This is something I'm interested in, but is there a certain game system that's meant to be used to play it?
Viewing post in Historical TTRPG Great War Battle of the Yser 1914 comments
I have no specific RPG that I make these for. It is meant to be used for anything the GM plays. Tools the GM can add to their favorite game. Most published WW1 RPGs have supernatural elements. I didn't add supernatural elements because a GM could add them. Keeping them more historical gives everyone something. At least, for this particular series.
Here are some Great War games that might apply. A quick search should bring them up.
Dedicated WW1 RPGs:
OneDice WW1: A comprehensive RPG by Cakebread & Walton covering the 1914-18 Great War, allowing players to take on roles as soldiers, spies, medics, or civilians, with optional horror and occult twists.
Ross Rifles: A narrative-focused game specifically about the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) on the Western Front, bridging structured combat and reflexive storytelling.
To End All Wars: A TTRPG that combines cosmic horror with the human horrors of the WWI trenches.
Pro Patria Mori: A micro-RPG for quick, focused gameplay, with a naval variant, Pro Patria Mori: High Seas, covering U-boat warfare.
Never Going Home: A game with a supernatural twist set in WWI, suitable for one-shots or mini-campaigns.
Alternately, any RPG that has modern character roles will also work. Twilight 2k, Basic Roleplay, Alternity, etc.
These can also be used to create miniature game scenarios.
There are several solo and 'role-and-write/journaling' options for the Great War.
Other ideas:
Practical recommendations for running WWI games
Pick tone first: historical drama, pulp/heroic, or supernatural. System choice depends on tone more than strict period accuracy.
Use a flexible system if you want to mix historical detail with cinematic action or horror.
Lean on historical sourcebooks for authenticity: technology, tactics, and social context matter (shell shock, colonial troops, home front).
Consider scenario length: WWI suits short, intense arcs (patrols, raids, air sorties) or slow-burn trench campaigns; design pacing accordingly.
Safety tools: WWI can involve traumatic themes (injury, death, atrocity). Use session zero boundaries, lines and veils, and debriefing.
I have started to create a hexploration style Great War solo game. However, it is in limbo until I can get more time to work on it. I can dream. :)
Hope this helps!