Immediately on mobilisation, in peace-time strength, so without awaiting reinforcements, several German units moved into the vicinity of Aachen, Eupen and Malmedy. They temporarily formed the 'Maas-Armee' (Army of the Meuse) it was their task to capture the fortified city of Liége.
General der Infanterie von Emmich, commanding general of the X. Armee Korps, was chosen to command these units: six infanterie brigaden (each of them reinforced with artillery, cavalry, and engineers) and 3 divisions of cavalry, together about 60000 men.
The map below shows their planed movement on the first day of the war. While some smaller units attacked the fortresses and kept them busy, the brigades would try to sneak trough the intervals between the fortresses and occupy the city. The cavalry divisions would disturb the communications between Liége and the rest of Belgium. That is, if the Belgian Army would fight! Great resistance wasn't expected and the German Staff reckoned on a peaceful occupation.
| Unit | Commander |
| Kavallerie | Generalleutenant von der Marwitz |
| 11. Infanterie Brigade | General Major von Wachter |
| 14. Infanterie Brigade | General Major von Wussow |
| 27. Infanterie Brigade | Oberst von Massow |
| 34. Infanterie Brigade | General Major von Kraewel |
| 38. Infanterie Brigade | Oberst von Oertzen |
| 43. Infanterie Brigade | General Major von Hülsen |
General von Emmich had also to his disposition one squadron of Taube (aeroplanes) and the zeppelin Köln.
| Unit | Commander |
| 2 Kavallerie division | General Major Frhr. von Krane |
| 4 Kavallerie division | Generalleutnant von Garnier |
| 9 Kavallerie division | General Major von Bülow |
General Major von Bülow was replaced by General Major Graf Schmettow on august seven 1914.
| Unit | Garrison |
| Brandenburgisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 20 | Wittenberg |
| Brandenburgisches Fusilier Regiment Nr. 35 | Brandenburg a. H. |
| Brandenburghisches Jäger Bataljon Nr. 3 | Lübben |
| 5°Eskadron, Husaren Regiment Nr. 3 | Rathenow |
| II°Gruppe, Kurmärkisches Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 39 | Perleberg |
| 1 Compagnie, Brandenburgishes Pionier Bataljon Nr. 3 | Spandau |
Normaly only Infanterie Regiment Nr. 20 and Fusilier Regiment Nr. 35 belonged to this brigade the other where temporary reinforcements. All these units belonged to the III. Armee Korps.
Infanterie Regiment Nr. 20 is also known as 'Infanterie Regiment Graf Tauentzien von Wittemberg' , Fusilier Regiment Nr. 35 as 'Fusilier Regiment Prinz Heinrich von Preusen' , Husaren Regiment Nr. 3 as 'Husaren Regiment von Zieten' and Pionier Bataljon Nr. 3 as 'Pionier Bataljon von Rauch'.
| Unit | Garrison |
| Magdeburgisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 27 | Halberstadt |
| Hannoversches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 165 | Quedlinburg |
| Magdeburgisches Jäger Bataljon Nr. 4 | Naumburg a.S. |
| 1°Eskadron, Magdeburgisches Husaren Regiment Nr. 10 | Stendal |
| 2°Gruppe, Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 4 | Magdeburg |
| 7°Batterie, Fussartillerie Regiment Nr. 4 | Magdeburg |
| 4°Compagnie, Westfälisches Pionier Bataljon Nr. 24 | Köln |
Normaly only Infanterie Regiment Nr. 27 and Infanterie Regiment Nr. 165 belonged to this brigade the other where temporary reinforcements. All these units belonged to the IV. Armee Korps except Pionier Bataljon Nr. 24 wich belonged to the VII. Armee Korps.
Infanterie Regiment Nr. 27 is also known as 'Infanterie Regiment Prinz Louis Ferdinand von Preusen' , Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 4 as 'Feldartillerie Regiment Prinzregent Luitpold von Bayern' and Fussartillerie Regiment Nr. 4 as 'Fussartillerie Regiment Encke' (Magdeburghisches).
| Unit | Garrison |
| Westfälisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 16 | Köln |
| Westfälisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 53 | Köln |
| Westfälisches Jäger Bataljon Nr. 7 | Bückeburg |
| 2°Eskadron, Altmärkisches Ulanen Regiment Nr. 16 | Salzwedel-Gardelegen |
| II°Gruppe, Clevesches Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 43 | Wesel |
| 2°Batterie, Fussartillerie Regiment Nr. 9 | Ehrenbreitstein |
Normaly only Infanterie Regiment Nr. 16 and Infanterie Regiment Nr. 53 belonged to this brigade the other where temporary reinforcements. All these units belonged to the VII. Armee Korps except Ulanen Regiment Nr. 16 (IV. Armee Korps), Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 43 and Fussartillerie Regiment Nr. 9 (both VIII. Armee Korps).
