Kaiserkrieg! The Great War 1914-1918
Kaiserkrieg! The Great War 1914-1918 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- [1.0] Introduction
- [2.0] Equipment and Concepts
- [3.0] Setup
- [4.0] Chit Draw Phase
- [5.0] Turn Start Phase
- [6.0] Entente Powers (EP) Attack Phase
- [7.0] Berliner Tageblatt Phase
- [8.0] Alliances Phase
- [9.0] Naval / Air Warfare Phase
- [10.0] Central Powers (CP) Attack Phase
- [11.0] Emergency Finances
- [12.0] Near East Phase
- [13.0] Industrial Phase
- [14.0] Turn End Phase
- [15.0] Victory and Defeat
- Tables (Rulebook p. 16)
- Berliner Tageblatt Card
- Sequence of Play
- Game Setup (1914 Campaign Scenario)
[1.0] Introduction
"Kaiserkrieg!" ('Emperor's War') is a strategic solitaire game of the First World War of 1914-1918. As the player, you control the Central Powers ("CP"; Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria). The game's automatic systems direct the efforts of the Entente Powers ("EP"; France, Britain, Russia, Italy, Serbia, the United States, and their minor allies) who are trying to defeat you. As in many of my games, you play the "bad guys."
For simplicity's sake, Imperial Germany and its main ally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, are usually treated as one political entity in the game. The flags on the "City" Tiles are for decoration. In contrast to my other games, space precludes the addition of many historical notes in this rulebook. If you run across a name or historical reference that is new to you, Google is your friend!
The heart of the game is its depiction of the ground war, which saw the battlefield deaths of some ten million soldiers. Kaiserkrieg's treatment can be traced back to Darin Leviloff's inspired Israeli Independence (2008) and the "States of Siege" system it started. The evolutionary leap in Kaiserkrieg! is the shift from the old 'horizontal' States of Siege model – where enemy forces converge on your central position along clearly defined lines of advance – to a new 'vertical' model where enemy forces mass in separate regions around you, to eventually achieve an advantage in size that threatens your overall position. This adaptation allows Leviloff's original concept to more closely simulate the trench warfare realities of World War I on the continental level.
The game also depicts the naval struggle of pro-German blockade runners trying to evade British cruisers. Many historians identify the failure to outwit the British blockade as the main reason for Germany's defeat in the war.
The 'sideshow' in the Near East, where Russia and the British – including a giant army from India – assailed Germany's Ottoman Turkish ally, is played with a basic version of the game system (12.0). This also includes East Africa, where a German-led Black African army (the Askari) held out against Indian and British Empire forces even after the Germans in Europe had surrendered!
The game is an extremely strategic view of the conflict. Points are dramatically simplified to make it playable and to emphasize the "cool stuff" of World War I, like Zeppelins, trenches, and U-boats. Kaiserkrieg! is not a detailed historical simulation, but a fun and challenging game covering the salient themes of the actual conflict while whetting the player's appetite for more detailed treatments of this fascinating war. (Let me suggest Death in the Trenches, by R. Ben Madison and Wes Erni, published 2022 by Compass Games.)
Blue skinny text, like this, illustrates examples of play.
Text in shaded boxes provides the voice of the game's designer on a concept or idea that is not actually a rule.
These rules are very procedural. Follow the Sequence of Play scrupulously, and make sure to do each step carefully in the correct order. This is a solitaire game, so you don't have an opponent to point out your mistakes!
The gamers' term "DRM" is often found in these rules. It stands for "die roll modifier." A -1 DRM would mean that when you roll a die, you subtract one from it (so a roll of 4 would be treated as a 3). Conversely, a +1 DRM turns a die roll of 3 into a 4. All DRMs are cumulative.
[2.0] Equipment and Concepts
[2.1] Parts Inventory
- One 18 x 18" Game Map (color)
- One 8 ½ x 11" Counter Tray Sheet (b/w, 1-sided)
- One 8 ½ x 11" Game Setup Sheet (b/w, 1-sided)
- One 8 ½ x 11" "Berliner Tageblatt" Card (b/w, 2-sided)
- One 16-page color Rules booklet
- 176 color game pieces, called "Tiles" (single-sided)
- Two 6-sided dice ("2d6") are not included
You will also need two Dunnigan Ceramaceous Randomizers (coffee cups) to hold various Tiles that are drawn randomly from them during the game. One cup is used to hold Turkish Lira (money; 12.5) and the other holds the various Turn Chits and British Cruisers drawn in 4.0.
[2.2] The Game Map
This depicts the areas of Europe, the Near East, and Africa where the war took place. Key to the map are the six "Country" boxes: Belgium, France, Italy, Serbia, Ukraine, and Lithuania.
"Belgium" in the game also includes French Flanders – an area held by British forces during the war. "Serbia" includes Montenegro, Greek Macedonia, and other parts of the Balkans that formed the multinational Salonika Front. Ukraine and Lithuania were occupied by the vast Tsarist Russian Empire at that time.
[2.3] Turn Chits
The 28 Turn Chits confront you with social, political, economic, and military challenges (5.0), which you must defy by spending "RM" (Reichsmarks); see 10.0. Turn Chits are drawn randomly and placed on the "Calendar" to show when in the war you are.
The play of a single Turn Chit represents the passage of two months of 'historical time', except for the first Turn (the fateful August 1914). Note there are 27 Turns, but 28 Turn Chits will be played if using Rule 4.4.
[2.4] The Playing Pieces
The other square playing pieces ("Tiles") represent a great variety of things, from armies and ships to political events to cities and leaders.
When a rule tells you to discard a Tile, you eliminate it from the game forever. When it tells you to remove a Tile, this always means you transfer it from the map to its Reserves box (6.1) or to the Counter Tray.
Army and "Over the Top" units are identified with a white "bumper sticker" that shows their nationality. Abbreviations are:
- AAO - Allied Army of the Orient
- AM - Armenia
- ANA - Arab Northern Army
- ASY - Assyrians
- B - Belgium
- F - France
- GB - Great Britain
- I - Italy
- IND - India (British)
- R - Roumania
- RUS - Russia
- SRB - Serbia
- USA - United States
- ZA - South Africa
Flags and army names are just for show. Below the flag is a number (sometimes two) showing the army's combat strength (10.1). Four British, two French, two Italian, and four American Armies have asterisks; they are liable to replace, or be replaced by, other Armies as the game goes on. See 5.2.1 on US Army Deployment, and 10.5.1 on the British BEF Army that starts the game in Belgium.
Serbian and AAO ("Allied Army of the Orient") units have two strengths (e.g. 3/4). Use the first if Turkey is neutral or part of the Central Powers; use the second if Turkey has surrendered to the Entente (12.7).
One Serbian unit represents the army of Montenegro, Serbia's tiny ally. It is Serbian for all game purposes. The AAO is a multinational force (hence the flags) but all its units are part of the same 'country' for game purposes.
The Russian Army is split between two fronts, called "Lithuania" (facing Germany) and "Ukraine" (facing Austria-Hungary). Russian units in Europe are marked with round flags; yellow-green-red 2-strength Russians are assigned to Lithuania, while blue-yellow 3-strength Russians are assigned to Ukraine. (Southern forces are stronger since they're facing Austrians not Germans.)
EP Armies associated with the Near East are all marked with the Z symbol, and are only used there. See 12.0.
[3.0] Setup
[3.1] Counter Tray
Arrange all the Tiles from the game box on the "Counter Tray". This will help keep the large variety of Tiles distinct, and assist with set-up.
[3.2] Game Setup
Consult the Setup Sheet, and follow each of its instructions, moving Tiles from the Counter Tray to their starting positions on the map or to Reserves (located at the top of the Counter Tray but considered distinct from it). Tiles that are not "moved" by some instruction remain where they are on the Counter Tray!
Beginners' note: Those Cruisers will cripple your German economy. If you find the game too hard to win, consider removing one or even two of the Cruisers from the game.
[4.0] Chit Draw Phase
Notice: On Turn 1 there is no Chit Draw Phase. Just place Turn Chit #1 (the gray one) in the August 1914 box on the Calendar, then skip to Rule 5.0 and continue.
[4.1] Chit Draw
The first step is to draw a single Tile out of the Chit Cup. There are two types of Tile in there, so it will be one of the following:
[4.2] Cruiser
If a Cruiser Tile is drawn, place it in the British Cruisers box on the map. Then draw another Tile!
[4.3] Turn Chit
If the Tile drawn is a "Turn Chit" (with a German imperial eagle in the upper left corner), then a full-fledged Game Turn begins. Proceed to Rule 5.0.
[4.4] The Hundred Days (Optional Rule)
On Turn 27, play both remaining Turn Chits, including any Events and Entente Attacks on both Chits (in the order drawn).
The collapse of the German spring 1918 offensive led to several ad hoc Entente advances that came to be called the "Hundred Days". This ends the game with a bang!
[5.0] Turn Start Phase
[5.1] Turn Chit
When a Turn Chit is drawn, a Game Turn begins. Place the Chit in the next Turn box on the Calendar without a Turn Chit in it.
Example: You've just finished the last steps in Turn 1 (August, 1914). So it's time for a Chit draw. You reach in and pull out... a British Cruiser. How sad. Consult Rule 4.2. Now try again – this time you draw an actual Turn Chit, so the next Turn (September-October, 1914) begins. The Chit you drew happens to be the #12 Chit. Place it in the Turn 2 ("SO 1914") box on the Calendar, and proceed to Rule 5.2.
