scheldt Estuary into Holland.

12.5.4 No Allied unit may use the Antwerp port hex to start or end sea movement of any type (due to Dutch neutrality in the Scheldt Estuary).

12.6 Namur

If the Belgian 4th Division is forced to retreat, the Allied player may opt to remove it from the map and place it five turns ahead on the TRT. It may re-enter the map at full strength by being placed on any friendly controlled coastal hex that is a Belgian supply source.

DESIGN NOTE: The Belgian 4th Division did retreat across the border into France, made their way to Le Havre, and went by sea to disembark and rejoin the rest of the Belgian Army.

13.0 Scenario Set Up

13.1 Set Up (Applies to all Scenarios)

13.1.1 Place all units with a reinforcement number or 'PD' (Paris in Danger) on the appropriate turn of the Turn Record Track, or in the PD Box on map. Place all Replacement (R) Fort units in the appropriate boxes on map. A complete listing of fort units is provided in paragraph 13.1.6 below. Unless playing scenario 3, place all units with orange stripes aside—they will not be used. Set up instructions for the orange stripe units are contained within section 14.3 (Scenario 3). The remaining units are set up in the numbered hexes shown in the upper right-hand corner. Most units begin the game front side up. Units with their hex set-up number on their reverse side begin the game with that side face up. At the Allied player's option, a maximum of two British infantry units may be placed at start in hex 54 instead of hex 45 (as indicated on all at start British units).

13.1.2 Victory Point (VP) Markers

a. At the start of the game place the eight Plan 17 VP markers in an opaque cup. Neither player should know the victory point value of these markers.

b. Place the Allied Automatic Victory marker on its German controlled side on hex 94 (Trier).

c. Place the Paris German VP marker on its Allied Control side in hex 19 (Paris).

d. Next, place the remaining fifteen German VP markers in a second opaque cup.

13.1.3 Place the following markers:

a. Place the Turn Record marker on the Turn 1 space on the Turn Record Track (TRT).

b. Place the East Front Transfer marker on the Turn 3 space of the TRT.

c. Place the Joffre II, and Falkenhayn markers on their spaces next to the TRT.

d. On the General Records Track place:

the Allied CAPS marker on the 4 space
the German CAPS marker in the 6 space
the Allied Mandated Battle marker in the 1 space and Plan 17 marker in the 3 space (Mulhouse, in hex 104, has been liberated, prompting great rejoicing throughout France)
the German VP and Mandated Battle markers in the 0 space

e. Battle Board:

The Allied and German Hit Markers are placed in their respective hit marker boxes.
The following markers are placed in the Battle Marker Holding Box:

TEM +1 or +2 DRM Marker
Entrench +1 or +2 DRM Marker
Skirmish/Counterattack Marker
Routed/Attacker Surprise Marker
Concentric Attack Marker
Defender Fort in Battle Hex Marker
Plan 17 Mandated Battle Marker

f. Place one Trench Level One (+1) marker in hex 86 (Metz) and the End of Rail Net marker in hex 56 (see rule 11.2.1d).

g. Place German Control markers in hexes 72 and 73.

13.1.4 Place the Allied and German force markers in their respective boxes on the map.

13.1.5 All other markers should be placed aside in easy reach as needed.

13.1.6 Fort Units

a. All fort units start each scenario with their highest printed value showing. All Replacement (R) fort units start each scenario in the on-map Fort Replacement Step Counters Boxes.

b. Not all fort units reduce in value at a constant rate.

c. Some fort units have a combat strength of two for their final step, while others have a final strength of one. As a general rule of thumb, larger more modern forts have a final strength of two, while counters representing either older forts or a line of smaller non-supporting forts have a final strength of one.

1) Belgian Forts

Hex 52 (Antwerp):

Scenarios 1 and 2 – start with CS5 Antwerp counter, replace with CS3 (R) Antwerp counter.
Scenario 3 – If Belgian preparedness option is chosen start with orange stripe CS5 +1 Antwerp counter, replace with CS3 +1 (R) Antwerp counter.

Hex 64 (Namur): All scenarios - start with CS3 +1 Namur counter. There is no replacement counter. Namur was a small, but well defended fort complex.

Hex 72 (Liege):

Scenarios 1 and 2 – no fort counter. The German big guns have already done their work.
Scenario 3 - If Belgian preparedness option is chosen start with orange stripe CS4 Liege counter, replace with CS2 (R) Liege counter.

2) German Forts

Hex 86 (Metz): All scenarios – two fort units occupy the hex: Metz 5 and Metz 3 start on map; Metz 3 (R) replaces the Metz 5 counter.

Hex 94 (Trier): All scenarios Trier 3 counter starts on map. There is no Trier (R) counter.

Hex 105 (Strasbourg): All scenarios Strasbourg 5 starts on map; Strasbourg 3 (R) replaces Strasbourg 5.

3) French Forts

All non-orange stripe fort units are set up in all three scenarios.