Infanterie Regiment Nr. 16 is also known as 'Infanterie Regiment Freiherr von Sparr' , Ulanen Regiment Nr. 16 as 'Ulanen Regiment Hennings von Treffenfeld' and Fussartillerie Regiment Nr. 9 as 'Schleswig Holsteinsches Fussartillerie Regiment'.
| Unit | Garrison |
| Mecklenburgishes Grenadier Regiment Nr. 89 | Schwerin |
| Mecklenburgishes Fusilier Regiment Nr. 90 | Rostock |
| Rheinisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 25 | Aachen |
| Brandenburgishes Jäger Bataljon Nr. 9 | Ratzeburg |
| 5°Eskadron, Hannoversches Dragoner Regiment Nr. 16 | Lüneburg |
| II°Gruppe, Mecklenburgises Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 60 | Schwerin |
| 1 Compagnie, Westfälisches Pionier Bataljon Nr. 24 | Köln |
| 1 Compagnie, Westfälisches Pionier Bataljon Nr. 7 | Köln |
| 3°Compagnie, Magdeburgisches Pionier Bataljon Nr. 4 | Magdeburg |
Normaly only Grenadier Regiment Nr. 89 and Infanterie Regiment Nr. 90 belonged to this brigade the other where temporary reinforcements. All these units belonged to the IX. Armee Korps except Rheinisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 25 (VIII. Armee Korps), Hannoversches Dragoner Regiment Nr. 16 (X. Armee Korps), Pionier Bataljon Nr. 4 (IV. Armee Korps), Pionier Bataljon Nr. 7 and Pionier Bataljon Nr. 24 (both VII. Armee Korps).
Grenadier Regiment Nr. 89 is also known as 'Grossherzogl. Mecklenburgisches Grenadier Regiment' , Fusilier Regiment Nr. 90 as 'Grossherzogl. Mecklenburgisches Fusilier Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm' , Rheinisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 25 as 'Infanterie Regiment von Lützow' and Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 60 as 'Grossherzogl. Mecklenburgisches Feldartillerie Regiment'.
| Unit | Garrison |
| Hannoversches Fusilier Regiment Nr. 73 | Hannover |
| Hannoversches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 74 | Hannover |
| Hannoversches Jäger Bataljon Nr. 10 | Goslar |
| 4°Eskadron, Braunschweigisches Husaren Regiment Nr. 17 | Braunschweig |
| I°Gruppe, Hannoversches Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 26 | Verden |
| 1 Compagnie, Brandenburgisches Pionier Bataljon Nr. 10 | Spandau |
Normaly only Fusilier Regiment Nr. 73 and Infanterie Regiment Nr. 74 belonged to this brigade the other where temporary reinforcements. All these units belonged to the X. Armee Korps.
Fusilier Regiment Nr. 73 is also known as 'Fusilier Regiment General Feldmarschall Prinz Albrecht von Preusen'.
| Unit | Garrison |
| Kurhessisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 82 | Göttingen |
| Kurhessisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 83 | Cassel |
| 1 Eskadron, Brandenburgisches Kürassier Regiment Nr. 6 | Brandenburg a. H. |
| I Group, Oberschlesisches Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 21 | Neisse Grottkau |
Normaly only Infanterie Regiment Nr. 82 and Infanterie Regiment Nr. 83 belonged to this brigade the other where temporary reinforcements. All these units belonged to the XI. Armee Korps except Kürassier Regiment Nr. 6 (III. Armee Korps) and Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 21 (VI. Armee Korps).
Infanterie Regiment Nr. 83 is also known as 'Infanterie Regiment von Wittich', Kürassier Regiment Nr. 6 as 'Kürassier Regiment Kaiser Nikolaus I von Russland' and Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 21 as 'Feldartillerie Regiment von Clausewitz'.