[5.2] Calendar Deployments
Deploy all Tiles located in the current Turn's Calendar box; any Red Baron, Zeppelin, and High Seas Fleet units all go to Germany. Cruisers go to the British Cruisers box.
[5.2.1] US Army Deployments and "Chain Reaction"
Any US Army Tile in the Calendar box immediately replaces a French or British Army, according to the list given on the US "Over There" Schedule (5.2.1.1, on the Berliner Tageblatt). Also, the first two replacements also cause the French and British Armies being replaced to, in turn, replace Italian Armies.
Example: It is Turn 25 (May-June 1918) and the American "V" unit is in the Turn box. Consult the US "Over There" Schedule. Remove the British 3rd Army (wherever it is) and put the American "V" unit in its place. Then, as directed by the "Over There" Schedule, remove the Italian "Carnia" Army, and put the British 3rd Army in its place (wherever it is). The Italian "Carnia" Army is out of the game for good.
If Italy has surrendered when the USA joins (7.1.2.1), no Armies are placed in Italy. If France has surrendered but Italy is still at war, USA units scheduled to appear in France go to Italy and replace the Italian units listed. If France and Italy both surrendered, the only Americans that deploy are the ones that replace British forces.
At more or less the same time as American forces arrived in Europe to bolster the French and British lines, French and British troops were being sent to Italy to stiffen Italian resolve. The US "Over There" Schedule nicely unites all these strategic arrangements. The effect is to upgrade EP forces on the Western Front and in Italy.
The first time an American Army arrives in France, discard the French Mutiny Tile from the game.
[5.3] Calendar Events
When the Turn Chit is placed on the Calendar, apply any Calendar Event that is printed in the current Calendar box, listed below.
[5.3.1] Gallipoli? Events
Several Turns on the Calendar feature a "Gallipoli?" Event notice. If Turkey is neutral or surrendered, ignore the notice for now.
If Turkey is part of the Central Powers when a "Gallipoli?" notice occurs, then the Entente launch their infamous Gallipoli Campaign to seize Constantinople and knock Turkey out of the war. Follow these steps:
- Step 1: Take the "MEF" Army Tile ("Mediterranean Expeditionary Force", with Australia's flag and a combat strength of "3" – ignore the "-1" for now) from the Counter Tray. Place it in the "4" box of the Omnibus Markers Track.
- Step 2: Move the MEF one box to the left (into the "3" box); you now receive one free Attack (10.1) against the MEF. Roll your die; if the result is higher than 3, you have defeated the MEF; proceed to 5.3.1.1. If the result is not higher than 3, move the MEF into the "2" box and get another free Attack. If you fail to defeat it, move the MEF into the "1" box and get another free Attack. If you fail to defeat it, and the MEF moves into the "0" (zero) box of the Omnibus Markers Track, then Entente troops have entered Constantinople and Turkey surrenders! If that happens, go to 12.7.
[5.3.1.1] MEF Defeat
If at any point in Step 2 above, the MEF's progress toward the zero box ("Constantinople") is stopped, then move the MEF unit to the Gallipoli box. From now on, its only effect is a -1 DRM against any Turkish Attack in all of the three Ottoman boxes (Armenia, Mesopotamia, Palestine). Ottoman forces are weakened because of the ongoing Gallipoli stalemate. Also place "Kemal" in Ottoman Armenia (see 12.6.3).
[5.3.1.2] Gallipoli Evacuation
If the MEF Tile is in the Gallipoli Box (a sign that the Gallipoli Campaign has stalled) and a Turn begins with the "Gallipoli?" notice in its Calendar Turn box, this signifies that the British are giving up on the Gallipoli Front. Discard the MEF Tile from the game (it no longer casts its -1 shadow over Turkish operations). Gallipoli and the MEF play no further role in the game at all.
The complex Gallipoli rule is a concession to the Anglocentric bias of my sources. The mostly French-Serbian Salonika Campaign was larger and more crucial than the Gallipoli effort. But there weren't enough Australians in it to turn it into over-mythologized ballyhoo.
[5.3.2] Convoy Success
Discard one U-Boat of your choice. The Entente are using a naval convoy system to protect their merchant ships, so your U-Boats are less effective – and are being sunk in record numbers.
[5.3.3] Miracle of the Marne
This Event actually happens at the end of Turn 2. See 14.3.
[5.3.4] Trenches
This reminds you that starting on Turn 3, the two Trenches Tiles deploy on the map. See 6.6.
[5.3.5] Zeppelins
When this occurs, place the Zeppelin Tile in Germany for the first time. See 9.6.
[5.4] Chit-Based Events
Now implement any Events that are specified with icons on the Turn Chit itself. This will mean any one of the following:
[5.4.1] Socialist Revolution
On several Turn Chits, there are red stars. Whenever one of these appears, there is an upsurge in Socialist agitation in European armies and on the home front. If the "Explosion" has not yet happened (5.4.1.1), you may pay 1 RM to roll a die; move the "Socialist Revolution" Tile that many spaces to the right on the Omnibus Markers Track.
Note that Socialist, Irish, and Senussi Events only occur if you pay 1 RM to light the fuse.
German meddling in the affairs of other nations paid off handsomely. Due to the way the Sequence of Play works, the only way you can pay for these events is if you saved 1 RM from the previous Turn with Banking (14.1). So you need to plan ahead for these eventualities, or probably lose the war!
[5.4.1.1] The Explosion
When the Revolution Tile reaches the 'Explosion' box, the Revolution explodes all over Europe. Place one pink Socialist Revolution Tile in Lithuania and one in Ukraine. These serve as "Pink" Tiles for the Kaiserschlacht German attack rule (10.7).
Next, if possible, remove (to Reserves) one Russian unit each from Lithuania and Ukraine, and one Italian unit from Italy (to reflect mutinies and discontent). Remove the weakest Army possible. If a Country has only one Army in it, don't remove it.
Put the pink "Italy in Danger" Tile in Italy. Socialist agitation and class divisions crippled the Italian Army starting in 1917, setting the stage for its near-collapse in the Battle of Caporetto later that year.
The Explosion also triggers the French Mutiny. Remove one French Army (the weakest) to Reserves, if possible, and place the French Mutiny Tile in France. For its effect see 6.2.1. Discard the French Mutiny Tile if there is an American Army in France or Belgium. Next put the pink "France in Danger" Tile in France.
Finally, a wave of strikes, work stoppages, and desertions cripples your own German Navy. Discard the "High Seas Fleet" unit from the game (if it's still there).
The "Revolution" Tiles in Russia show the February Revolution when Kerensky ousted Tsar Nicholas II and set up a Republic. Bolsheviks don't really take power until Germany launches a successful Kaiserschlacht in Russia and knocks Russia out of the war. At about the same time, anti-war or Socialist agitation broke out all over Europe and the French Mutiny and German fleet crisis of 1917 (which boiled over into full-scale mutiny in 1918) were symptoms of this contagion.
[5.4.2] Irish Rising
If the green shamrock appears (Chit #9), you may pay 1 RM to move the weakest British Army without an asterisk from Belgium Reserves to the Ireland box. If there is no such Army in Reserves, move it from Belgium; see 6.1.2. This British Army is marooned in Ireland until its nasty job there is done (6.4).
[5.4.3] Senussi Revolt
When the black Islam symbol ("Z" on Chit #8) appears, you may pay 1 RM to move the weakest Italian Army from Reserves to the Senussi Revolt box. (If there is no Italian Army in Reserves, move it from Italy instead.) In addition, move one British (or South African) Army from the "Egypt" Reserves box (or from the Palestine front if necessary) to the Senussi Revolt box. You cannot move the "Arab Northern Army" unit for this! Those forces will suppress the Senussi in Libya and Egypt (6.5). If Italy has surrendered, just move one British/South African Army to the Senussi box.
[5.4.4] Death of Franz Joseph
When the "tombstone" (Chit #17) is drawn, the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I dies of old age. Discard the "Kaisertreu" Tile (from the Omnibus Track if it is still there).
[5.4.5] Serb Typhus
When the "bug" symbol (Chit #5) is drawn, typhus spread by body lice breaks out in the Balkans. If the outbreak occurs when Serbian units are in Serbia, remove two of them to Serbia Reserves. If the AAO are in Serbia, only remove one of them (they had better hygiene services). As always, don't remove an Army if this would leave the Country empty.
[5.4.6] Random Entente Offensive
Four Chits (#23, #25, #27, and #28) feature dice icons. Each icon prompts one Random Entente Offensive. When this happens, roll a die and observe the dice symbols attached to each of the six Country boxes on the map. This is the only time in the game when one Country can get two or more Deployments in a single Turn. Ignore any roll to deploy an Army in a neutral/surrendered Country; just ignore the roll and don't attempt to re-roll it.
Example: A die roll of 1 refers to Belgium; 2 refers to France; and so forth.
The Country rolled now moves one Army (its strongest) from its Reserves to its Country box. If the box already contains 5 EP Armies, the Random Offensive places that Country's "Over the Top" Tile in the Country box, and Defeat must now be resolved (15.2 and 6.2.3).