Hex 10 (Versailles): One counter 2,1

Hex 19 (Paris): At start counter 5,4 and (R) counter 2,1

Hex 24 (Hazebrouck): Orange stripe optional fort unit, one counter 3,2 (Scenario 3 only if Allied Option 2 chosen)

Hex 34 (Lille): Orange stripe optional fort unit, one counter 3,2 (Scenario 3 only if Allied Option 2 chosen)

Hex 54 (Maubeuge): At start counter 5 +2, 4 +2 and (R) counter 3 +1, 2 +1

Hex 67 (Verdun): At start counter 5 +2, 4 +2 and (R) counter 3 +2, 2 +2

Hex 76 (Verdun): At start counter 5 +3, 4 +3 and (R) counter 3 +3, 2 +3

Hex 77 (St Mihiel): At start counter 4, 3 and (R) counter 2, 1

Hex 79 (Langres): At start counter 4, 3 and (R) counter 2, 1

Hex 87: two fort counters in the hex

Nancy: at start counter 4 +1, 3 +1 and (R) counter 2 +1, 1 +1
Toul: at start counter 5 +2, 4 +2 and (R) counter 3 +2, 2 +2

Hex 98: two fort counters in the hex

Epinal: At start counter 4, 3 and (R) counter 2, 1
Epinal: At start counter 5 +2, 4 +2 and (R) counter 3 +2, 2 +2

Hex 104 – Belfort: At start counter 5 +2, 4 +2 and (R) counter 3 +2, 2 +2

14.0 Scenarios

14.1 Scenario One. The Full Historical Campaign Scenario

Length: 15 GTs

Set-Up: Refer to section 13

14.1.1 Scenario Special Rules

a. ALLIED:

Belgian Withdrawal: If, during the First Turn only, the German player declares a battle against the Belgian force in hex 62 (Brussels), the Allied player may immediately declare Defender Tactical Advantage (see Fortune of War Table, die roll 7), expend one CAP, and retreat all Belgian units into hex 52 (Antwerp). The Initiative remains with German player, unless it was his second consecutive activation.

DESIGNER/DEVELOPER NOTE: Historically, King Albert and his Belgians got out of the path of the German juggernaut by slipping into the relative safety of the Antwerp forts. Remember the Allied player can only spend one CAP "up north" on GT 1 (see below). If used for a hex other than hex 62, the Belgian Army will probably have to stand and fight against the Germans.

Allied Command Restrictions (GT1): The Allied player cannot activate hexes 66, and 76 (the 3rd and 4th French Armies), and can activate only one of the following hexes:

62 (the Belgian Army) NOTE: Opting for Belgian Withdrawal (above) counts as an activation because a CAP is expended.
54 (the cavalry divisions and possibly two British infantry units)
46 (French 5th Army)
45 (the BEF)

Maubeuge Restrictions: No German units may enter hex 54 (Maubeuge) on Turn 1. No Allied units that do not start the game in hex 54 may enter that hex on turns 1 or 2. Exception: The Allied player may elect to set up two British infantry units in hex 54 at start.

DESIGN NOTE: Despite the fall of the Liege forts on August 17, the Germans were still trying to squeeze a large logistical tail through a pretty narrow tube, which limited the speed of the initial advance through Belgium. As for the Allies, though the British 2nd Corps fought a sharp delaying action at Mons, it would be highly unrealistic to allow the Allied player to create a Festung Maubeuge on turns 1 or 2.

Allied Plan 17 VP Hex Mandated Battles (GT1, 2, 3 and 4): On turn 1, the Allied Mandated Battle marker is set on the one space of the General Record Track. On GT2 the marker is set on the two space. On turns 3 and 4, the Allied Mandated Battle marker is set on the one space at the start of each GT.

The Allied player has the option to declare and execute these Mandated Battles during the Action Phase of each GT.
If Mandated Battles are executed in a Plan 17 VP hex, score one Plan 17 VP per hex and decrease the Mandated Battles Remaining marker by one. The VP gained is in addition to any Plan 17 VPs gained for actually making the hex Allied controlled.
If the Mandated Battle is fought in a non-Plan 17 VP hex, the Mandated Battles Remaining marker is decreased by one, but no VP is scored for the Allied player.
During the Mandated Battle VP reduction segment of the Admin Phase, decrease the Allied Plan 17 VP total by one for each Mandated Attack remaining.
If the Allied player declares and executes General Withdrawal before all Mandated Attacks are made, disregard any remaining Mandated Attacks (since the Allied High Command has ordered a withdrawal, it follows that such attacks are cancelled).
Allied Plan 17 VP Hex Mandated Battles model the extreme optimism of the French High Command in ordering attacks at all cost. Therefore, FoW Table results of 3 (Cautious Attacker), 4 (Skirmish), 7 (Defender Tactical Advantage), and 10 (Counterattack) are ignored.
French Elan: Each defender unit or stack (including fort units) in a Plan 17 VP Hex Mandated Battle fires with a negative DRM equal to the Terrain Effect number of the Battle Hex to its combat die roll. At the conclusion of the Battle, if the Allied attacking force has suffered no hits, the German player places one hit on an Allied unit (the unit must be undisrupted if one is available).

BEF Replacements (GT 8): During the Reinforcement and Replacement Phase, one eliminated BEF infantry unit may be placed on map as a variable reinforcement. If no BEF unit is available, the option is lost—it cannot be saved for a later turn.

BEF and Belgian Replacements (GT 12): During the Reinforcement and Replacement Phase, one eliminated BEF infantry unit and Belgian infantry unit may be placed on map on their Disrupted sides as variable reinforcements. If an eliminated infantry unit for either nationality is unavailable, the option is lost for that nationality—it cannot be saved for a later turn.

b. GERMAN:

German HQ Reinforcement (GT 6): The GE Detachment HQ entering as a variable reinforcement may be placed in a hex containing a GE Army HQ (the numbered HQs). The numbered HQ is placed one GT ahead on the TRT and enters as a variable reinforcement (historically 7th GE Army HQ was moved to Flanders to coordinate upcoming attacks around Ypres).

