Ace of Aces: Handy Rotary Series

About this board game

Ace of Aces: Handy Rotary Series is a two-player WWI aircraft dogfight game with an approximately 20-minute playing time. Each player controls an airplane through a book that shows the view from the cockpit, turning a head-to-head aerial battle into a contest of maneuvering, positioning, and timing.

On each turn, a player selects a maneuver such as a bank left or barrel roll, then tells the opponent a page number to turn to. The new page is cross-indexed with the maneuver that was made, revealing the page number that shows the result of that maneuver. This innovative system lets both players track the evolving fight through their cockpit views.

The central objective is direct: get your opponent in your sights and shoot them down. Success depends on choosing maneuvers while interpreting the changing positions represented in the players’ books. With no board required, the action unfolds through the paired cockpit-view books and the information each player receives during the dogfight.

• One-on-one combat between WWI aircraft
• Individual books showing each player’s cockpit view
• Cross-indexed maneuver and page-number system
• Objective of lining up and shooting down the opponent

Ace of Aces: Handy Rotary Series also includes advanced rules for fuel consumption, adding another consideration to the aerial contest. For players who want an ongoing experience, a campaign game is included as well. Originally released in 1980, it presents an unusual approach to two-player combat through a compact system of choices, page references, and changing viewpoints.