This rule is in the game largely to prevent brainy players from "card counting" and being able to clearly predict the probability of future EP actions in every particular Country based on the Turn Chits already drawn.
Be aware that Chit #28 has three dice icons, so it will generate three Random Entente Offensives.
[6.0] Entente Powers (EP) Attack Phase
The sad fact is, World War I was a war of attrition. Its enormous armies ground each other up slowly without making the sort of rapid advances and penetrations that made World War II so "exciting". The game system is designed to reflect these ugly realities in a way that still generates tension and a feeling of danger.
One unique thing you'll notice right away is that in this game, armies don't move! Instead, the dynamic tension of the game system revolves around size. How many EP Armies are facing you in a particular Country? The more EP armies in a Country, the more pressure you face on that front. Those Armies are always attacking you; if a Country has one Army in it, it means the Entente in that Country are far from their strategic objectives inside Germany and Austria-Hungary. If a Country has five Armies in it, those Armies are surging ahead, poised to achieve a grand breakthrough against you, and soon!
[6.1] Deployment of EP Forces
The main function of a Turn Chit is to move EP Armies from Reserves to Country boxes. This is called "Deployment".
A Turn Chit has a game I.D. number (#18 in the picture in the rulebook) and a German eagle that has no game function but is meant to inspire you. The other boxes contain letters, and each letter directs you to move one Army from Reserves into the corresponding Country box. The letters are, in the order they must be played:
- B = Belgium
- F = France
- L = Lithuania
- U = Ukraine
- I = Italy
- S = Serbia
Always play these Deployments in BFLUIS order (mnemonic aid: "Best Friend Luís").
Note that the Chit illustration in the rulebook doesn't have an "S" in it; so if you drew this Chit you would deploy one Army in Belgium, one in France, one in Lithuania, one in Ukraine, and one in Italy – but none in Serbia.
If some Armies in Reserve are stronger than others, then the strongest Army – the one with the highest strength, regardless of nationality – goes from Reserve to Country. Leave the "Over the Top" unit in Reserve unless it is the only unit left (6.3). The Turn Chit just drawn will say which of the six Countries get EP Armies this Turn.
Example: The Chit's "B" orders you to deploy one Army from the Belgium Reserves to the Belgium box. There are three Armies in Belgium Reserves: a 4-strength British, a 3-strength British, and the 3-strength Belgian. Since the 4-strength British unit is the strongest, move that unit from Reserves into the Belgium Country box on the map.
[6.1.1] Italian Deployments if Italy is Neutral
If Italy is neutral when a Turn Chit is drawn that would direct the placement of an Italian Army in the Italy box, simply ignore the placement. It doesn't happen. In fact, this is good for you as the player because it means this potential Italian deployment will never happen in the game!
[6.1.2] The Belgian Army
The 3-strength Belgian Army begins the game in Belgium. For all game purposes, it is treated as a British Army, but it cannot go to Ireland.
[6.2] Special EP Deployment Limits
[6.2.1] French Mutiny Effect
If the Chit directs you to place the "Over the Top" (OTT) Tile in France (the "F" result when France has five Armies in France; 6.3), and the French Mutiny Tile is in France, then roll a die. On a 3, 4, 5 or 6 the Entente advance fails; return the OTT Tile you were about to deploy, to Reserves.
[6.2.2] Siegfried Line Effect
If the Chit directs you to place the "Over the Top" Tile in Belgium (the "B" result when the EP has five Armies in Belgium; 6.3), and the Siegfried Line Tile is in Belgium, roll a die. On a 3, 4, 5 or 6 the Entente advance fails; return the OTT Tile you were about to deploy, to Reserves. But if the Entente advance succeeds (on a 1 or 2), place the OTT Tile in Belgium and discard the Siegfried Line Tile; they have broken through the Siegfried Line!
The "Siegfried Line" (Siegfriedstellung) is better known in English as the "Hindenburg Line." Note that, for game purposes, the French Mutiny and Siegfried Line have the same effects on the French and British Armies.
[6.2.3] Alpine Winter Effect
Turns marked in blue tint on the Calendar (usually January-February) are "winter" in the Alps. November-December 1916 also counts as a Winter Turn; that Fall was exceptionally cold and snowy. If a Turn Chit ever attempts to deploy an "Over the Top" Tile in Italy (only) during a Winter Turn, simply ignore the attempted deployment. No "Over the Top" Tile can be placed in Italy during a Winter Turn. It's too cold!
[6.2.4] U-Boat Effect
If a Chit tells you to deploy an Army or OTT Tile in a Country (Belgium or France) that contains a U-Boats Tile, remove the U-Boats Tile but do not deploy the Army. The U-Boat campaign did enough damage to their economy to stop those forces deploying.
[6.3] "Over the Top" – Possible Defeat
If a Country contains five EP Armies, and the game puts a sixth "Army" into that Country, place the corresponding "Over the Top" (OTT) Tile there instead, and check now for a German Defeat attempt to end the game. See Rule 15.2.
Remember: Forts and Trenches are not Armies, although they have combat strength and must be attacked like Armies. They do not count toward the five Army limit.
[6.4] British Attack Irish
If there is a British Army in Ireland (5.4.2), roll a die. On a 6, the British defeat the Irish – take the British Army out of the Ireland box and return it to the Belgium Reserves.
[6.5] Senussi War in Libya
If there are Italian and/or British Armies in the Senussi Revolt box (5.4.3), roll one die. On a 6, they defeat the Senussi – take the Italian Army out of the Senussi box, put it in Italy Reserves, and put the British Army back in Egypt. The Senussi war still happens even if Italy is neutral or surrendered!
[6.6] Dig Trenches
Now, if it is Turn 3 or later, place one Trenches Tile (10.3) in Belgium and the other in France (even if lost to an OTT earlier this Turn). If there's one there already, don't place another.
[7.0] Berliner Tageblatt Phase
The Berliner Tageblatt ("Berlin Daily Paper"), founded in 1872, was one of Germany's leading liberal papers. It was finally shut down by the Nazis in 1939.
[7.1] Random Events
Roll a die on the "Berliner Tageblatt" (Random Events) Table, and add the current Turn number to attain a result.
Example: It is Turn 15 (November-December 1916). Look at the Berliner Tageblatt Table and roll a die; the die roll is 3. Combine the two (15+3) to get a final result: 18. The result of 18 corresponds to the "17-18" row on the table. As you can see, this result will bring Roumania into the war (if this hasn't already happened yet; see 7.1.2), and the result also activates the Poison Gas Special Event (see 7.1.1 and 10.2.1).
[7.1.1] Special # Events
If the result line has a Special # Event, that Tile is placed on the appropriate box on the Special Events Display.
Each Special Event happens each time it is rolled. Each Special Event can happen on multiple Turns, as long as the correct "die roll + Turn number" combination is achieved. See 10.2 for combat effects.
[7.1.1.1] Place of Execution
In addition to the +1 DRM on the Special Events Display, the first time "Place of Execution" happens, put the "France in Danger" Tile as well as a Border Forts Tile in France (unless one is there already). This represents the famous forts of Verdun.
[7.1.1.2] Spanish Flu
Count the number of EP Armies in each of the six Country boxes and determine which Country has the highest total. (Two or more may tie for the highest total.) Remove to Reserves one Army (the weakest) from each Country with the highest total. If all Countries are tied, all Countries lose an Army. As always don't remove a Tile if it would leave the Country empty.
[7.1.1.3] US Assistance
Count the number of EP Armies in each of the six Country boxes and determine which Country has the lowest total. (Two or more Armies may tie for the lowest total.) Then place the strongest Army in Reserves into each Country with the lowest total.
[7.1.1.4] Diaz
When you roll the Diaz Special Event, discard the pink "Italy in Danger" Tile. L'Italia s'è desta!
[7.1.2] General Events
These are Events that aren't Special Events. They are triggered by the die roll if it matches its trigger. Each General Event can only happen once, the first time it is rolled (but see 7.1.2.6).
Example: You haven't rolled a 13 or 14 yet, so you haven't triggered "Hinden-Luden". Now you roll a 15, which does trigger "Hinden-Luden".
[7.1.2.1] Turkish, Italian, Bulgarian, Roumanian, and US Entry
Each of these countries enters the war as the result of the Berliner Tageblatt random events process. See 8.1 for the Turks, 8.2 for Italy, 8.3 for Bulgaria, 8.4 for Roumania, and 8.6 for the USA.
When any nation "enters the war", that nation ceases to be neutral (discard its "Neutral" Tile) and takes an active role in the game.
[7.1.2.1.1] The Arab Revolt
This historical event occurs much the same way as Entry events do. See 8.5.
[7.1.2.2] Hinden-Luden
Deploy the "Hinden-Luden" Tile in Germany. See 9.2 for its financial impact and 11.3 for its political impact.
"Hinden-Luden" represents the military rule of Germany by General Erich Ludendorff (the brains of the outfit) and his senior officer/figurehead Paul von Hindenburg. The latter was more famous, as the public face of the government in WWI, for handing control of Germany to Hitler in 1933, and finally for the dirigible named after him that crashed in flames in New Jersey in 1937.
[7.1.2.3] Siegfried Line
Place the "Siegfried Line" Tile in Germany. You can now build it in Belgium (13.3).
