The Battle of Liege was the opening engagement of the First World War and the first step of the German Schlieffen Plan. Liege, a city protected by a ring of twelve forts, blocked the passage of the German First and Second Armies. It contained the railway bridges crossing the Meuse river that would be needed by the advancing armies. Winning a quick victory over the Belgians was critical to the success of the German plan so a surprise attack of six brigades was launched ahead of the heavy artillery that ultimately destroyed the forts. Liege 1914 is a regimental-level simulation of this opening battle of the Great War. Players assume the roles of the commanders of the German and Belgian troops as they desperately fight for this valuable position in the line. The 17 x 22" map shows the western portion of Belgium from the German border to Liege. The 240 1/2" counters (die-cut and back-printed) show German and Belgian forces involved in the battle. Liege 1914 is now the second installment in the Great War Battles series. Based on the Ypres 1914 game system (the first in the series), the Great War Battles is a series of games devoted to simulating battles of the First World War. Battles are covered at the brigade/regiment level using a common set of rules. Games in the series will cover a variety of situations ranging from trench warfare to open fighting.