Bloody April, 1917: Air War Over Arras, France

About this board game

Bloody April, 1917: Air War Over Arras, France is a World War I air-combat game for 1–2 players, with sessions lasting about 120 minutes. It covers the pivotal air war over the Arras sector from March through the end of May 1917.

Players command either the Royal Flying Corps or the German Imperial Air Service. The game uses a format similar to Elusive Victory and Downtown, modified to represent the distinctive challenges of early air warfare. Single-mission scenarios and multi-mission, multi-day campaigns let players recreate large-scale operations in a manageable timeframe.

Each raid is recreated in detail, with both sides managing numerous taskings and tactical challenges. Missions can include:

• Bombing and reconnaissance
• Artillery cooperation and contact patrols
• Balloon busting and trench strafing
• Offensive patrols and line patrols

The map covers the Arras sector from Bethune and Lens in the north to Cambrai in the south. It shows the theatre’s major aerodromes at a scale of 1 nautical mile per hex, with two minutes represented by each game turn. Detailed aircraft counters represent between one and five aircraft.

The RFC has more than 15 types of scout and two-seater aircraft, ranging from B.E.2 workhorses to the SE-5 and Bristol F.2a. Other available aircraft include the F.E.2b/d, D.H.2, Sopwith Triplane, Sopwith Pup, Nieuport 17, SPAD VII, R.E.8, and F.K.8.

The German commander deploys Jagdstaffeln and notable pilots such as Manfred von Richthofen, alongside Halberstadt and Albatros scouts. German two-seaters, including Rumpler and Albatros C-class aircraft, support reconnaissance, bombing, and artillery missions. Anti-aircraft guns and “Flaming Onions” further complicate movement, making Bloody April a detailed contest for control of the skies.