Well OK
Make these changes (in red) to start:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252" ?>
<game-box name="Talisman" description="Talisman Revised 4th Edition"
copyright=" Games Workshop Limited 2008"
startup-scenario="here.zts">
<map name="board-Talisman" image-file="talisman-board.jpg" resolution="150 dpi" />
<counter-sheet name="Characters"
front-image-file="characters.jpg" front-resolution="150 dpi"
back-image-file="characters.jpg"
back-resolution="150 dpi"
>
<counter-section rows="1" columns="1"
front-left="1024" front-top="0" front-right="2048" front-bottom="800"
back-left="0" back-top="0" back-right="1024" back-bottom="800" />
<counter-section rows="1" columns="1"
front-left="1024" front-top="0" front-right="2048" front-bottom="800"
back-left="0" back-top="0" back-right="1024" back-bottom="800" />
<counter-section rows="1" columns="2"
front-left="2048" front-top="0" front-right="4096" front-bottom="800"
back-left="1024" back-top="4800" back-right="2048" back-bottom="5600" />
<counter-section rows="5" columns="4"
front-left="0" front-top="800" front-right="4096" front-bottom="4800"
back-left="1024" back-top="4800" back-right="2048" back-bottom="5600" />
<counter-section rows="1" columns="1"
front-left="0" front-top="4800" front-right="1024" front-bottom="5600"
back-left="1024" back-top="4800" back-right="2048" back-bottom="5600" />
<counter-section rows="1" columns="1"
front-left="2048" front-top="4800" front-right="3072" front-bottom="5600"
back-left="3072" back-top="4800" back-right="4096" back-bottom="5600" />
</counter-sheet>
</game-box>
I've highlighted the lines in blue because they're simply a duplication of the lines before - the code might be what you intended, but it's not the most efficient way to express it. Furthermore at first glance, your counter coordinates seem out of whack (without seeing your graphics files it's not easy to determine what you're trying to do).
In my view ZunTzu is by far the most useable game box creator, but it still needs programming - and programming needs to be exact.
Regards, Bill.