Ace of Aces

[silver-surfer57]

This game looks exactly like a game called Ace of Aces, which used to be one of my favorites before computer gaming became big. There were 2 books, one for Axis and 1 for Allies. Each person would decide on the maneuver to perform, call out the page number, and, after some quick cross-indexing, you'd get to see the new position. It was a quick-playing wargame that was a lot of fun. In fact, I still have it and it's still a lot of fun. There were advanced rules that took altitude and other things into consideration, but we never bothered with that.

I've been hoping that a game like this would come out for the computer for a long time. I'm glad to see it finally happen.

[MikeT]

I had so much fun with those books. Just wish I had kept them.

Mike

[silver-surfer57]

Look on ebay. I just found several copies for sale - $20-$25.

[MajorHavoc83]

Silver-Surfer57,

Funny that you enjoyed playing AoA, because, as I recall, you weren't any good at playing AoA when we were kids.

It's wild that I randomly stumbled onto your post here!!!

:cool:

Signed...

Your bro...

Major Havoc

[Kozure]

Hi -

Having played both Ace of Aces and Down in Flames, I'm afraid I don't see many similarities.

Although both games have a aerial combat component and you get to select from a limited number of choices for manoeuvres, the similarities end about there:

Ace of Aces

</font>

• One plane on one plane (or barrage balloon)</font>
• Select from many manoeuvres based on position</font>
• Visual presentation of manoeuvres through illustrations in book.</font>

Down in Flames
</font>

• Multiple planes on multiple planes</font>
• Select from a limited number of manoeuvres based on position and card draw</font>
• Abstract indication of position with relative position of cards.</font>

Both are good games, but only superficially similar, in my opinion.

[silver-surfer57]

I've not seen the card game, but the similarity is that in both games each player chooses a maneuver and then you get to see how things look afterwards. The advantage, from what I can tell, of AoA is that you aren't limited in manuevers, which seems more realistic to me.

[stieli]

Nope, "Down in Flames" (the card game and I suppose the computer game, too) is not at all like "Ace of Aces".

Those book games were abstract versions of the good old hex based board games (like "Over the Reich!" or "Battle of Britain". If you don't know them, have a look at them! Brilliant games, still being sold by "Clash of Arms".) In "Ace of Aces" you "plot" a move (i.e., select a manouvre), at the same time your opponent plots a move and then the manouvres are executed simultaneously by "the system" (i.e., the books). If you would care for, you could play that on a board and follow the manouvres hex by hex.

In "Down in Flames" (the card game) unfortunately you don't have this feeling of tactical movement. You can't plan your moves as in "Ace of Aces". You just use randomly drawn cards as they fit. You don't get the feeling of "If I move there and he moves there, I might be in a position to shoot." It's more like "I play a "scissors card" and hope that he does not have "barrel roll".

I consider that less of a simulation, but still: The feeling of fast paced dog-fighting is nicely re-created! So I am definetely looking forward to see how they convert that into a comuter game.

[Moon]

stieli, I think it comes down to tastes and preferences, though. The lack of any kind of luck in a totally pre-determined book (or hex) system could be seen just as much as "less of a simulation" (though I have to admit that I do not know "Ace of Aces", so maybe there is a luck element. I have a pair of "Starfighter" books though, which seem to be very similar)

In DIF, luck (card draws) is no small part of the design indeed, but that doesn't mean that "you can't plan your moves". Knowing what to discard and how to assemble a "good hand" of moves and counter-moves for the myriads of matchups and situations requires just as much planning (and just as much "outguessing the opponent"). In fact, you will recognize experienced players by their skill to plan ahead as opposed to beginners who rely more on their pure luck.

Anyway, while I always really liked the Starfighter books, DIF does give much more of the feeling of a fast paced dog fight, just like you say (and to add to that, there's a mean timer function in the computer game )

Martin