German Mandated Battles (GTs 12–15): The German Mandated Battle marker is set on the one space of the General Record Track at the start of each GT. The German player has the option to declare and execute one Mandated Battle during the Action Phase of each GT. For each Mandated battle not executed, decrease the German VP total by one.

c. BOTH:

Disrupted Reinforcements:

Starting GT 8 when single CAPS are spent to bring back eliminated combat units from the deadpile as reinforcements two game turns later, these units must re-enter the map on their Disrupted (reduced) sides.
Starting GT10 when two CAPS are spent to bring back a unit from the deadpile immediately, the unit enters on its Disrupted side—effectively, any reinforcement units brought back from the deadpile by spending CAPS will enter on their Disrupted sides from GT 10 onward.

Fatigue: Starting GT12 no more than half of the disrupted combat units (rounding up) can be undisrupted in hexes where formerly all disrupted units could be undisrupted (either by expending a CAP or during the Admin Phase).

14.1.2 Scenario Victory

Scenario victory is determined by comparing the number of Allied and German Victory Points (VPs) [see a., b., c. and d. below] at times in the scenario [see 14.1.2 below]:

a. Scoring Allied VPs. The only Allied VPs that can be gained are Plan 17 VPs, and Plan 17 VPs can only be received in one of two ways:

For controlling Plan 17 VP hexes (hexes 85, 86, 95, 96, 100, 103, 105 and 107). At the moment a Plan 17 VP Hex becomes Allied controlled, randomly draw a Plan 17 VP marker from the opaque cup and place it on the Allied controlled Plan 17 VP Hex. Apply the VPs immediately by moving the Plan 17 VP marker the appropriate number of spaces on the General Record Track. The Allied Player receives double the number of VPs for control of hexes 86 and 105 (Metz and Strasburg). The Allied player permanently receives these VPs even if the hex subsequently becomes German controlled.
For executing Mandated Battles in Plan 17 VP hexes on GTs 1–4 (see rule 9.1.1)

b. Scoring German VPs. The German player scores VPs only for the capture of Paris (hex 19) or for the following fifteen German VP hexes: 8, 14, 16, 23, 26, 34, 36, 38, 48, 52 (Antwerp, hex 52 has the red VP box omitted—we missed one), 58, 76, 87, 98 and 104. The German player receives double the number of VPs for control of hexes 76 and 87 (Verdun and Toul/Nancy).

c. Victory points can be lost for:

Failure to carry out Mandated Battles (Both players—see rule 9.1.1). Each attack not carried out decreases the VP total of the side not carrying out the Mandated Army Attack by 1 VP.
Executing General Withdrawal (Both players—see rules 8.7.2 and 8.7.3)
The Allied player can lose VPs if the BEF breaks contact with the French Army (see rule 12.1)
The German player can lose VPs for not making the East Front Troop Withdrawal (see rule 7.3)
A VP total can be negative because of the above actions.

d. Supply and Victory Points

If executing a GT1–4 Mandated battle, the attacking units must be able to trace supply from the Plan 17 VP Battle Hex in order for the battle to count for VP purposes.
If scoring VPs for control of a Plan 17 VP hex, Allied units in the hex must be able to trace supply.
If scoring VPs for German control of a VP hex, the German controlled VP hex must be able to trace supply to a German Supply Source.

14.1.3 Victory Determination

a. Immediate German Victory Determination. Immediate German Victory is a one-time only occurrence. On any game turn that Paris (hex 19) first becomes German controlled, check to see if the Germans have won an Immediate Victory at the end of the game turn.

From the opaque cup, randomly draw and place German VP markers on each non-Paris supplied German controlled VP hex.
Adjust the VP marker upward for the value of each VP marker.
Flip the Paris VP marker to its German Control side, and add 10 VPs to the current German VP total.

The Germans win an Immediate Victory if the current French Plan 17 VP total is less than half the German VP total. If the Germans have not won an Immediate Victory:

The Paris VP marker remains on its German Control side.
The 10 German VPs for Paris remain as part of the German VP total until the end of the scenario or until the Paris hex again becomes Allied controlled.
Remove each non-Paris German VP marker from the map and return it to the opaque cup, reducing the German VP total by the VP value of each marker removed.
Play continues.

b. Sudden Death Allied Victory. At the instant the Allied player gains control of hex 94 (Trier), the game ends in an automatic Allied victory.

c. Regular Victory Determination. During the Victory Determination Phase of Turn 15, compare the number of German VPs to the number of Allied VPs.

From the opaque cup, randomly draw and place German VP markers on each non-Paris supplied, German controlled VP hex that does not already have a German VP marker.
Adjust the VP marker upward for the value of each VP marker placed at this time.

If the German total is 6 or greater AND at least twice the Allied total, the German player wins. If not, the Allies win. Note a draw is not possible. (Historically the Allies are considered to have won a slight victory, because though the Germans conquered most of Belgium and much of northern France, they failed in their attempt to win the war in six weeks.)

d. Interim VP Calculation. During GT9 of Scenario 1 Interim Victory Point Segment, draw German VP markers randomly from the opaque cup and place them in supplied German controlled VP Hexes. As each marker is placed and revealed, add the VPs to the German VP total on the General Records Track and adjust the German VP markers accordingly. The scenario cannot end at this point, regardless of the VP totals. Play continues. Both players now have gained a general idea of how close they are (or are not) to victory. If any German VP hex subsequently becomes Allied controlled, remove the VP marker, place it back in the opaque cup, and decrease the German VP total by that VP amount.

