Putting the whole of World War I into a single boxed wargame is an ambitious ask, and World War I: Deluxe Edition from Decision Games sets out to do exactly that — the entire war, from the opening offensives to the final collapse, on one strategic map. In this first look I open the box, walk the components, and cover the rules well enough that you’ll know whether it’s a system you want to spend time with.
The whole war in one box
Strategic-level treatments of the Great War live or die on how they handle the things that actually decided it — the grinding stalemate of the Western Front, the wider war in the east and south, and the slow arithmetic of attrition and supply. A first look is the place to see how the map, the counters, and the sequence of play frame those problems, and whether the design keeps them legible without drowning you in chrome.
This is the opening of a series — gameplay follows, where the system gets tested where it counts, on the table. Watch the first look for the overview, then follow along as the war plays out.
First looks here always lead into full playthroughs. Subscribe to see how this one holds up in play.