[7.1.2.4] German Bombers
Place the German Bombers Tile in Germany. See 9.4.
[7.1.2.5] British Bombers
Place the British Bombers Tile in Germany to show the aerial bombardment of German cities. See 9.5.
[7.1.2.6] French Tank Army
Place the Tank Army in France to absorb a German attack (10.6). If removed, it deploys again on any roll of 29+; this is an exception to the "first time only" Rule 7.1.2!
[7.1.2.7] Nervenkrieg
If France and Italy are both still active for the Entente, discard the "Hinden-Luden" Tile from the game (7.1.2.2). General Ludendorff suffers a nervous breakdown and urges the Kaiser to surrender.
[8.0] Alliances Phase
[8.1] Ottoman Turkey
Turkey joins the Central Powers (your side). The Near East Phase (12.0) will be played on this Turn and all subsequent non-Summer Turns.
If Turkey joins the war on a (yellow) Summer Turn, the Near East Phase (12.0) is played on that Turn.
[8.2] Italy
Obey all future EP deployments in Italy. Italy has joined the Entente so you are now free to attack it.
[8.3] Bulgaria
When Bulgaria enters the war, it joins the Central Powers (your side). Immediately put the "Serbia Outflanked" Tile in Serbia. This means you can now Kaiserschlacht Serbia (15.1.4). This is the only game effect of Bulgarian Entry. My apologies to all Bulgarians.
[8.4] Roumania
When Roumania enters the war, it joins the Entente (your foes). Place the "Hypothesis Z!" Tile in Austria-Hungary. Then place all three Roumanian "N" Armies in the Roumania box; you can now attack those Armies. For game purposes, attacks vs. Roumania are all made from Austria-Hungary. When its three "N" Armies are defeated, Roumania surrenders.
Hypothesis Z: As long as any Roumanian Army is on the map, all attacks made from Austria-Hungary (vs. Italy, Roumania, Serbia, and Ukraine) suffer a -1 DRM.
"Hypothesis Z" was Roumania's gravely stupid war plan for conquering Transylvania from Austria-Hungary. It was doomed to failure, but knocking out Roumania did force Austria and Germany to divert massive resources that could have been better used elsewhere.
[8.5] The Arab Revolt
When this Event is rolled, flip the ANA Army in Ottoman Palestine to its face-up side. This signals that the Palestine Theater is now "open" and can receive British Army deployments (12.4.1). The Arab Northern Army is treated as a British Army (tied to the Palestine Theater) for all purposes like other British Z units (but it can't go to the Senussi box; see 5.4.3).
[8.6] The USA
When the USA enters the war, it joins the Entente Powers (your foes). Put all four USA armies on the Calendar as instructed by the US "Over There" Schedule on the "Berliner Tageblatt" Card.
Example: It is Turn 17 and you've just successfully rolled for US Entry. Consult the "Over There" Schedule. Count ahead one Turn to arrive at Turn 18, and put the USA "I" Corps Army in the Turn 18 box. In the Turn 21 box, put the USA "V" Corps; in Turn 22 put the USA "IV" Corps; and in the Turn 23 box, put the USA "VI" Corps.
The Yanks will deploy on the map per Rule 5.2.1.
When the USA joins the war, discard one U-Boat (your choice) from the game.
[9.0] Naval / Air Warfare Phase
During this Phase, you can boost the German economy by sending your Blockade Runners to bring in the food, raw materials, and other vital supplies needed to keep the war going. There are seven "Sea Areas" on the map, marked with coins. Four Areas are marked with "a"; these are "North Sea" Areas, which can be entered by the German High Seas Fleet (9.1.4). The other Sea Areas are in the Atlantic north of Ireland, in the Aegean Sea near Greece (9.1.7), and in the Adriatic Sea near Serbia.
Next, you will fight the world's first air war, bombing the Entente with Zeppelins and German bombers, while you endure British bombers attacking your economy.
[9.1] Blockade Runners
[9.1.1] Deploying Blockade Runners
Germany has a number of Blockade Runners available. Ignore the ones in "Neutral Ports"; they are under construction or repair. Place your available Blockade Runners on the map, each in a separate Sea Area. Each Sea Area has a name ("1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 3, 4") corresponding to the results on the British Cruisers Table (see the back of the Berliner Tageblatt). The number in an Area indicates your 'haul of cash' if its Blockade Runner successfully evades British patrols.
[9.1.2] British Cruisers
Roll two dice, and consult the British Cruisers Table. Cross-index the number of Cruisers (top row) with the die roll (left column). The result is the Sea Areas where Cruisers are placed. A Cruiser in a Sea Area blocks you from earning the cash in that Area! If all British Cruisers are in the cup, ignore until a cruiser is drawn.
Example: Britain has three Cruisers and you have three active Blockade Runners. You place your Runners in 3, 2c, and 1b – a haul of 6 RM if you're not intercepted. Now roll on the Cruisers Table to see where the British send their three Cruisers. The die roll is 6 and 5 – for a total of 11. The result on the Table is "2a, 2c, 3"; so put one Cruiser in the 2a Sea Area, one in 2c, and one in 3. The upshot is the British intercepted you in 2c and in 3, so those Blockade Runners are unsuccessful; only the Runner in 1b succeeds, yielding you only one RM. At least your Runners didn't sink (see 9.1.3)!
[9.1.3] Sinking
Any Cruiser Table result in [brackets] places two Cruisers in the same Sea Area. If that Sea Area holds a Blockade Runner, it is sunk! Move it to the "Neutral Ports" box; it can be rebuilt at a cost of 2 RM (see 13.2) later in the Turn but can't be used until it is rebuilt.
[9.1.4] German High Seas Fleet
If the "High Seas Fleet" (HSF) Tile is in Germany, you can put it out to sea when deploying your Blockade Runners. The HSF can only be placed in a "North Sea" Area, marked on the map with a "a". The HSF must be placed in the same Sea Area as a German Blockade Runner. The presence of the HSF in a Sea Area allows you to collect the "haul of cash" in that Area despite the presence of any British Cruisers. The HSF does not prevent the sinking of a Blockade Runner if the die roll result is in brackets (9.1.3).
If one British Cruiser (or both!) lands in the same Sea Area as the HSF, fight a Major Naval Battle (9.1.5).
[9.1.5] Major Naval Battle
If British Cruisers and the High Seas Fleet meet in a North Sea Area, a Major Naval Battle occurs: roll on the Major Naval Battle Table (p. 16). If there is one Cruiser, roll one die; if there are two Cruisers, roll two dice but use the lower of the two rolls.
[9.1.6] Economic "Haul"
The size of your economy this Turn (your Blockade Runner "Haul") is shown with the "RM" Reichsmark 'coin' Tile on the Omnibus Track. Use it to tally how much money you have this Turn.
Example: It is Turn 8 (September-October 1915). You started the Turn with 1 RM saved up through Banking (14.1), so your RM 'coin' Tile is sitting in the 1 box of the Omnibus Markers Track. You've just sent your Blockade Runners out and you were very successful, collecting a "haul" of 6 RM. Move the 'coin' Tile six spaces to the right, to the 7 box. You have 7 RM to spend this Turn.
[9.1.7] Turkish Smugglers
A Blockade Runner that survives in Sea Area 1b (the Aegean, south of Gallipoli), can give its 1 RM 'haul' either to Germany or to Turkey, if Turkey is at war. In that case, it counts as 1 Turkish Lira and is tallied on the Omnibus Markers Track with the Lira coin (Rule 12.5).
[9.2] Hinden-Luden Bonus
If the Hinden-Luden Tile is in Germany, you get 2 more RM at this time.
[9.3] Control of the Skies
Next, check the position of the Air Superiority Tile on the Air Superiority Track. If it is in a khaki tinted box in 1914, 1916, or 1918, skip to the German Bombers step (9.4). And if it is in a gray tinted box in 1915 or 1917, likewise skip to 9.4.
If neither is the case, then consult the current Turn box on the Calendar and roll a die. On the roll indicated, or less, move the Air Superiority Tile one box to the right.
Example: It is Turn 17 (March-April 1917). The Entente have controlled the skies since 1916 with their "Nieuport and Spad" aircraft. But the Germans are working on their new "D-Type Fighters", and so you roll a die. According to the Turn box on the Calendar, you need to roll a 2 or less in order to take the initiative. You toss the die and it comes up 1! So move the Air Superiority Tile one box to the right, into the "D-Type Fighters" box. Germany now has control of the skies at least until the end of 1917.
Before rolling the die for Air Superiority, you can spend 1 RM (on "aircraft development research") to either raise or lower the die roll by 1 (your choice, after you pay the 1 RM but before you roll the die). Spending the 1 RM can't change the result of a 1 or a 6 die roll!
The balance of forces in the air favored the Entente for most of the war; it favored the Germans in 1915 and 1917. The game system simulates this by making this the normal state of affairs, but the breakpoints when Germany takes command of the skies, or when the Entente seizes it back, are determined by die rolls.
[9.3.1] "Red Baron" Deployment
The first time in 1915 that Germany secures Air Superiority (9.3), place the Red Baron Tile in Germany. He is now ready for duty (9.7).
