A Wing and a Prayer: Bombing the Reich

About this board game

A Wing and a Prayer: Bombing the Reich is a World War II strategy game for 1–2 players, with sessions lasting about 120 minutes. You take the role of a USAAF squadron commander stationed in England, managing B-17 “Flying Fortress” bombers through a campaign of daylight missions.

Set in mid-1942, the game places you in the USAAF’s bombing campaign over Western Europe. The B-17 was known for its heavy defensive armament, but every mission still brings the dangers of German flak and Luftwaffe opposition. To succeed, your squadron must press on toward strategic Axis targets.

Across the campaign, your responsibility centers on managing the squadron’s aircraft while completing a series of bombing missions. Each operation evokes the tension of approaching a target through heavy anti-aircraft fire, preparing for the bombing run, and trying to bring the bombers through the hazards above Germany.

• Command a squadron of B-17 “Flying Fortress” bombers.
• Manage your aircraft across a campaign of daylight bombing missions.
• Conduct operations against strategic Axis targets in World War II.
• Face the threat of German flak and Luftwaffe opposition.

Designed by Erik von Rossing, A Wing and a Prayer focuses on the pressure of command rather than a single isolated sortie. Your goal is to guide the squadron through its campaign, where completing the mission may take determination, careful management, and—true to the title—“a wing and a prayer.”

Released in 2016, the game recreates the atmosphere of daylight bombing over Germany through the perspective of the men responsible for sending B-17s into danger. It is a focused portrayal of USAAF bomber operations and the risks faced on every mission.