Wings: World War One Plane to Plane Combat 1916-1918

About this board game

Wings: World War One Plane to Plane Combat 1916-1918 is a World War I air-combat game for 1-4 players, with a listed playing time of 120 minutes. Players plot simultaneous movement, maneuver through altitude levels, and attempt to gain firing positions in the difficult skies of 1916-1918.

The game models early aircraft as slow, underpowered, and vulnerable machines. Diving increases speed, climbing reduces it, and flying too slowly can cause a stall and spin. Banking attitudes, turning restrictions, climbing limits, and restricted firing arcs make an opponent’s intentions easier to read while keeping aerial movement demanding.

• Three geomorphic map boards and plentiful thick counters
• Basic, advanced, optional, Mass Game, Duel Game, and fleet-style rules
• Altitude levels from 0 to the 800s, with performance varying by altitude
• Scenarios featuring dogfights, a six-hex Zeppelin, boats, bombing, trench-strafing, and photo runs

Gunnery uses two six-sided dice read as results from 11 to 66. Hits may damage structure or reduce a plane’s performance, including its limited power rating; a badly damaged aircraft may be forced to dive rather than continue maneuvering. Combat often involves careful positioning, with several aircraft creating more opportunities for action than a single duel.

Wings can be adapted to different groups and preferences: scenarios range from about 30 minutes to four hours, while the rules allow players to choose their desired level of realism and complexity. Around 50 plane types are provided, and solitaire play is supported by the game’s movement restrictions, making this a flexible and detailed simulation of early air combat.