[9.4] German Bombers
Use this rule only if the German Bombers Tile is in Germany (7.1.2.4). The Player can select one target Army in Belgium or France (the weakest Army in the Country selected). Commit the German Bomber to that target, and roll a die: If Germany has Air Superiority this Turn, the target Army moves to Reserves on a roll of 5 or 6. But if the Entente has Air Superiority, the target Army only moves on a 6.
German Bombers cannot be used against the last EP Army in a Country, or against Forts or Trenches.
This action does include bombing forces at the front, but mainly simulates economic and military losses from bombing British or French cities. This degraded the fighting ability of frontline troops by depriving them of supplies and munitions. The effect is duplicated below when the Player launches Zeppelin raids in 9.6 (1).
[9.5] British Bombers
Use this rule only if the British Bombers Tile is in Germany (7.1.2.5). Roll on the British Bombing Table (p. 16). If Germany has Air Superiority, roll one die; if the Entente have Air Superiority, roll two dice but use the lower of the two rolls.
[9.6] Zeppelin
If the Zeppelin Tile is in Germany (5.2), you can use it now on one of four different "raids". But if used, it is out of commission for a period of time.
If you do take the option, choose one of the following and carry it out at once. After conducting the Zeppelin raid, always proceed to rule 9.6.1 and perform the Zeppelin Saving Throw! A reminder symbol is added to the rules below to remind you to always do this.
- Economic Bombing. Select a target Army in France or Belgium. Roll a die: If Germany has Air Superiority, the target Army is moved to Reserves on a roll of 5 or 6. If the Entente has Air Superiority, however, the target Army is only moved on a 6. Zeppelins cannot bomb the last EP Army in a Country, or bomb Forts or Trenches (except see 2 below).
- Recon. Select one Trenches Tile, and remove it from the map (it will return normally next Turn).
- Supply East Africa. Roll a die; on a 5 or 6, deploy one Askari in German East Africa. Any other roll fails. If you succeeded, also take one British Indian Army from India if possible (or Mesopotamia if necessary) and move it to German East Africa in pursuit of the Askari. Note that this occurs now, not in the Near East Phase. This simulates the famous effort to send supplies to General von Lettow-Vorbeck's East African army in November 1917 on the L.59 Zeppelin. Spurious intelligence led the Germans to abort the mission.
- Naval Bombing. Select a target British Cruiser in a North Sea (a) Zone. Pay 2 RM and roll a die: If Germany has Air Superiority, the target Cruiser is put in the Cup on a roll of 5 or 6. If the Entente has Air Superiority, however, the target Cruiser goes in the Cup on a 6.
[9.6.1] Zeppelin Saving Throw
After any Zeppelin raid, roll a die and count that many Turns ahead. Place the Zeppelin in the resulting Turn box. You can't use it again till it returns to Germany (5.2). If the Saving Throw would return the Zeppelin to Germany after Turn 27, discard the Zeppelin instead.
[9.7] Air Combat ("The Red Baron")
The CP Player can now place the "Red Baron" Tile (if it's in Germany; 9.3.1) on any EP Army in France or Belgium. It will be used in Rule 10.1.1.
The Red Baron can't be used against the last EP Army in a Country, or against Forts or Trenches.
The "Red Baron" rule represents not only Germany's Red Baron himself (Baron Manfred von Richthofen, 1892-1918), but elite German pilots generally.
[10.0] Central Powers (CP) Attack Phase
General Rule: By this point, the game system has thrown everything at you. Now it's your turn to show who's boss, by using your army to defend the Kaiser, the German homeland, deutsche Kultur, and your way of life.
Consult Rule 10.1 and have at it. Gott strafe England!
[10.1] Ground Attacks against EP Armies
This is the very heart of the game.
Procedure: Select any EP Army, pay 1 RM for your Attack, and roll 1 die. If the roll is higher than (>) the strength number on the target Army, your Attack succeeded! Remove the Army back to that Country's Reserves box. (Unless it has a skull-and-crossbones mark on it; see 10.5.)
At this point in the game you are only selecting targets in Belgium, France, Italy, Serbia, Ukraine, and Lithuania (and Roumania, if they are in the war – 8.4). Conflict in the Ottoman Empire is handled later; see 12.0.
Example: There are five French Armies in France – a dangerous situation for Germany since a sixth Army would generate an "Over the Top" crisis (6.3). So it's time to attack France! The Player wisely picks the 2-strength French 5th Army, since that's the easiest one to destroy. A roll of 3 or more is all you need to defeat the 5th Army. So you pay your 1 RM, roll a die, and the result is a 4 – you won the battle. The French 5th Army is removed to Reserves. Confidently, you pay another 1 RM and target the 3-strength 1st Army. This time you roll a 3 – but you needed at least a 4 so this attack fails!
[10.1.1] "Red Baron" Air Attacks
An EP Army with the Red Baron on it (see 9.7) is not attacked with the usual Rule 10.1. Instead, pay 1 RM (2 RM if the Entente has Air Superiority) for the attack, and roll two dice. If the roll is doubles (example: 2-2) count the doubled number of Turns ahead and place the Red Baron on that Turn box; the ground attack also fails.
Example: It is Turn 9 and you've put the Red Baron on top of a French Army in France. You have Air Superiority, so you pay your 1 RM and roll your dice; the result is a 4-4. Because the roll is doubles, count ahead 4 Turns to Turn 13 and put the Red Baron on the Turn 13 box. You can't use him until he comes back that Turn (5.2).
But if the roll is not doubles, you choose which die will apply to the battle; if it is higher than the EP Army's strength, you win the battle and the Red Baron goes back to Germany. He can only be used once per Turn.
Example: You chose to attack the British 4-strength 2nd Army in Belgium, and put the Red Baron on top of him. Now roll the dice; the result is 3 and 5. It's not doubles, so the Red Baron survives. You choose the 5 as your 'official' die roll and defeat the British 2nd Army with it.
[10.2] Special Event DRMs and CP Attacks
If the "Special Event" Tile is on the Special Events Display, you probably have a Die Roll Modifier (DRM) that helps or hurts you when fighting battles this Turn. These also affect attacks made against Forts and Trenches (10.3).
Several of these (British Shell Shortage, Mackensen, Place of Execution, Stosstruppen, Hoffmann, and Alpenkorps) will give you a +1 DRM for your attack, depending on where the attack is being made. See the relevant boxes on the map's Special Events Display for details. Poison Gas has a rule of its own (10.2.1).
By contrast, several other Events (Putnik, Brusilov, Foch, Diaz, and Black Day of the Army) impose a -1 DRM that will hurt your efforts to attack in certain countries.
Example: It is September-October 1918 and the Special Events Tile is in the "Diaz" box. This imposes a -1 DRM on all your attacks in Italy. So if you want to attack a 2-strength Italian Army this Turn, you'll need to roll a 4 or higher. A roll of 3, which would normally win, is reduced to an effective result of 2 thanks to the -1 DRM.
Important: Regardless of DRMs, when making an Attack, a natural (unmodified) roll of 1 always means failure; a natural (unmodified) roll of 6 always means success. No DRM ever prevents success or guarantees failure!
A +1 DRM from a Special Event and a -1 DRM from a Kaiserschlacht (10.7) cancel each other out.
[10.2.1] Poison Gas Attacks
If you have the Poison Gas special event, you get a +2 DRM to the first attack you make this Turn. The next gets a +1 DRM. Any later attack this Turn gets no DRM.
Gas attacks had diminishing returns; the enemy learned to prepare for them.
[10.3] Attack Border Forts and Trenches First
If you attack EP Armies in a Country that contains a "Forts" or "Trenches" Tile, you must first attack and defeat the Forts or Trenches before you can attack any of the Armies. Each such Tile is treated as an ordinary Army in combat with its strength. Once this 'army' is out of the way, can you attack the real Armies hiding behind it. Trenches will automatically come back next Turn (6.6); Border Forts (skull-and-crossbones) are gone forever (10.5).
In the rare instance when a Country contains both Forts and Trenches, the Trenches must be defeated before the Forts can be attacked.
[10.4] Alpine Winter
Turns marked with a blue tint on the Calendar (usually January-February) are "winter" in the Alps. No attacks are allowed against Italy on those Turns. See 6.2.3 about attacks made by the Italians.
[10.5] Skull-and-Crossbones Armies
A defeated Army with a skull-and-crossbones mark on it is discarded and never returns to play. (See 8.4 for Roumania and 10.5.1 for the "BEF".)
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was an elite force that could not be replaced by the conscripts Britain was drafting. Roumania lacked the manpower and foreign aid it needed to field an army in the long term. And Forts, once lost, could not be repaired under fire.
[10.5.1] The BEF
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) is a skull-and-crossbones Army but is also marked with an asterisk. When the BEF is eliminated in combat (10.1), it is gone forever. However, at the same instant, move the weaker British 2nd Army from the British Forces box on the Counter Tray to Belgium Reserves. It's what's left of the BEF. Its asterisk is not related to Rule 5.2.1.1.
Warning: The Player can't attack any other Army in Belgium until the original BEF has been eliminated!
[10.6] French Tank Army
If this unit is in France, it absorbs the first German attack in France. Declare the attack, pay your 1 RM, and remove the Tank Army. It can come back if rolled again on the Berliner Tageblatt.
[10.7] Kaiserschlacht – The Decisive Battle
Under certain circumstances, the Player can launch a decisive battle called a "Kaiserschlacht" ('Emperor's Battle') to try to knock a Country out of the war. This can only be launched against Russia, France, Serbia, or Italy, but not against Belgium/Britain or the AAO.
