The Great War: Western Front places players in command of the Western Front from 1914 to 1919, casting them as both Theatre Commander and Field Commander. Its central appeal is the link between decisions made across the theatre of war and the battles fought on the ground: resources, deployments and research shape the broader campaign, while tactical choices direct troops against an opponent.
At the strategic level, turn-based play covers force deployment, research and resource allocation. Battles unfold in real time, with players building trench networks and directing infantry assaults. The battlefield itself retains the effects of earlier encounters: returning to a site may reveal craters and damaged terrain, while rain and snow affect artillery performance and unit movement. Research can introduce technologies such as poison gas and tanks, and players choose between the Allied Nations and Central Powers, each with distinct abilities and styles.
The game offers Campaign, Historical Battles, Skirmish and Multiplayer, combining solo historical or custom-battle play with competition against others. Across these modes, the defining experience is deciding how theatre-wide plans translate into costly, changing battlefield conditions.
