Anyone remember this board game?



Avalon Hill today

The First time I saw this game was back in 1972. It cost $5.00. This particular game was purchased in 2007 by my son for his dear old dad in a hobby shop overseas for $20.00. In almost mint condition. I checked their current site. The game isn't even listed. It is Axis & Allies topics mostly.

The following is from BoardGeeks .com;

"The Red Baron flies again - now you can actually fly the same airplanes that blazed a path of glory over the skies of France during WWI. You can be Baron von Richthofen running up a score of 80 victories or Cpt. Roy Brown flying the same Sopwith Camel that shot him down in the game where planes perform exactly as pilots of Flying Circus Aerodrome say they did in real life.

Each player, in complete control of one airplane, attempts to outmaneuver his opponent and mark up a victory on the way to becoming an Ace. Players pick the type of situation that they want to re-flight from one of seven different scenarios, or they can create their own situations from the wealth of information available in the Instructions and Briefing Manual. Each aircraft is unique in its own combination of: operational ceiling, rate-of-climb, diving speed, firepower, and armament. With over 32 different aircraft types to choose from, there are over 1200 possible combinations of opposing aircraft.

Simple rules allow one to start immediately after reading the Basic Instructions. Almost anyone can play the Basic Game, and little time is required to advance to the Tournament and Optional Games.

Avalon Hill Complexity Rating - 5"

oh yes I remember it! I used to play that back in the 70s along with Panzer Blitz. Those were fun games.

Hi Stephen

Yes, I remember that! I bought it when I visited Canada in 1980. I gave my battered copy to a charity shop, along with a bunch of other old table top wargames, only a month or so ago when I packed up to leave London.

All the best

Rowan

Yes i remember this one, i even used to play it a bit from time to time and i still have my copy. I was more of a Squad Leader person though back in my younger days (i was one of those nerdy kids!). I thought Richthofen's War was a bit simplified back then.

I also have this one in my collection too. Excalibre Games was an offshoot of Yaquinto and "Wings" was a revamped version of an earlier game from that company. Never played it though.




Andrew

I had this back in the eighties... I think I played it once...
No idea what happened to it.

Cheers,

Hugh

Didn't have Red Baron but I do have the Yaquinto version of Wings (never played). Also have something from Simulation Games called Aces High (with The Blue Max expansion). http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6732

Anyone remember the "Ace of Aces" book games? I don't think my friend and I even got the hang of the basic rules. Came in both Rotary series and Flying Machines (early stuff) versions. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/798

I still have my copy, although I have not opened it in years. Used to play it and a game called Panzer Leader on the floor of a hobby shop called Das Hobbies near Columbine High School. Those were the days.

I had it. I loved it. My mother tossed it.

I have the Wings game. I have the Excalibre and the original Yaquinto. I have played the game many times and think it is far superior to AH's Red Baron. I have also palyed it using minitaures, 1/285 scale. The Yaquinto counters are with a top view of plane instead of in profile which Excalibre did. The game system is a reworking of Battleline's Airforce.
A little history here. First there was the gaming company Battleline. When they went belly up some of the people started Yaquinto. They got the name Yaquinto because the company that finacially backed them was Yaquinto printing company. Some time after Yaquinto ended Exccalibre, I believe out of Canada, got the rights to Wings, they they disapeared. If you want a game that plays the same is Wings get the 3W WWI flying games. They stole the game system from Battlelin's Airforece and reworked and it came out the same as Wings. They originally published it in there magazine, it was called Aces High I believe. Then they published ttwo boxed games that added planes to the game.
At the moment that is all i can remember about it. If i have forgotten anything i blame it on old age as I am 64.

My fav AH game was B-17 Queen of the skys,lent it to mate who lost it
going for silly money now!!!

ABSOLUTLEY !! Steph !

Guilty AS Charged !! OWNED IT Back inthe Day as well. STAYED UP 24 hrs a Game PLAY AT IT in Flouresent Lit Windowless Study rooms in the College Dorm Basements !!

Yep ! If I remembered correctly always Kicked Ass in the Fokker DrI and Spad XIII. ? As well learned to stay FAR away in ALL Quadrents from a Bristol BE2 !!! Near Impossible to shoot down !!

But why, I ask do you ask ? Like all Avalon Hill Hex Board Warfare Sim games it was filled with complicated tables and manuvers and "Chance" rolls of the dice which made just ONE turn an mental exercise in the FIFTH DIAMENSION !

By the TIme you were finished your roll you opponent had either quit out of boredom and or lost concentration and had NO idea what or how you did what you just did ?

However Check this out. I dont have his contact readily available BUT one fall I was contacted by a Fellow WHO headed a Group of Dedicated HEX Board players who EVERY THKS GIVNG /XMas Time holiday had a GROUP Meeting/weekend and PLAY a GIANT "RIchthofen's War" Type HEX Board GAME in 1/72 nd SCALE !!

WIth the Board Hexes and terrain painted on HIS ENTIRE Basement FLoor and Complete Squadrons of 1/72 WWI planes clipped on to stands with Collpasable antnnea's for Hieght !!!

Yours mIke

Mike,
For a very brief time there was a war game/figures store not far from me. A bunch of guys would play WWI aircraft with 1:72 models on stands like you mentioned. Can't for the life of me remember the name of the rules. The owner of the store used to be a traveling trouble shooter for British Telecomm and got tired of the traveling. He and his wife decided to cut back on their lifestyle and the opened the shop. Unfortunately, that was a money sink and they eventually closed. They did have quite a successful business doing custom painting of figures for war gamers and selling painted figures to other game stores.