For game purposes, Britain never surrenders. And Serbia doesn't either, although the Serbs can be weakened by a Kaiserschlacht that forces a Great Retreat (15.1.4).
Before a Kaiserschlacht can be launched against an EP Country, the following three factors must be in play:
- The target Country must contain a Pink Tile.
- There must be only 1 Army left in the Country (plus no Forts, no Trenches, and no French Tank Army).
- Each other Country must have 3 or less Armies in it.
If 1, 2 and 3 are all true, you can launch the Kaiserschlacht. Pay 3 RM (not the usual 1). Expending a Kaisertreu or a Krupp equals 1 RM-worth of attack for this, but note the geographical restrictions that apply to them (11.1, 11.2). Then attack the last Army in the Country with a -1 DRM. (See 10.2, last two paragraphs. A 6 always succeeds.)
If the last Army is defeated, the Kaiserschlacht succeeds. The Country surrenders. See 15.1.
If a Kaiserschlacht fails, there is a flood of happy volunteers: the target Country immediately deploys the strongest EP Army from its Reserves.
[10.7.1] Kaiserschlacht in Russia
Because of Mother Russia's vast, colossal size, defeating Russia is a little different. A successful Kaiserschlacht against either Lithuania or Ukraine will collapse all of Russia. The cost to do a Kaiserschlacht against Russia is 4 RM, not 3 RM.
[11.0] Emergency Finances
You will notice that your vaunted German war machine is chronically short on cash (RM). Here are a few ways around that. Play these during the CP Attack Phase.
[11.1] The Krupp Tile
Expend a "Krupp" point (move the Tile one box to the left) to get a CP Attack. If it gets to the zero box, discard the Krupp Tile. You can only use Krupp to attack Belgium, France, or Lithuania.
[11.2] The Kaisertreu Tile
This is the Austrian version of Krupp, and it works the same way. You can only use Kaisertreu to attack Italy, Serbia, Ukraine, or Roumania. Note that the Kaisertreu Tile disappears when Franz Joseph dies (5.4.4), so you should use it early.
Many soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian Army felt a close personal loyalty to the aged Emperor Franz Joseph. The term "Kaisertreu" means "Loyal to the Emperor", and this rule shows how soldiers often fought harder for him. His nephew Karl had far less appeal, and the Habsburg Army visibly wilted after Karl took the throne in 1916.
[11.3] Cannibalize Your Country
You begin with three "Civil Society" Tiles: Free Press, Constitution, and Rule of Law (each marked with a red star). As a German militarist, all these silly things get in your way of winning the war. You can attempt to "suppress" (discard) one Civil Society Tile per Turn and roll a die to see how repression works out for you. You can only do this if Hindenburg and Ludendorff are ruling Germany (the "Hinden-Luden" Tile is there: 7.1.2.2). Roll a die on the German Civil Society Table (p. 16).
"Add +1 to Revolution" means move the Revolution Tile on the Omnibus Track 1 box to the right if possible.
[12.0] Near East Phase
Only use the Near East Phase if Turkey is a CP nation (8.1), and then only in non-Summer Turns (12.1).
The Near East Phase is sort of a microcosm of the rest of the game, with simpler rules. Each "Ottoman" box on the map is associated with several invading Entente Armies, all marked with a Z symbol.
Armenia is first invaded by Russian Z Armies from Yerevan. If Russia surrenders, these are replaced (15.1.5) by a hodgepodge of Armenian, Assyrian, and Dunsterforce Armies. These are all marked with "A" in a white circle, and are interchangeable for game purposes.
The Caucasus theater of WWI was a snake-pit of rival factions, ethnic armies, and revolutionary or counter-revolutionary plots. Our factions are the Armenians (local Christians who lived there thousands of years before Turks or Russians), the Assyrians (ancient Semitic Christian groups in the region), and Dunsterforce, multinational British-led swashbucklers who fought all over the region and really deserve their own TV miniseries.
Mesopotamia is invaded by British Indian Z Armies from India, all marked with a white circle "M". These units can be diverted to East Africa (12.2).
Palestine is invaded by the Arab Northern Army (ANA) and British and South African Z Armies from Egypt, marked with a white circle "P". One such unit is Lawrence of Arabia, who, despite his distinctive Tile, has no special role in the game. At start, there is only the face-down ANA Army, which has yet to make a move against the Turks (8.5). Aside from the fact you can't send the ANA to fight the Senussi (5.4.3), treat all the white circle "P" EP Armies as British, based in Egypt.
[12.1] Near Eastern Summer
During Summer Turns (marked in yellow on the Calendar), no action at all occurs in the Near East Theater. It's too hot! So just skip this step of the Sequence of Play on those Turns. If it is not a Summer Turn, continue to 12.2. This means there are only 18 Turns in the game when Near East action occurs (or 19 if Turkey joins on a Summer Turn – see 8.1).
[12.2] Build Askari
If there is one Askari in German East Africa, you have the option of building a second one. You can use the Air Option described in 9.6 (3, Supply East Africa), and/or you can use this Naval Option now: Spend 1 RM and roll a die. On a 3, 4, 5 or 6, the effort succeeds; place the second Askari in German East Africa. Any other roll is a failure. Your 1 RM is at the bottom of the ocean.
If you succeeded, also take one British Indian Army from India if possible (Mesopotamia if necessary) and move it to German East Africa in pursuit of the Askari.
Raising Askari forces not only helps you hold onto East Africa, but stops the Indian Army from defeating Turkey in Mesopotamia. Sending aid to the distant and isolated East African colony was difficult but not impossible. The most famous success was the grounding of the German light cruiser SMS Königsberg in the Rufiji River in 1915; the Askaris walked off with the ship's 10.5 cm guns!
[12.3] Indians Attack Askari
Each Indian Army in East Africa now attacks one German Askari there, rolling 2 dice and defeating it only on a 6-6. A defeated second Askari Tile returns to the Counter Tray; it can be rebuilt later (12.2). Each time an Askari is beaten, the Indian Army that beat it also moves back to India. If the last Askari in East Africa is beaten, the Germans there surrender; East Africa is "closed" for the rest of the game.
Optional Rule: Each Indian attacks its Askari twice (two rolls of 2d6). This ups the pressure on you!
[12.4] EP Deployment to Near East
Roll a die, consult the die icons next to the 3 Near East boxes on the map. Deploy one EP Near East ("Z") Army from each of the Near East Reserve boxes if the die roll matches the die face next to the corresponding Near East Country box.
Example: You roll a 3. Look at the Near East boxes near Ottoman Turkey. There is no 3 next to the Armenia box, so no Russian Army deploys in Armenia. But there are 3 icons next to the Mesopotamia and the Palestine boxes, so place the appropriate Armies: one Indian in Mesopotamia and one British in Palestine (if open, 12.4.1).
Warning: If a Near East deploy would add a fifth Army to any one Near East box, Turkey surrenders! See 12.7.
[12.4.1] Palestine Theater
As long as the ANA Army is face down in Palestine, no EP Army deploys there (ignore what the 12.4 roll says). When the Arab Revolt Event flips that Tile to its green face-up side, future die rolls placing EP Armies from Egypt in Palestine must be carried out in normal fashion. See 8.5.
[12.5] Ottoman Income
If Turkey survives this Turn's EP deployments, you may choose to draw one coin Chit from the Lira Cup, and earn that many Turkish "Lira" to spend in the Near East. Move the "Lira" coin Tile right on the Omnibus Track, the same way you do for RM, to tally the number of Lira you now have this Turn. Lira chits are discarded after being pulled.
[12.6] Ottoman Ground Combat
The Turks spend all their money on war. To attack EP Armies in the three Ottoman boxes, spend 1 Lira per attack, and choose any EP Army in the Near East (not Reserves) as a target.
Procedure: Select any EP Army, pay 1 Lira for your Attack, and roll 1 die. If the roll is higher than (>) the strength number on the target Army, your Attack succeeded! Remove the Army back to its Reserves.
You cannot attack and destroy the last EP Army in any Near East box. There is no Near East version of the Kaiserschlacht rule (10.7). You can't defeat the EP in the Near East, only hold them back from defeating Turkey.
[12.6.1] Armenian Genocide
The "Armenians" Tile forces a -1 DRM to any CP attack on EP Armies in the Armenia box. If you make any successful attack there on an unmodified roll of 6, discard the "Armenians" Tile. The civilian population has been massacred.
Immediately after the Armenians have been massacred, roll two dice. On a combined roll of 3 or less, the USA, if neutral, declares war on Germany immediately (8.6).
Wargames usually ignore genocide but WWI gave us the 20th century's first one, the one that set the tone for all the others. Full-scale slaughter of Armenians began in 1894 and peaked in 1915, when one third of all Armenians were murdered by the Ottoman Turkish government, mostly in forced death marches into the deserts of Syria and Mesopotamia, a systematic plan that had the full consent of the Kaiser's government. In the game, the Armenians Tile gives a -1 DRM to Turkish combat thanks to Armenian resistance to the genocide. US Senate Republicans refused to support Democratic President Wilson's plan to send troops to save Christian Armenia from starvation and, later, Communism. Adolf Hitler was later reported to have said: "After all, who nowadays mentions the extermination of the Armenians?"
