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- BGG #2,695
- BGG rating
- 7.3
WW2: Barbarossa to Berlin
- 1–2 players
- 420 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2002
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- BGG rating
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The First World War
2004
Rules assistance for The First World War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The First World War
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The First World War is a board game released in 2004 for 2–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Ted Raicer and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, and Area Majority / Influence.
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About the game
The game is by veteran designer Ted Raicer and contains: 1 hard mounted game board, 96 army counters (about an inch per side; incl. 24 dummies), 46 City Victory markers, 30 Combat chits, 1 Game Turn marker, 1 Game Round marker, 4 Victory Point markers, 8 Game Order Determination markers, 4 Surrender markers, 1 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk marker, 2 Dice, 1 Rules Booklet (8 pages, full-color). The game board divides the map of Europe into three Theaters of War - the Western Theater, Italian Theater, and Eastern Theater. Each theater is sub-divided into two or more numbered Fronts (11 fronts total). Each front contains the location of one or more victory cities (46 in total). Ordinary victory city locations are shown with a box, color-coded to show the original owning faction. Replacement centers are shown by a circle in place of a box. Each front also contains one or more faction bases (hexagon shaped) which act as a special sort of city. Bases and cities within each Front are connected by Attack Lines which indicate which cities may be attacked. Finally each Front lists which armies may be deployed or moved there. The First World War can be played by 2 to 4 players. There are two Alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers. Each Alliance is divided into two factions. The Allies are divided into the Western Allied faction and the Eastern Allied faction. The Central Powers are divided into the German faction and the German Allied faction. Each faction consists of one or more nationalities.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Mayfair Games
- Phalanx Games B.V.
- Phalanx Games Polska
Questions and answers
The First World War supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for The First World War is 90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists The First World War for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
The First World War has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
The First World War belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War I. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, and Area Majority / Influence. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of The First World War are: Ted Raicer. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists The First World War as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.