World War One is a turn-based strategy game focusing on war tactics. In this game, players command one of the major military powers to victory. The game comes with tutorials to ease players into the rules. There are two major campaigns and four minor scenarios that are shorter and cover a more specific geographical region.
Players begin a new campaign by selecting a war plan. Depending on the selected campaign, the game provides players with around five war plans to choose from. The war plans are rooted in historical events and offer various initial targets such as France, Serbia, and Russia. Players also choose whether to apply a defensive or an offensive strategy. Players can do a variety of actions during their turn, such as activating diplomatic missions and sending ambassadors to neutral countries in order to improve relationships with other nations.
In World War One, combat is done when two opposing armies have occupied the same area or province. Players have total control and can assign their units to various jobs, such as rear backup, regular deployment, frontline battle, or reserve. Among the military units players control are ship flotillas, cavalry and infantry corps, air squadrons, and artillery units. Each of the military units is rated for gun range, defense, attack, support value, movement, and morale.