[12.6.2] Siege of Kut
If the Turks defeat an Indian Army in Mesopotamia on a 6, you can declare the "Siege of Kut". Place that Tile in Mesopotamia. It absorbs the next Indian deployment there (ignore the next deployment but then discard the Siege of Kut Tile from the game).
[12.6.3] Kemal
If "Kemal" is in Armenia, you can use him once a Turn to re-roll any one Turkish attack there in hopes of a better result. You can't use Kemal to un-roll a 6 that causes Armenian Genocide; he was complicit.
Mustafa Kemâl Paşa (1881-1938) was an outstanding Turkish general and possibly the most brilliant general in the entire war. He later defeated the plans of the Western allies (and their Greek and Armenian friends) to divide up Turkey, founded today's Turkish Republic in 1923, and changed his name to Kemal Atatürk. His all-pervasive cult of personality was a model for 20th century despots, but he made Turkey a modern secular state and replaced the defective Arabic alphabet with Roman script, greatly advancing Turkish literacy and education.
[12.7] Turkish Surrender
If Gallipoli succeeds (5.3.1), or if a fifth EP Army deploys in any one of the 3 Ottoman boxes (12.4), then the Ottoman Empire surrenders. Place the "Ottoman Surrender" Tile in Turkey and then ignore all future Near East Phase activities except for Rules 12.2 and 12.3. If East Africa is still in the war, the war there continues and you continue to fight for it.
[13.0] Industrial Phase
[13.1] Build U-Boats
It costs 2 RM to build a "U-Boats" Tile. Ordinarily you will only have one U-Boat on the map at one time (13.1.1). It will block the deployment of a hostile EP Army in the Country where it is placed (see 6.2.4). If there are no U-Boats on the map, the first one built must be placed in Belgium. One may also be built in France (see 13.1.1), but only one U-Boat per Country.
[13.1.1] Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
If there is a U-Boat on the map (including one you just built there), you may build a second U-Boat. However, each time you place a second U-Boat on the map, you have just begun a new campaign of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare. This really pisses off America, so if the USA is still neutral, roll one die. On a 4, 5 or 6, the USA declares war on Germany immediately (8.6).
[13.2] Build Blockade Runners
Now you can spend 2 RM to transfer one Blockade Runner from Neutral Ports to the Blockade Runners map box (9.1). You can build as many Blockade Runners as you can afford to at this time.
[13.3] Build the Siegfried Line
If the "Siegfried Line" Tile is in Germany, you can now spend 2 RM to "build" the Siegfried Line into the Belgium box. This will hamper the British war effort there (6.2.2).
[14.0] Turn End Phase
Now it's time to wrap up the Turn. Play each step below in order, where appropriate.
[14.1] German Banking
At the end of a Turn, the Player may choose to "bank" one remaining RM (maximum); leave the RM coin at "1" on the Omnibus Markers Track. This one RM can be used next Turn (see 5.4.1).
During the Banking step, the Player may also send one remaining RM to boost Turkey's economy if the "Berlin-Bagdad Railway" Tile is in Bulgaria. Reduce the German RM total by -1 and raise the Turkish Lira total by +1. This is the only way Turkish Lira can be banked.
Any other RM or Turkish Lira on the Omnibus Tiles Track are now lost, and the coins are now reduced to zero (except for any 1 RM and/or 1 Lira saved above).
[14.2] Cancel Special Event
Remove the Special Event Tile from the Display. It will return next Turn (7.1.1), its position depending on the die roll.
[14.3] Miracle of the Marne
On Turn 2 (September-October 1914) only, if France has not surrendered (15.1.2), remove the "France in Danger" Tile from the France box. The Schlieffen Plan has failed, the initial shock of war has been withstood, and France is in it for the long haul!
"My center is giving way. My right is retreating. Situation excellent. I attack." – Marshal Ferdinand Foch, architect of the Miracle of the Marne, 1914.
[14.4] Naval Reset
Return all Cruisers on the map to the Cruisers box and all Blockade Runners to the Blockade Runners box, except for any Blockade Runners in the Neutral Ports box. Those will need repair (13.2).
[14.5] End of the Turn
The Turn is now over. Go back to the Sequence of Play and start over by drawing a Chit (4.0). If it is the end of Turn #27, then the game itself is over; go to 15.3 to determine your victory level.
[15.0] Victory and Defeat
[15.1] Entente Country Surrender
A successful Kaiserschlacht (10.7) against the last EP Army in a Country will force that Country to Surrender. For the consequences of surrender, consult the following rules.
[15.1.1] Britain
In the game, Britain never surrenders. It can't be 'Kaiserschlachted'.
[15.1.2] France
If France surrenders, place the Surrender Tile in France and ignore all future EP Deployments into France. No attacks on a surrendered France are allowed. See 5.2.1 for effects on US Deployment.
[15.1.3] Italy
If Italy surrenders, place the Surrender Tile in Italy and ignore all future EP Deployments into Italy. No attacks on a surrendered Italy are allowed. See 5.2.1 for effects on US Deployment.
[15.1.4] Serbia
Serbia is never truly defeated. Instead, a Kaiserschlacht in Serbia creates the Allied Army of the Orient. Discard all Serbs; put five AAO Tiles in Serbia Reserves, and in Serbia. Discard the "Outflanked" Tile in Serbia. Future "S" (Serbian) EP Army deployments (6.1) now place AAO Armies in Serbia instead of Serbs.
Additionally, when the AAO replaces the Serbs, place the "Berlin-Bagdad Railway" Tile in Bulgaria (14.1).
While Serbia was collapsing in 1915 and its soldiers went on the epic retreat through Albania to Corfu, French and British forces landed at Salonika in Greece to create the "Macedonian Front" or "Salonika Front". Ultimately, the surviving Serbian Army was moved to that sector and they were the ones who actually broke through the Central Powers lines in Bulgaria in late 1918, leading to the fall of Bulgaria and then Austria-Hungary – which meant the game was up for Germany as well. The war in the Balkans was far more than just a sideshow.
[15.1.5] Russia
If Russia surrenders, leave the Socialist Revolution Tiles in Lithuania and Ukraine as a reminder that Lenin rules and Russia is hors de combat. Ignore future EP deployments in Russia. Discard all Russian units. No attacks on a surrendered Russia are allowed.
If the Ottomans are still at war when Russia surrenders, place all four Armenian-aligned Armies (two Armenian "Rifles", Dunsterforce, and Assyrians) in the "Yerevan" Reserve box on the map. Then move one "Rifle" Army to the Ottoman Armenia Theater box. The war in the Near East continues, with the Armenians and their allies taking Russia's place in the Armenian Theater.
When Russia surrenders, discard the Turkish Kemal unit. He quit in frustration with his German "advisors".
[15.2] German Defeat
There can never be more than five EP Armies in a Country box. If one more Army is ordered to be deployed in that Country, this places its "Over the Top" Tile in the Country – the Central Powers are now in danger of Defeat! (Exception: 6.2.3.)
The appearance of an Over the Top Tile means that your lines on that front have collapsed. The Entente are poised to achieve a colossal breakthrough – unless you can stop them immediately!
Roll two dice; no DRM's on this roll – ever! If the total is equal to or less than (≤) the number of Cities now in the Unruhe box, then the Defeat succeeds. Otherwise the Defeat fizzles.
- If the Defeat succeeds, the game is over and you lose. Your army has collapsed, the Kaiser has abdicated, and the vindictive Treaty of Versailles awaits you – with far worse horrors to follow in twenty years' time. "This is not peace. It is an armistice for twenty years." – Marshal Ferdinand Foch, on the Versailles Treaty, 1919.
- If the Defeat fizzles, remove the Over the Top Tile back to Reserves, and also remove a Trenches Tile from the Country if present (it will return later this Turn; 6.6). The five EP Armies are still a threat. In addition (this is important!) move one or more Cities of your choice from the Ruhe box to the Unruhe box, but gaining one immediate CP Attack for each City so moved. You choose how many Cities to move, but you must move at least one. You may use the CP attack against any target, but it's smart to use it on the Country with the OTT crisis.
Remember that all deployments (6.1) occur in BFLUIS order. You can use Cities to attack a fully stacked Country that would deploy an OTT against you "later on", thus preventing it from fielding the OTT Tile.
If you use Cities to attack in this case, ignore any Fort in the Country under attack. You can't use Cities to attempt a Kaiserschlacht (10.7) or attack a Country's last Army.
If a Defeat 'fizzles', you successfully avoided the danger this time; but the resources it took to avert it plunge one more city into unrest. "Ruhe" is German for "Calm"; "Unruhe" is "Unrest." Your cities are losing faith in your ability to win the war.
[15.3] Armistice Day
If Germany has not been Defeated when the game ends in November-December 1918, then you won the game! But what kind of victory is it? Now is the time to calculate Victory Points (VPs).
- Count the number of EP Armies in the six Country boxes and Roumania. Subtract that number from 30 to get your number of Victory Points.
- Add +10 VPs if Ottoman Turkey is still in the war.
- Add +5 VPs if German East Africa is still German.
- Add +1 VP for each CP City Tile in the "Ruhe" box.
- Add +5 VPs for each Civil Society Tile (11.3) still in Germany.