14.2 Scenario Two. The Short Historical Campaign Scenario

Length: 7 GTs

Set Up: See Section 13

14.2.1 Scenario Special Rules

ALLIED:

Allied Command Restrictions (GT1): The Allied player cannot activate hexes 66, and 76 (the 3rd and 4th French Armies), and can activate only one of the following hexes:

62 (the Belgian Army) NOTE: Opting for Belgian Withdrawal (above) counts as an activation because a CAP is expended.
54 (the cavalry divisions and possibly two British infantry units)
46 (French 5th Army)
45 (the BEF)

The Allied player has the option to declare and execute these Mandated Battles during the Action Phase of each GT.
If Mandated Battles are executed in a Plan 17 VP hex, score one Plan 17 VP per hex and decrease the Mandated Battles Remaining marker by one. The VP gained is in addition to any Plan 17 VPs gained for actually making the hex Allied controlled.
If the Mandated Battle is fought in a non-Plan 17 VP hex, the Mandated Battles Remaining marker is decreased by one, but no VP is scored for the Allied player.
During the Mandated Battle VP reduction segment of the Admin Phase, decrease the Allied Plan 17 VP total by one for each Mandated Attack remaining.
If the Allied player declares and executes General Withdrawal before all Mandated Attacks are made, disregard any remaining Mandated Attacks (since the Allied High Command has ordered a withdrawal, it follows that such attacks are cancelled).
Allied Plan 17 VP Hex Mandated Battles model the extreme optimism of the French High Command in ordering attacks at all cost. Therefore, FoW Table results of 3 (Cautious Attacker), 4 (Skirmish), 7 (Defender Tactical Advantage), and 10 (Counterattack) are ignored.
French Elan: Each defender unit or stack (including fort units) in a Plan 17 VP Hex Mandated Battle fires with a negative DRM equal to the Terrain Effect number of the Battle Hex to its combat die roll. At the conclusion of the Battle, if the Allied attacking force has suffered no hits, the German player places one hit on an Allied unit (the unit must be undisrupted if one is available).

14.2.2 Scenario Victory

Scenario victory is determined by comparing the number of Allied and German Victory Points (VPs) [see a., b., c. and d. below] at times in the scenario [see 14.1.2 below]:

a. Scoring Allied VPs. The only Allied VPs that can be gained are Plan 17 VPs, and Plan 17 VPs can only be received in one of two ways:

For controlling Plan 17 VP hexes (hexes 85, 86, 95, 96, 100, 103, 105 and 107). At the moment a Plan 17 VP Hex becomes Allied controlled, randomly draw a Plan 17 VP marker from the opaque cup and place it on the Allied controlled Plan 17 VP Hex. Apply the VPs immediately by moving the Plan 17 VP marker the appropriate number of spaces on the General Record Track. The Allied Player receives double the number of VPs for control of hexes 86 and 105 (Metz and Strasburg). The Allied player permanently receives these VPs even if the hex subsequently becomes German controlled.
For executing Mandated Battles in Plan 17 VP hexes on GTs 1–4 (see rule 9.1.1)

b. Scoring German VPs. The German player scores VPs for:

the capture of Paris (hex 19)
the following fifteen German VP hexes: 8, 14, 16, 23, 26, 34, 36, 38, 48, 52 (Antwerp, hex 52 has the red VP box omitted—we missed one), 58, 76, 87, 98 and 104. The German player receives double the number of VPs for control of hexes 76 and 87 (Verdun and Toul/Nancy).
+3 German VPs. Apply at the end of GT 7, if hexes 54 (Maubeuge) and 64 (Namur) are German controlled and both forts have been eliminated.
+2 German VPs. Apply at the end of GT 7, if hex 52 (Antwerp) is still Allied controlled, but is screened by two or more German corps (see rule 12.5.2).
+3 German VPs. At the end of GT 5, if seven or more French corps have been eliminated (use a spare marker on the General records Track to keep track). Apply these VPs immediately.
+3 German VPs. At the end of GT 5, if six hits have been inflicted on British units (use a spare marker on the General records Track to keep track). Apply these VPs immediately.

c. Victory points can be lost for:

Failure to carry out Mandated Battles (Both players—see rule 9.1.1). Each attack not carried out decreases the VP total of the side not carrying out the Mandated Army Attack by 1 VP.
Executing General Withdrawal (Both players—see rules 8.7.2 and 8.7.3)
The Allied player can lose VPs if the BEF breaks contact with the French Army (see rule 12.1)
The German player can lose VPs for not making the East Front Troop Withdrawal (see rule 7.3)
A VP total can be negative because of the above actions.

d. Supply and Victory Points

If executing a GT1–4 Mandated battle, the attacking units must be able to trace supply from the Plan 17 VP Battle Hex in order for the battle to count for VP purposes.
If scoring VPs for control of a Plan 17 VP hex, Allied units in the hex must be able to trace supply.
If scoring VPs for German control of a VP hex, the German controlled VP hex must be able to trace supply to a German Supply Source.

14.2.3 Victory Determination

From the opaque cup, randomly draw and place German VP markers on each non-Paris supplied German controlled VP hex.
Adjust the VP marker upward for the value of each VP marker.
Flip the Paris VP marker to its German Control side, and add 10 VPs to the current German VP total.

