The horrors of trench warfare rage across Europe in 1916. Machine guns are cutting brave soldiers to ribbons when they go "over the top" and are confronted with mazes of wire. Tanks are appearing more frequently on the battlefield, as well as biplanes which seem to evolve every day. The major source of havoc, however, is artillery, which rains hell from above on a regular basis. Not to mention the poison gas. 1916: The Card Game is a tense filler for two players, and includes all of the above. The rules are simple, but the choices aren't. Players represent the opposing commanders of a small stretch of trench line. They draw and play cards from a common deck, but some can only be used by one side. Some cards can be played alone or in combination, and what to play and what to hold in hand can be critical decisions. Some cards have multiple uses. Biplanes, for example, can be used for recon, assault support, or aerial intercept. Victory can be total, major, minor or, rarely, the result can be a stalemate. -description from designer