MiG Killers

Sure, the components suck (I also have the "expansion kit" - never was the "kit" in expansion kit more appropriate). That's why I swiped the counters out of my radar green copy of the unplayable "Rolling Thunder." And the maps and counters from my first copy of Air War. It's Battline's Air Force/Dauntless with jets, better movement rules and with a Mustangs and Messerschmitts style combat damage system. I still don't understand why every air game since the publication of M&M doesn't use a version of its damage system. It's based on post-WWII Air Force studies and beats the daylights out of "3 wing, 1 fuselage and a gun hit."

Really want to make a VASSAL module for this game. Will need to upgrade my chops, though.

This game has a ton of OSR goodness and endless play options. It has a particular kludgey feel to the overall layout, but that is what makes it feel so fun. Not despite it. When playing you do feel you are flying something dynamic and not merely just pushing chits around. It’s fairly easy to add your own planes with a bit of effort and I even printed up a bunch of new counters to match the pre existing ones to bring the game up to modern air war levels.

This came out while I was in the process of designing Air Superiority after getting frustrated trying to find opponents for Air War. I immediately grabbed it and played for several days, dissecting its rules. It helped teach me that a jet air combat game didn't have to be super detailed ala Air War, and helped me adjust my complexity balance as I worked on Air Superiority. Thus, thanks to the designer for showing me some possibilities..Since Air Sup. was well on the way to publication, and I was sure it was going to do the job better, I never played it again. For ease of play It should be rated a 6 or 7, but the horrible cheap components and production standard of the publisher, Lou Zocchi, turned off myself and probably many other potential players/buyers. Too bad, it had potential. Its long out of print, and out of date now. Though there are rumors the designer wants to redo it.

An honourable entry into the air games pantheon, though later superceded by superior titles. Credit should be given for the massive array of aircraft available and the huge number of scenarios.

Played it a lot solitaire as a teenager. Lost it during one of my PCSs