The Germans win an Immediate Victory if the current French Plan 17 VP total is less than half the German VP total. If the Germans have not won an Immediate Victory:

The Paris VP marker remains on its German Control side.
The 10 German VPs for Paris remain as part of the German VP total until the end of the scenario or until the Paris hex again becomes Allied controlled.
Remove each non-Paris German VP marker from the map and return it to the opaque cup, reducing the German VP total by the VP value of each marker removed.
Play continues.

b. Sudden Death Allied Victory. At the instant the Allied player gains control of hex 94 (Trier), the game ends in an automatic Allied victory.

c. Regular Victory Determination. During the Victory Determination Phase of Turn 7, compare the number of German VPs to the number of Allied VPs.

From the opaque cup, randomly draw and place German VP markers on each non-Paris supplied, German controlled VP hex that does not already have a German VP marker.
Adjust the VP marker upward for the value of each VP marker placed at this time.

14.3 Scenario Three—The "What If" Scenario

This scenario keeps intact both the German Schlieffen Plan and the French Plan 17. Both sides devoted more than 40 years to perfecting these plans, and to allow the 1914 campaign in the west to unfold without them would border on pure fantasy. Still, hindsight allows us to see that both sides could have more effectively used the resources at hand. To that end, players are invited to try their hands at improving the relative performances of both sides. Perhaps the outcome will prove to be decisive for one side or the other. Perhaps it will be stalemate on an even grander scale.

Length: 15 GTs

Set Up: See Section 13

14.3.1 Scenario Special Rules

a. ALLIED:

Allied Command Restrictions (GT1): On GT1, the prohibition against activating the French 3rd and 4th Armies is lifted. The Allied player is allowed a maximum of two activations in hexes 1 through 66, so some Allied occupied hexes in this map area will still not be activated. NOTE: Opting for Belgian Withdrawal (above) counts as an activation because a CAP is expended.

The Allied player has the option to declare and execute these Mandated Battles during the Action Phase of each GT.
If Mandated Battles are executed in a Plan 17 VP hex, score one Plan 17 VP per hex and decrease the Mandated Battles Remaining marker by one. The VP gained is in addition to any Plan 17 VPs gained for actually making the hex Allied controlled.
If the Mandated Battle is fought in a non-Plan 17 VP hex, the Mandated Battles Remaining marker is decreased by one, but no VP is scored for the Allied player.
During the Mandated Battle VP reduction segment of the Admin Phase, decrease the Allied Plan 17 VP total by one for each Mandated Attack remaining.
If the Allied player declares and executes General Withdrawal before all Mandated Attacks are made, disregard any remaining Mandated Attacks (since the Allied High Command has ordered a withdrawal, it follows that such attacks are cancelled).
Allied Plan 17 VP Hex Mandated Battles model the extreme optimism of the French High Command in ordering attacks at all cost. Therefore, FoW Table results of 3 (Cautious Attacker), 4 (Skirmish), 7 (Defender Tactical Advantage), and 10 (Counterattack) are ignored.
French Elan: Each defender unit or stack (including fort units) in a Plan 17 VP Hex Mandated Battle fires with a negative DRM equal to the Terrain Effect number of the Battle Hex to its combat die roll. At the conclusion of the Battle, if the Allied attacking force has suffered no hits, the German player places one hit on an Allied unit (the unit must be undisrupted if one is available).

b. GERMAN:

c. BOTH:

Disrupted Reinforcements:

Starting GT 8 when single CAPS are spent to bring back eliminated combat units from the deadpile as reinforcements two game turns later, these units must re-enter the map on their Disrupted (reduced) sides.
Starting GT10 when two CAPS are spent to bring back a unit from the deadpile immediately, the unit enters on its Disrupted side—effectively, any reinforcement units brought back from the deadpile by spending CAPS will enter on their Disrupted sides from GT 10 onward.

d. The paragraphs below are changed as follows:

7.3—The East Front: disregard the entire rule. This time the German High Command listens to Hindenburg and Ludendorf.
12.1—The BEF Goes It Alone: no VP penalty for the BEF to occupy Schlieffen Plan hexes on GTs 1—5.
12.5.2 and 12.5.3—Antwerp: Antwerp can still be screened, but will require more units to effectively do the job. However, since hex 43 can be occupied, any Belgians in Antwerp can be truly cut off.
8.4.7c—Variable Allied reinforcements or replacements are now allowed to be placed in Schlieffen Plan hexes prior to GT7.
8.4.8—The Schlieffen Plan: OK now to experiment with how going after the Channel Ports early might have helped or hindered the Germans.
8.4.9b—Paris in Danger: Allied General Withdrawal no longer automatically required.
13.1.3d-Set Up: Roll for CAPS normally starting with GT1. The CAPS are not automatically set for GT1 as they are in Scenario #1.
6.0-Initiative: Both players roll one die—high number has the initiative. In case of ties, the German player has the initiative.

