Great War (1987)

Great War is a set of miniature wargame rules for the first months of World War One. The nature of the war at that time was very fluid and hadn't settled into the static trench warfare that characterized the war in modern memory.

The basic units of the game are the infantry company, cavalry squadron, and half-battery. These basic units are combined into larger units such as battalions, regiments, brigades, and batteries. There are no set scales for distance or time.

Great War uses increment cards that determine how many actions a player can make in their turn. Cards number from one to three. The composition of a card deck varies by nationality, but is always eight cards. Countries rated to have better command control will have more "3s" in their deck and a higher total of increments. The cards are drawn each turn and reshuffled after the deck has been gone through.

Command control is simulated by a commander having to allocate command factors to every unit he wishes to move or fire in the turn. When the game starts, the commander has one command factor available per unit. However, as units lose or win melees, capture key positions, or rout, the command factors will rise and fall so that a commander may be unable to move all his units in a turn. The commander MUST allocate command factors to attempt to unpin any units that have become pinned due to enemy fire.

Firing uses an incremental percentage. A unit has a base percentage value for their fire, which is multiplied by the number of figures firing and then by the number of increments. For example, a rifle company of six figures firing at long range (15") for two increments has a base factor of 10%, which is multiplied times the figures to get 60%, and then multiplied by the number of increments for a result of 120% or one casualty inflicted and a 20% chance for a second. Cover modifiers may also reduce a unit's fire. For example, if the target of the rifle company's fire had been entrenched, the fire would be reduced to 1/4 for a result of a 30% chance for a single casualty.

Small arms fire is from unit to unit, but artillery fire uses templates that cover a larger area and may embrace multiple target units, all of which are affected by the fire. Casualties can mount rapidly, especially when artillery fire comes into play.

Infantry, cavalry, artillery--and machine guns--are the dominant arms in Great War, but early armored vehicles, such as armored cars, were on hand and are included in the game.

Great War includes organization charts for all the countries of 1914 along with guidelines for basing figures and models.

The game plays quickly even with a large number of units per side. There is enough "flavor" to make the rules engaging without so much detail that one feels bogged down in minutiae.