2018 · Wargame

Skies Above the Reich

A solitaire (or 1–4 player cooperative/competitive) simulation of a Luftwaffe fighter squadron intercepting USAAF daylight bomber formations over Germany, covering late 1942 through early 1945. Players field individual Bf 109 aircraft represented by stickered blocks, assign pilots and attachments (gun pods, rockets, extra armor) and choose auxiliary escorts. Missions play on modular double‑sided formation maps that depict tightly packed B‑17 arrays; actions are resolved in short turns representing seconds to minutes. Players plan attack vectors, split squadrons, conduct head/tail or high‑angle strikes, and decide whether to engage fighter escorts. Campaign play tracks pilot survival and experience across seasons, with aircraft and bomber formations growing more lethal over time. Advanced rules add pursuit and single‑bomber chase maps.

groupPlayers

1–2 best 1

schedulePlaying time

30–60 min

cakeAge

12+

psychologyComplexity

3.1 / 5