Aces High: War in the Air 1914 - 1918 (1980)

Overview

The war in the air 1914-1918, published in The Wargamer Magazine issue 12 and later in a box. From the back of the box "Aces High is a simultaneous movement game that puts you in the cockpit, with only your own skill between you and your opponent's triumphant cry of "Flamer!" ". Includes data on 72 different types of aircraft. The data includes information on Speed, flying qualities, armament, ability to absorb punishment, etc.

Aces High, although not as detailed as Wings, includes rules for stalls, spins, ropey (unreliable) engines, aircrew quality, spotting, archie (anti-aircraft fire), and more. Aces High even has rules for different types of missions, from photo-reconnaissance to balloon busting to bombing.

The number of maneuvers is limited to banks, turns, sideslips, and half-loops. For example, there are no rules for Immelman turns or barrel-rolls, but the Immelman is accomplished just as in real life... a half-roll followed by continuous banking from the inverted position back to the upright position; a barrel roll is accomplished by a combination of banking and altitude changes during otherwise forward-flight.

There is an interesting rule for ace pilots where the ace pilot can withhold (i.e. not write a movement plot for) a certain number of movement points. After the non-aces have completed their entire movement plot then the ace's can plot out the rest of their move and therefore react to the less-skilled pilots actions. The number of points the ace can withhold is based on the 'grade' of the pilot with a 'grade 5' pilot unable to withhold any points to a 'grade 1' pilot being able to withhold 3.

Game related to Aces High: The American Aces

Expansions

Aces High: Blue Max