Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987

About this board game

Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987 is an operational air warfare game for 1–2 players with a listed play time of 720 minutes. It depicts a hypothetical May/June 1987 conflict between NATO and the Warsaw Pact over central Germany.

Players manage large strike packages and combat air patrols while attempting to hit enemy targets, protect friendly ground forces, and secure control of the air above the advancing land battle. NATO is outnumbered but benefits from more advanced technology and better-trained pilots, while the Warsaw Pact relies on numerous forces and overwhelming pressure.

Before each scenario, players plan raids, select targets and routes, determine aircraft loadouts, and position radar, SAM, and AAA units. During play, electronic warfare, detection, tracking, movement, and combat unfold in a sequence of phases. The central movement system uses chit draws to alternate the movement of one to five flights at a time.

• More than 50 aircraft types, including the F-15 Eagle, Tornado, MiG-29 Fulcrum, F-4E Phantom II, and MiG-23 Flogger
• Layered air defenses featuring systems such as Patriot, Rapier, Chaparral, SA-12, and SA-13
• More than 20 day and night scenarios, from smaller afternoon engagements to large full-map operations
• Missions involving frontline support, deep strikes, reconnaissance, airborne drops, helicopter assaults, cruise missiles, special forces, and nuclear weapons

Two 22-by-34-inch maps cover the terrain from the Rhine River to southwest East Germany, with cities, rivers, airfields, and a frontline that steadily moves west as Warsaw Pact armies advance. Red Storm includes 1,260 counters, rules and scenario booklets, player aids, aircraft data cards, dice, and NATO and Warsaw Pact log sheets.

With its detailed planning, electronic warfare, air defense networks, and large-scale engagements, Red Storm presents a demanding standalone successor to the Downtown game system.