Down in Flames: Aces High

About this board game

Down in Flames: Aces High is a tactical air-combat card game for 2–6 players, with games lasting about 45 minutes. Each player takes the cockpit of a Leader and Wingman, entering fast-moving battles against opposing aircraft.

At the heart of the game is a distinctive action-reaction card mechanic. Players play cards to gain advantageous positions, fire their guns, and attack, while opponents can respond with specific counter cards. This creates a tense back-and-forth exchange in which a Barrel Roll might be answered by a Yo-Yo before the attack finally succeeds.

Aircraft are represented with detailed ratings that shape how they perform in combat. Performance sets the maximum hand size, Horsepower determines how many cards can be drawn each turn, Bursts indicate how often an aircraft can fire, Damage measures attack strength, and Airframe shows how much damage it can withstand.

The positioning system places aircraft in relation to one another as Advantaged, Tailing, Disadvantaged, or Tailed. Position affects combat and can provide bonus Bursts, while the simple Altitude system adds another important decision: diving lets aircraft draw cards, whereas climbing requires discarding cards.

• 110 full-color Action Cards
• 110 full-color Aircraft Cards
• Full-color rulebook and counter sheet with 88 counters
• Six full-color campaign sheets
• Light, Medium, and Heavy Bombers for historical campaign games

Released in 2008, Down in Flames: Aces High builds a focused air-combat experience from tactical positioning, aircraft ratings, altitude, and reactive card play. It has won several awards and supports both serious and casual gamers.