14.3.2 Scoring Allied VPs

The only Allied VPs that can be gained are Plan 17 VPs, and Plan 17 VPs can only be received in one of two ways:

For controlling Plan 17 VP hexes (hexes 85, 86, 95, 96, 100, 103, 105 and 107). At the moment a Plan 17 VP Hex becomes Allied controlled, randomly draw a Plan 17 VP marker from the opaque cup and place it on the Allied controlled Plan 17 VP Hex. Apply the VPs immediately by moving the Plan 17 VP marker the appropriate number of spaces on the General Record Track. The Allied Player receives double the number of VPs for control of hexes 86 and 105 (Metz and Strasburg). The Allied player permanently receives these VPs even if the hex subsequently becomes German controlled.
For executing Mandated Battles in Plan 17 VP hexes on GTs 1–4 (see rule 9.1.1)

14.3.3 Scoring German VPs

The German player scores VPs only for the capture of Paris (hex 19) or for the following fifteen German VP hexes: 8, 14, 16, 23, 26, 34, 36, 38, 48, 52 (Antwerp, hex 52 has the red VP box omitted—we missed one), 58, 76, 87, 98 and 104. The German player receives double the number of VPs for control of hexes 76 and 87 (Verdun and Toul/Nancy).

14.3.4 Victory points can be lost for

Failure to carry out Mandated Battles (Both players—see rule 9.1.1). Each attack not carried out decreases the VP total of the side not carrying out the Mandated Army Attack by 1 VP.
Executing General Withdrawal (Both players—see rules 8.7.2 and 8.7.3)
The Allied player can lose VPs if the BEF breaks contact with the French Army (see rule 12.1)
The German player can lose VPs for not making the East Front Troop Withdrawal (see rule 7.3)
Both players can lose VPs by accepting options (14.3.6 Possible Strategic Options)
A VP total can be negative because of the above actions.

14.3.5 Victory Determination

From the opaque cup, randomly draw and place German VP markers on each non-Paris supplied German controlled VP hex.
Adjust the VP marker upward for the value of each VP marker.
Flip the Paris VP marker to its German Control side, and add 10 VPs to the current German VP total.

The Germans win an Immediate Victory if the current French Plan 17 VP total is less than half the German VP total. If the Germans have not won an Immediate Victory:

The Paris VP marker remains on its German Control side.
The 10 German VPs for Paris remain as part of the German VP total until the end of the scenario or until the Paris hex again becomes Allied controlled.
Remove each non-Paris German VP marker from the map and return it to the opaque cup, reducing the German VP total by the VP value of each marker removed.
Play continues.

b. Sudden Death Allied Victory. At the instant the Allied player gains control of hex 94 (Trier), the game ends in an automatic Allied victory.

c. Regular Victory Determination. During the Victory Determination Phase of Turn 15, compare the number of German VPs to the number of Allied VPs.

From the opaque cup, randomly draw and place German VP markers on each non-Paris supplied, German controlled VP hex that does not already have a German VP marker.
Adjust the VP marker upward for the value of each VP marker placed at this time.

d. Interim VP Calculation. During GT9 of Scenario 3 Interim Victory Point Segment, draw German VP markers randomly from the opaque cup and place them in supplied German controlled VP Hexes. As each marker is placed and revealed, add the VPs to the German VP total on the General Records Track and adjust the German VP markers accordingly. The scenario cannot end at this point, regardless of the VP totals. Play continues. Both players now have gained a general idea of how close they are (or are not) to victory. If any German VP hex subsequently becomes Allied controlled, remove the VP marker, place it back in the opaque cup, and decrease the German VP total by that VP amount.

14.3.6 Possible Strategic Options

Both players have the opportunity to experiment with alternatives that could have altered the historical outcome. Each player may choose zero, one or two options for his side, writing them down secretly. After all on-map units have been placed, but prior to the start of play, both players reveal their chosen options (if any).

The Allied Player implements his options first, placing any additional at start units, repositioning original units, adjusting victory points, and adjusting the Allied CAPS Remaining marker.

The German Player implements his options second, placing any additional at start units, repositioning original units, adjusting victory points, and adjusting the German CAPS Remaining marker.

a. Possible Allied Options

Limited free set-up. Correct what you feel are faulty troop dispositions by repositioning up to five French corps, two French cavalry divisions and one French HQ. Units moved may be placed in any hex in France, subject to stacking limits.

VP Cost: –2 Allied VPs

Better use of Resources. In August 1914, the French kept numerous four battalion regular regiments in their major fortresses as garrisons. Later in 1914 and early 1915, these regiments were formed into several very good divisions. By utilizing additional Territorial formations and manpower from the pool of reservists, the French could have fielded the equivalent of two more corps early in the campaign. Additional foresight would have allowed them to modernize old forts in the northeast and assemble a modest train of siege artillery.

Place the Lille and Hazebrouk optional fort units on map at start in the hexes shown on the counters.
Place the optional French HA unit on GT2 of the Turn Record Track (NOTE: the German forts in hex 86 [Metz] now have a +1 Defensive Strength).
Place the French optional XXII and XXIII corps on GT3 of the Turn Record Track.
VP Cost: –1 Allied VP

Empires in Arms. Eventually the French and British empires furnished significant numbers of troops for the Allied cause. What if both France and Britain moved more aggressively in 1914 to bring more of these resources to bear (the French bringing native and white Colonial troops to form new units—the British sending Territorials overseas sooner to replace the regulars)?

