TTLM! also allows players to explore the many "What ifs?" of the Great War. What if France invaded Belgium? What if the UK remained neutral? What if the Kaiser shifted forces for an invasion of Russia? You name it, it's here - and all based on extensive historical analysis.

Players' hands represent their aggregate economies in this Total-War simulation. Players use their cards to unleash offensives, take combat losses, and so on. Both sides strive to conduct mapboard operations as well as to bankrupt his opponent's hand, all while trying to avoid the same fate. This produces psychological tension with each card played. Exciting card play keeps the game fun despite there being a static front. The mapboard becomes the focus of play only when a player's hand dwindles to a critical level. A player's ability to bluff is just as important as the strength of his armies!

Not knowing your opponent's true capabilities makes each card played a real nail-biter. A superior force can be made to retreat from inferior numbers due to a lack of reserves (cards), while a lone corps can hold out against many armies as long as a steady stream of replacements can hold the line. Requiring players to husband their economic potential (i.e., hang onto their cards) means you can't always move your units when you want to. Offensives often take on a life of their own.