Strategy & Tactics #288: Hindenburg’s War – Decision in the Trenches 1918 (Special Edition) is a two-player strategic wargame that captures the desperate final year of World War I on the Western Front. Spanning from the massive German spring offensives of March 1918 to the Armistice in November, the game challenges players to balance offence, defence, and morale in a theatre where the outcome of the entire war hung in the balance.

• Historical Background: In early 1918, Germany launched a series of powerful offensives aimed at breaking the stalemate before American reinforcements could fully deploy. Known collectively as the Spring Offensive or “Kaiserschlacht,” these attacks achieved dramatic gains but at tremendous cost. The Allied forces, reorganised under unified command, soon counterattacked in what became a relentless push toward Germany’s final collapse. Hindenburg’s War recreates this pivotal series of events, offering both players the chance to rewrite history.
• Gameplay & Objectives: The German player must use a combination of powerful but limited offensive forces to achieve a quick victory before the weight of Allied numbers overwhelms them. The Allied player must endure the onslaught, conserve strength, and prepare for a coordinated counteroffensive that will bring the Central Powers to defeat. The focus is on high-level decision making, including timing offensives, managing reserves, and maintaining the fragile logistics of trench warfare.
• Scale & System: Each hex represents approximately 9.3 miles (15 km) across, giving players a strategic view of the Western Front from Flanders to the Swiss border. Each combat unit represents one infantry division or a tank brigade. Each turn covers roughly two weeks of real time, except for the opening and closing phases, allowing players to experience the ebb and flow of the campaign from both perspectives.
• Design & Play Style: Hindenburg’s War offers low complexity with strong historical accuracy, making it accessible to new players while still engaging for experienced wargamers. The system focuses on command-level challenges—coordinating offensives, reacting to breakthroughs, and managing manpower and morale rather than micro-managing individual battles. Players will experience the transition from mobile offensives to defensive attrition as both sides struggle to end the war on their terms.

Game Components:

• 2 x 22” x 34” full-colour maps covering the entire Western Front
• 456 die-cut counters representing infantry divisions, tank brigades, and key formations
• Strategic-level play with a supreme commander’s perspective
• Playable campaign spanning March to November 1918
• Low-complexity system ideal for fast yet immersive gameplay

Scale:
Players: 2
Level: Brigade / Division
Hex: 9.3 Miles (15 km)
Turn: 2 Weeks

Other Articles in This Issue:

• Myths of the Schlieffen Plan: A revisionist look at one of history’s most debated military strategies.
• War on East Timor: An analysis of the late 20th-century conflict in the Indonesian archipelago.
• The 13 Years War: The fierce 1454–66 campaign that ended the independence of the Teutonic Knights.

Strategy & Tactics #288: Hindenburg’s War – Decision in the Trenches 1918 delivers a compelling strategic overview of World War I’s climactic year. From Germany’s desperate offensives to the Allies’ relentless counterpunch, this game captures the tension, exhaustion, and decision-making that defined the war’s end.

Available now from Milsims Games — Australia’s leading source for historical wargames, strategy titles, and military simulations for over 50 years. Price-match guarantee and fast shipping from Mont Albert, VIC.

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