Reposition the following reinforcements on the Turn Record Track: BR 7th Division, BR 3rd Cavalry Division and French Marine Brigade from GT10 to GT7; 3rd and 7th Indian Divisions from GT13 to GT 10.
Place the following optional Allied units on the Turn Record Track: FR 1st and 10th Colonial Divisions on GT8; BR 8th Division GT10; and the IN Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade on GT13.
Starting GT10, add one CAP per turn to the number of Allied CAPS received.
VP Cost: –2 Allied VPs

Enhanced Rule Britannia. Amphibious warfare was in its infancy, still in 1915 the British managed to land several divisions simultaneously at Gallipoli. Possibly with foresight, the Admiralty could have envisioned taking the Germans in flank from the sea.

In addition to possibly landing the 7th and Naval Divisions per rule 12.3, the Allied player may mount one large scale amphibious landing on any one coastal hex regardless of whether it is friendly or enemy occupied.
The Allied player may delay entry of up to four British infantry divisions (exception to rule 7.1).
Starting GT10 or later, during any Allied Activation, the Allied player may place those divisions on any one coastal hex. No further movement from that hex is allowed during that activation.
If German units occupy the hex, a battle must be declared (even if other Allied units also occupy the hex). Do not roll normally on the Fortunes of War Table. Instead roll one die. On a roll of 1 or 2, the landing is a surprise, and defender terrain DRMs are ignored. On a die roll of 3 through 6, the Germans are ready. Treat as an Attack with Elan (9.3.5). The defender receives a – DRM equal to the terrain effect number of the Battle Hex. If no British units suffer hits, the German player places one hit on an attacking British division of his choice.
If the coastal hex chosen contains one of the coastal cities named in para 10.4, treat the hex as a British Supply Source.
VP Cost: –1 Allied VP

Belgian Preparedness. When the Germans struck in 1914, the Belgians were in the midst of a modest rearmament and modernization program. This variant postulates that they began earlier and spent more.

Replace the Belgian I Corps, II Corps, 3 Division, and Antwerp fort units with their optional orange-stripe counterparts.
All Belgian Infantry, cavalry and HQ units are allowed free set-up within Belgium except in hexes under German control.
Add the optional Liege fort and fort replacement units to the at start Belgian forces. Remove the German Control marker from hex 72.
Since the 15 turn scenario begins after the German assaults had reduced the Liege forts, prior to the start of GT1, the German player is allowed one activation for the express purpose of activating hex 72, declaring a battle against the fort and any Belgian combat units present, and bombarding the fort.
VP Cost: –3 Allied VPs

b. Possible German Options

Limited free set-up. Correct what you feel are faulty troop dispositions by repositioning up to eight German corps, three German cavalry divisions and one German HQ. Units moved may be placed in any German controlled hex, subject to stacking limits.

VP Cost: –3 German VPs

More is Better. Krupp and Skoda double the pre-war output of the effective siege howitzers. Place the additional two optional HA units on GT5 of the Turn Record Track and enter as variable reinforcements.

VP Cost: –3 German VPs

Improved Logistics. The German Army neglected the logistical aspects of the Schlieffen Plan. With this option, the Germans create more motorized supply companies, and utilize all of them more efficiently. Rule 11.2.1 is amended so that German units can trace supply two hexes from a rail hex (count the hex containing the units, but not the rail hex itself).

VP Cost: –2 German VPs

More Troops. Germany had a far larger manpower pool available than did France, yet mobilized a far lower percentage of that pool. Would an additional German Army make a difference in 1914? Find out. Place the five optional German infantry corps and the German optional 9th Army HQ on the GT1 box of the Turn Record Track. They may either enter on GT1 as variable reinforcements, or if the Invade Holland option is chosen (see below), may have entry delayed until GT2. On GT2 spend a CAP to activate the HQ 9th Army and the five optional infantry corps. These six units enter as a single group at full MA through hexes 42, 52, 62 or 71. Starting with the GT of entry, adjust the German CAPS received upward by one.

VP Cost: –4 German VPs

Germans Invade Holland. Plans for the invasion of Holland were drawn up but ultimately shelved. Would such an invasion have aided the Schlieffen Plan? If this option is chosen implement the following changes:

Ignore impassable hexside 42/52. Treat as a single red diamond +1 MP hexside.
Starting GT5 (or the first GT after the hex becomes German controlled and the fort is destroyed) hex 52 (Antwerp) becomes a German Supply Source, and has a rail line running from Antwerp northeast to the map edge. Variable reinforcements or reinforcements designated to be placed in hex 81 may be placed in hex 52.
Remove the following units from the Turn Record Track: Naval Division (GT3), I LW Corps (GT5) and HQ Nord (GT5). These units are assumed to be garrisoning Holland.
If the German More Troops option is chosen, on GT2 the German player may enter the HQ 9th Army and the five optional infantry corps. On GT2 spend a CAP to activate the HQ 9th Army and the five optional infantry corps. These six units enter as a single group at full MA through hexes 42, 52, 62 or 71.
The German player can now besiege the Antwerp fort, and hex 52 becomes German controlled if the fort in hex 52 is besieged.
The Scheldt Estuary is no longer neutral. The British 7th and RN divisions may be placed as variable reinforcements in hex 52 if Allied controlled, and any British or French unit in hex 52 can utilize Strategic Sea Movement (addition to rule 12.5.5)
VP Cost: –4 German VPs

Play Notes

Reserves—always keeping something in reserve. This is the essence of Grand Illusion. Normally when we think of reserves, we think of troops and units kept back for emergencies. This definition of reserves definitely plays an important role in Grand Illusion. As the front extends to twice its original size and losses mount, a far greater proportion of your units will be relegated to "holding the line" duties. The player who can, in these circumstances, consistently assemble a HQ and four or five corps to use as a mobile strike force will be handsomely rewarded.

