Ragwing Warbirds
WWI Rules

Reviewed by Bill Rutherford

These rules by Mark Base are played on a hex-grid using four generic altitude levels. Aircraft are mounted on collapsable control rods (radio antennae) for which assembly instructions are provided. Each turn consists of three phases. Each phase is essentially a turn, with movement and combat, but all three phases are pre-plotted before the turn begins. Plotting is simple, however, as what a plane can do in a phase is quite limited (turn, go straight, etc.). Maneuvers consist of the loop and the Immelmann, both of which allow movement outside the normal rules. Diving increases movement by a hex while losing an altitude level. Tailing is simply handled – a chart tells the tailee how much information to give the tailer, based on what the tailee's doing. Generally the information is ambiguous and incomplete – as it should be! Combat is simple, too.

Each aircraft type takes a certain number of hits. When a plane shoots, a card is drawn from the burst card deck (you cut them out yourself). The cards typically inflict the number of hits noted on the card. There are also a couple of Death cards that kill the target pilot, as well as a couple of Click and Jammed cards, which indicate no shot and jammed guns, respectively. Each time an aircraft is shot and hit, its player casts 1D10. If the result is equal to or less than the damage received (typically between 5 and 10), a critical hit happens and the target draws a critical hit card to see the specific effects. There are optional rules for fires, spins, and AA fire, and special cards for aces, but no rules for deflection firing. These rules are not (and doesn't pretend to be) the ultimate WW I air simulation, just an enjoyable game. I recommend Ragwing Warbirds as a relaxing (?) change of pace and as an introductory rule set to get new gamers into the WW I air genre. Available from your FLGS.

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