Down in Flames: WWII-Guns Blazing

About this board game

Down in Flames: WWII-Guns Blazing is a card-driven WWII air combat game for 2–6 players, with games lasting about 30 minutes. As the second game in the Down In Flames series, it is a stand-alone game featuring 63 additional aircraft types, new action cards, and six campaigns.

Each player commands a Leader and Wingman as they enter combat against opposing aircraft. The game’s distinctive action-reaction card mechanic creates a tense exchange: cards can be answered by specific counters, allowing attacks, defensive maneuvers, and further reactions to unfold in rapid succession.

Aircraft are defined by several ratings, including Performance, Horsepower, Bursts, Damage, and Airframe. Combat also uses a positioning system in which aircraft may be Advantaged, Tailing, Disadvantaged, or Tailed. Position determines whether an aircraft can attack and how many bonus Bursts it receives.

Altitude adds another important decision. Aircraft draw cards when diving and must discard cards when climbing, making changes in altitude part of the tactical card game. Light, Medium, and Heavy Bombers are included for use in the historical campaign games.

• 110 full-color Action Cards
• 126 full-color Aircraft Cards
• Six campaigns: Italian, French, Daylight 1945, Pacific 1944, Soviet, and North Africa
• A full-color rulebook, counter sheet, and player log sheet

With aircraft from Germany, Japan, the UK, the USA, the Soviet Union, France, and Italy, Down in Flames: WWII-Guns Blazing offers a broad range of period aircraft and combat situations. Its combination of aircraft ratings, altitude, positioning, and counterable cards puts the focus on timing and tactical responses.