Of equal or greater importance is conserving CAPs so that you never find yourself in a position where you have one or zero CAPs left and your opponent has four. That ratio of CAPs is a recipe for disaster. Equally as bad, is a situation where you are out of CAPs, and your opponent has one of those fresh armies (see above) and two CAPs remaining. He can then mount a powerful one-two combination that can allow him to attack twice, if need be, to seize and hold a vital VP hex as the Action Phase draws to a close. It's a terrible feeling to sit and watch this happen, knowing that there is nothing you can do to stop the process.

Initially, preserving your units is more important than holding territory, though units such as the French XVII Corps may have to stand and die to allow the escape of the valuable French 5th Army. It costs at least one CAP to bring one unit back out of the dead pile (it's worse for the Allied player's Belgian and British units—once eliminated, most never come back). That same CAP can be used to undisrupt several disrupted corps in one hex, or to activate several corps at one time to move and attack. The math is compelling, especially since you will never have enough CAPs to activate (and later entrench) all of your hexes. If a battle goes against you on your opponent's first activation, better to retreat your disrupted units to hexes containing full strength units. That way if your opponent activates and moves into those hexes to declare battles, at least some of the units you send to the battle Board will be full strength, minimizing the number of disrupted units that have to go to the battle board and possibly get eliminated. Holding a hex with disrupted units plays into your opponent's hands, unless that hex is critical to scenario victory and you have no other choice.

Supply is unforgiving. If you end an Action Phase with units out of supply, it's equal to fighting a losing battle since your disrupted units are eliminated, and your full strength units then become disrupted—all without a single enemy step lost in return. Be very careful about protecting your supply lines.

Even when the trenches start getting built, this game is still about maneuver. Moving to control four or five adjacent hexes to an enemy controlled hex with a trench will give you a concentric attack DRM to help offset the trench DRM. Isolating trench hexes also slows or prevents reinforcements from arriving so that the defenders can be attrited away. Also remember, no hex with a trench marker is 100% safe with only one or two defending units. Four attacking units, two activations, concentric attack DRM plus good rolls will win the hex—been there, done that, as both attacker and defender.

Enjoy the game!

Developer's Notes

I stand in awe of designers like Ted Raicer who intuitively choose the movement and combat systems that best allow a game such as Grand Illusion to be a lot of fun to play while still providing a "history lesson" to show us how and why a campaign unfolded as it did. It has been my pleasure to work not only with Ted, but also with a dedicated group of playtesters and rules proofers. They have made my job easy.

There are several units in the scenarios that exist to give form and functionality to a host of lesser units that did participate in the campaign, but were difficult to portray individually at this scale.

German III Landwehr Corps – I do not believe this corps existed as such, but it allows the German player to utilize the 5 or 6 Landwehr brigades that operated in the rear of the German First and Second Armies.

French Units:

II bis Reserve Groupment – As the French attack against Saarbourg and Morhange commenced, three reserve divisions (the 67th, 73rd, and 74th) were brought forward to screen Metz from the south, and this counter represents these divisions.

IV bis Reserve Groupment – This counter represents the 52nd and 60th Reserve divisions moved up behind 4th French Army.

Vosges Corps – A combination of the 44th Active and 66th Reserve Division at start, later changing to the 44th Division, a group of reserve Chasseurs Alpins battalions, the 2nd Colonial Brigade and various smaller reserve and territorial components.

2nd Maroc Division – this division did not exist until 1918, but it is used here as a proxy for the Bde du Maroc, 3rd Bde du Maroc and 4th Brigade du Maroc, all of which fought separately in the campaign. All were splendid brigades, but given the battle hit mechanism, a Maroc division with a combat strength of 3 was far preferable to two or three brigades with a combat strength of 1.

The 71st Reserve Division – is shown separately because it was an oversize division with three brigades.

Most French Corps have a CS of 4. Those that do not are:

Colonial Corps – CS 5; the Colonial troops were looked upon as elites, plus the active 5th Colonial Bde was attached as the corps reserve.

II Corps – CS 5; the 4th division had three brigades instead of two.

III Corps – CS 6; 5th and 6th Divisions with the newly arrived 38th North African Division assigned.

VI Corps – CS 6; contains the 12th, 40th, and 42nd Divisions. The 42nd was later transferred out, but the Allied player will enjoy having the increased CS throughout the scenario.

IX(-) Corps – Madness on the part of the French. One brigade each from the component 17th and 18th Divisions were formed into the provisional 17th Division and sent north with most of the corps artillery. Treat this counter as a division for stacking purposes even though it bears the 'XXX' corps symbol.

XIV Corps – CS 5; 27th and 28th Divisions from the French Alps plus, at varying times, the active 2nd Colonial Bde and a reserve group of Chasseurs Alpins.

XVIII Corps – CS 6; 35th and 36th Divisions with the newly arrived 37th North African Division assigned.

XX Corps – CS 5; 11th and 39th Divisions with the provisional 18th Division from IX Corps attached initially (replaced later by miscellaneous reserve components)

Army Colors:

The light blue counters represent the French overseas units, the Colonial troops, a separate army, and the North Africans, part of the metropolitan Army, but a special breed nonetheless.
The dark gray counters are the Bavarians, a separate political entity, but allied closely to Germany.
The brown counters are the British Indian Army, a separate British administered and trained army with British components fighting alongside Indians.