Compare your grand total with this list:
- 65+ VP – Welthistorischer Sieg! France and Russia lie in rubble. Germany has doubled in size and dominates the economic life of Europe and central Africa.
- 60-64 – Germany makes major territorial gains, rules Central Europe's economy, and annexes much of Africa.
- 50-59 – The Kaiser is secure, and Germany makes minor territorial and colonial gains. Austria-Hungary begins its experiment in federal government.
- 40-49 – Germany retains a colony or two, and losses to France are compensated for by control of Poland. But Austria-Hungary collapses.
- 30-39 – All colonies are lost. So is Alsace-Lorraine. Fights over Poland continue. Austria-Hungary collapses.
- 20-29 – Peace without honor. The Kaiser presides over an unstable revanchist government relying on force to hold Germany together. Austria-Hungary collapses.
- 19 or less – Collapse. The Kaiser's government fractures at the Versailles Peace Conference and Germany falls into Civil War. Austria-Hungary also collapses.
Tables (Rulebook p. 16)
(9.1.5) Major Naval Battle Table
- 1: British Victory: Discard the HSF Tile.
- 2: British Advantage: Count 3 Turns ahead and place the HSF on the resulting Calendar Turn box.
- 3: British Advantage: Same as above but 2 Turns.
- 4: Skirmish: No effect.
- 5: German Advantage: Place the Cruiser on the Calendar, two turns in future. It will return at that time.
- 6: German Victory: Place the Cruiser in the cup.
(9.5) British Bombing Table
- 1: Germans lose -2 RM
- 2: Germans lose -2 RM
- 3: Germans lose -1 RM
- 4: Germans lose -1 RM
- 5: Germans lose -1 RM
- 6: No effect
(11.3) German Civil Society Table
- 1: Riots: Keep the Tile but move 1 City to Unruhe.
- 2: Resistance: Discard the Tile; add +1 to Revolution.
- 3: Reward: Earn 3 free RM and discard the Tile.
- 4: Reward: Earn 4 free RM and discard the Tile.
- 5: Reward: Earn 5 free RM and discard the Tile.
- 6: Reward: Earn 6 free RM and discard the Tile.
Berliner Tageblatt Card
Random Events Table (7.1)
Die Roll + Turn # gives the result:
| Die Roll + Turn # | Special Events (7.1.1) | General Events (7.1.2) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | (No Effect) | |
| 3-4 | Putnik | |
| 5-6 | Putnik | |
| 7-8 | British Shell Shortage | Turkish Entry |
| 9-10 | Poison Gas | Turkish Entry, Italian Entry |
| 11-12 | Mackensen | Turkish Entry, Italian Entry, Bulgarian Entry |
| 13-14 | Place of Execution | Italian Entry, Bulgarian Entry, Hinden-Luden |
| 15-16 | Brusilov | Bulgarian Entry, Hinden-Luden |
[5.2.1.1] US "Over There" Schedule
- 1 Turn after US Entry: USA "I" Corps. Replaces French 4th Army. French 4th Army replaces Italian 4th Army.
- 4 Turns after US Entry: USA "V" Corps. Replaces British 3rd Army. British 3rd Army replaces Italian Carnia Army.
- 5 Turns after US Entry: USA "IV" Corps. Replaces French 3rd Army.
- 6 Turns after US Entry: USA "VI" Corps. Replaces British 4th Army.
British Cruisers Table (9.1.2)
Cross-index the number of Cruisers with the die roll (two dice total). [Brackets] indicate a "doubles" result which can sink a German Blockade Runner – see 9.1.3.
| Die Roll | 1 Cruiser | 2 Cruisers | 3 Cruisers | 4 Cruisers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2a | [2b,2b] | [2c,2c], 2b | [1a,1a], 2a, 4 |
| 3 | 2b | [2a,2a] | [2b,2b], 2c | [2c,2c], 1a, 1b |
| 4 | 3 | [3,3] | [2a,2a], 2c | [2b,2b], 2a, 2c |
| 5 | 3 | [4,4] | [3,3], 2b | [2a,2a], 1b, 2c |
| 6 | 3 | 2a, 3 | [4,4], 2a | [4,4], 2b, 3 |
Sequence of Play
- A. Chit Draw Phase (4.0, 4.1): Randomly draw Cruiser (4.2) or Turn Chit (4.3)
- B. Turn Start Phase (5.0): Place Turn Chit on Calendar (5.1); Deploy Units from Calendar Turn Box (5.2); Play Calendar Events (5.3); Play Chit-Based Events (5.4)
- C. Entente Powers (EP) Attack Phase (6.0): Deploy EP Armies (6.1); consult 6.2 for any special EP Deployment Limits; Resolve any "Over the Top" EP Offensives (6.3); British Attack Irish, win on a 6 (6.4); Senussi War in Libya, win on a 6 (6.5); 'Dig' (place) Trenches (starting Turn 3; 6.6)
- D. Berliner Tageblatt Phase (7.0): Roll die and add Turn Number; Resolve any Special or General Events (7.1.1, 7.1.2)
- E. Alliances Phase (8.0): Neutrals join EP or CP depending on Events from previous Phase
- F. Naval/Air Warfare Phase (9.0): Blockade Runners (9.1) and Economic "Haul"; Hindenluden 2 RM Bonus (if applicable; 9.2); Determine Control of the Skies (9.3); German Bombers (9.4); British Bombers (9.5); Zeppelin Raids (9.6); "The Red Baron" Air Combat (9.7)
- G. Central Powers (CP) Attack Phase (10.0): Ground Attacks against EP Armies (10.1), possibly modified by the Red Baron (10.1.1) and Special Events (10.2). Beware: Attack Forts and Trenches first (10.3); Alpine Winter in Italy (10.4); Skull/Crossbones Armies (10.5); French Tank Army absorbs attack (10.6). Resolve any "Kaiserschlacht" (10.7)
- H. Emergency Finances (11.0), supplement to 10.0: Earn additional CP Attacks
- I. Near East (NE) Phase (12.0): Beware: No NE Phase in Summer Turns (12.1). Build Askari (1 RM, 12.2); Indians Attack Askari (one or two 2d6 rolls: 12.3); Roll one die to Deploy EP "Z" Armies (12.4) – Check for Ottoman Surrender (then see 12.7); Draw Ottoman Income if you wish (12.5); Ottoman Ground Combat (12.6) – Armenian Genocide if 6 is rolled in Armenia (12.6.1), Siege of Kut if 6 is rolled in Mesopotamia (12.6.2), Kemal (limited reroll in Armenia, 12.6.3); Ottoman Surrender (12.7) if necessary
- J. Industrial Phase (13.0): Build U-Boats (2 RM, 13.1); Build Blockade Runners (2 RM, 13.2); Build the Siegfried Line (2 RM, 13.3)
- K. Turn End Phase (14.0): German and Ottoman Banking (14.1); Cancel Special Event (14.2); Miracle of the Marne (14.3, Turn 2 only); Naval Reset (14.4); End of Turn (14.5) – Return to Step A
Game Setup (1914 Campaign Scenario)
- Turn Chits: Place the gray "1" Turn Chit in the August 1914 ("Turn 1") Calendar Box on the map. The other 27 Turn Chits go into the Chit Draw Cup.
- Army Setup: "Reserve Armies" go in the six "Reserve" boxes on the Counter Tray, unless otherwise noted. Put all "Over the Top" ('OTT') Tiles in their respective nation's Reserves (one Russian OTT Tile in Lithuania Reserves, and the other in Ukraine Reserves). All "AAO" units, including the OTT, remain on the Counter Tray.
- FRANCE: Put the 2nd and 3rd Armies in France, and the 1st, 4th, and 5th Armies in France Reserves.
- RUSSIA: Put the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Armies in Lithuania, and the 6th and 10th in Lithuania Reserves. Put the 3rd, 5th, and 7th Armies in Ukraine, and the 8th and 9th in Ukraine Reserves. All four Russian Z Armies go to the "Yerevan" Reserve box on the map.
- ITALY: Put the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Armies in Italy, and the 4th and Carnia Armies in Italy Reserves.
- SERBIA: Put the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Armies in Serbia, and the Užice and Montenegro Armies in Serb Reserves.
- INDIA: Put three Indian Z Armies in the "India" Reserve box on the map, and one in German East Africa.
- BELGIUM: Put the one Belgian "Albert" Army in Belgium.
- BRITAIN: Put the "BEF" and 1st Army in Belgium, and the 3rd and 4th Armies in Belgium Reserves. Leave the British 2nd Army and the MEF on the Counter Tray. Put the "Lawrence" and "XX" British Z Armies in the "Egypt" Reserve box on the map.
- SOUTH AFRICA: Put the South African Z Army in the "Egypt" box.
- ARAB NORTHERN ARMY: Put the "ANA" Army face down in the Palestine box on the map.
- Place one "Border Forts" Tile each in Belgium and France. All 11 "City" Tiles go in the "Ruhe" skyline box.
- The German "RM" coin Tile, and the Turkish "Lira" coin Tile, both go in the "zero" box of the Omnibus Markers Track. Put the "Krupp" Tile in the "5" box of the Omnibus Markers Track, and "Kaisertreu" in the 3 box. Place one "Socialist Revolution" Tile in the zero box of the Omnibus Markers Track.
The game is now set up and you are ready to play!