The Great War 1914-1918: Clash of Empires

Does each nation has its own Infantry sculpt?

Actually not sure on this, that was the original plan but i have not seen for example any Ottoman infantry yet.

I can’t post the map besides it is going thru more changes.

Yes and that was insisted by me for people like you. Some people wont buy the game and just want pieces. Not getting the game is their loss, but the pieces will be sold–-once the game is on sale.

Are fortresses represented, or is that what the entrenched infantryman represents?

Fortress:  Fires twice at 3 on Defense, takes 4 hits
    Fortresses (representing large areas of concentrated fortifications and coastal batteries) take 4 hits and fire two times at a 3.  Fortress units fire preemptively in battle and may benefit from improved spotting (see aerial superiority).
    Fortresses are not built, but they may be captured if all enemy pieces have been killed. Any fort that takes its fourth hit is considered wrecked and may no longer participate in the battle.  To remain functional the fort must have at least one hit left and a single infantry, cavalry, or storm troop (exception pass-through fire, see below).
    If enemy surface ships move next to or passes through the following areas:
1. Strait of Gibraltar
2. Fao
3. Dardanelles (from Aegean Sea)
4. Dardanelles (from Black Sea)
5. Gulf of Bothnia to get to Saint Petersburg, then the fortress there gets pass-through fire.  Pass-through fire is resolved by making one attack (rolling twice) against the ships. The enemy’s movement is temporarily halted to conduct this fire.  In the Dardanelles, the defender gets to use both forts. This fire is done each time the area is entered and there need not be an infantry, cavalry, or storm troop present with the fort.  Note that submarines are not affected by pass-through fire.
    If a coastal fort is invaded by sea, or if a naval battle is being fought in the zone next to the fortress, then the fort may participate in the combat and fire twice each round.
    A fortress that was damaged is repaired during phase 6 of the owners turn in which it was not the subject of an attack by five or more land units.

Infantry:  Attack at 1, Defend at 2, Move 1, Cost 1.5
    Infantry move 1 and are better on defense than offense.  They may entrench if they did not move during their turn.  While entrenched they will have a strike first advantage.  Entrenched troops are represented with a machine gun.  As long as the unit does not move it remains entrenched.  It loses this ability if it moves.

Land combat sequence:
This, like naval combat, must be performed step-by-step.

Part A – Note: Planes are only hitting other planes

1. Air combat takes place and the survivor gains air superiority. These extra planes may boost land units in the first round by aerial spotting.  Either side may retreat all their planes after any round, first the attacker and then the defender.
2. Once the sky is cleared of enemy planes, plane hits can go against land units (and vice versa).

Part B – Note: After each step the loses are removed

1. The attacker conducts gas attacks (defender can adjust the damage if they have “gas mask” technology). The defender can reply if they have “gas shells” technology.
2. If the attacker has artillery (including rail guns that are in an adjacent space) or aircraft he can fire them preemptively. These units may be boosted by planes using aerial spotting.
3. If the defender has any artillery (including rail guns that are in an adjacent space) or aircraft he may fire them preemptively. These units may be boosted by planes using aerial spotting.
4. Attacking Storm Troops attack preemptively.
5. Defending entrenched troops fire preemptively.
6. The attacker and defender then fire with all their remaining units including air units.
7. The attacker has the option to retreat.  He may retreat all units back to his territory or he may remain in the space and contest it with all.  If the attacker does not retreat then the defender may retreat to friendly or allied territory.  If not then proceed with step 3.

Yes they marked on the map since you can’t just “build a fortress” during the war.

If you want questions, just ask. I can repost sections of the rules.

Do railroads figure into the game into a direct way (literally on the map, as strategic movement, etc.), or is this wrapped up in the movement structure in general?

Special  moves:
Strategic movement:
Ships may make a strategic non-combat move from any originally controlled port to port, subject to the following:

1. The move must begin and end in a friendly port.
2. The move may not move into or pass through any enemy ships.  However, submerged subs are ignored.
3. The quantity of ships transferred is limited by the printed economic value of the attached land area where the port is connected too.
4. Ships are subject to mine and coastal fortress pass-through attacks.

Railroad transportation:
Rail movement is allowed from anywhere within contiguously controlled and connected land areas, limited as follows:

1. If you are not in a factory space, rail movement can be to any originally controlled factory (including allied factories) or an original starting home territory. No limit of moves of this type.
2. If you are in a factory space, you can rail to either item #1, or any space you control. No limit of moves of this type.
3. If you control both sides of the Suez or Dardanelles, you may pass thru these areas.

These moves are valid if:

1. You can trace the movement through a continuous line of controlled territories.
2. The movement does not cross any sea barriers that are not controlled (such as the English Channel, or a blocked Dardanelles strait).
3. The movement is not into a contested area.
4. The line is not traced through Russia (unless you are Russia).
5. The territory is not newly captured (exception: Belgium).

Russia may only use rail movement within their own Nation.  Until Russia surrenders, nobody may use her rail lines.

How have you worked colonial warfare into the game? Are these omitted, or are they abstracted some way into the game? I won’t whine if there isn’t a separate German askari sculpt, a KAR sculpt, and a Force Publique sculpt… though it would greatly impress me if someone made these…

The game does not model the fighting in Africa, however an expansion was made ( to be released as a separate map that connects to our map on the bottom). That’s all i can say right now.

I want the 8/1 release date, while the producer wants earlier.

Ottoman infantry question will need to wait till i call them for update

Rail movement should not be allowed in Africa or through Persia. These countries had single lines from the coast to the inland capital, but not between colonies.
The UK planned a line from Cairo to the Cape, but this was never completed.

The map barely even has but a sliver of land for Africa. The effect is negligible in playtest. No one nation really goes after worthless areas so they can move along the coast. Besides, these are 3+ month turns. By basic roads the distance could be traveled.

The third problem is The Ottomans get marginalized, due to playtest results ( we thought of everything).

I assume you can never rail into enemy controlled tt; it doesn’t state this specifically.

It does indeed state this

These moves are valid if:
1)  You can trace the movement through a continuous line of controlled territories.
2)  The movement does not cross any sea barriers that are not controlled (such as the English Channel, or a blocked Dardanelles strait).
3)  The movement is not into a contested area.
4)  The line is not traced through Russia (unless you are Russia).
5)  The territory is not newly captured (exception: Belgium).

Why is Belgium an exception?

You will see when you play a game first as to why.

Will the game feature the Schlieffenplan?

I mean is it possible for GER to take Paris Round 1 ?

yes and yes.

General moves and special moves:

Germany’s Schleiffen Plan:
If Germany invades Belgium on turn one, the forces that capture the territory get an immediate second impulse to move and/or attack.  Note: this is the only time during the game in which air units can land in the newly-captured (Belgian) territory.

This bonus move is done immediately before non combat movement, and the new captured territory may function as a production center or as a rail hub.

Units which do not take their bonus move may entrench instead or make a non-combat move to an adjacent territory.  Rail may be used.  Aircraft may remain in Belgium

If the attack on Belgium is not done then this advantage is forever lost.  Furthermore, any attack on Belgium will cost a diplomatic penalty (see attacking a minor power).