Fire in the Sky rule review

 

Fire in the Sky is a squadron based tactical WW2 Air Game rule set.  I am not a fan of air combat games but this game changed my mind.  Let's review it.

My Reviews are going to be graded like classes in College; A,B,C,D,E.  At the end we will get a GPA which will determine if this game makes distinguished honor roll, honor roll, passes or fails.  A good game should at least pass with a C average.

The categories I will be grading are 1) Presentation/Product/Package, 2) Game Rules/Mechanics,             3) Historical/fantasy Cannon Accuracy, 4) Cost/time, 5) Good Time and Memories

1) Presentation and Package.  It is a nicely compiled PDF file.  But that is it.  Now the PDF rules do come with Scenarios to play already to go so you do not have to come up with your own.  There is also a promise to expand the game to the Pacific for Japanese and American planes as well.  Since it is a game still being added too we will grade Fire in the Sky on a curve here.  No miniatures though.

B

2) Game Rules and mechanics.  The best part of this game is each base of plans represents a squadron of fighters, bombers etc.  You don't handle the dogfights the combat mechanics tell us the result of the dog fights. So you can play the massive air battles of World War II this way.  It's a grid based game which makes it easy for measurement.  Imagine Star Trek's 3-D chess.  That is how this game is played.

A

3) Historical Accuracy.  I think Mark's Game room knocked this one out of the park.  When you are defending bombers on their way to Germany, it feels like the diaries of those who flew in those ill fated flights.  You are still playing a game but I feel like I am back at RAF headquarters watching them push the planes across the map based on the decisions I already made and seeing if they pan out.  I really like that.

A

4) Cost and Time.  Time wise this is an easy game to play in an evening and clean up.  You can also easily campaign it and link scenarios together.  As for cost.  I don't own many WW2 Miniature planes and to play their big week scenarios it will cost over $150 for the miniatures and the telescoping stands.

B

5) Good times.  I played this game at a convention.  It was an awesome game.  The first scenario my opponents mocked me for losing so many planes but what they didn't realize is I planned for phase 2 and when all their fighters were down and out of fuel.  My real bombers brought havoc on the English Country side and it was fun to listen to them whine.

A

And the final score is

3.5 GPA

If you want to try a different version of Air Combat in World War 2 you must give this game a try.