Customer Reviews

Knights of the Air: Game of Deadly Combat in the World War I Air War [BOX SET]

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

So it came a time when Avalon Hill tried to ammend the mistakes contained in the classic, but highly unrealistic, RICHTHOFEN'S WAR. In this early classic, manouever was not simultaneous, and there were some impossible situations in the air. Anyway it was a fun game.

KNIGHTS OF THE AIR is anything but fun. After all, the designers must have thought, a live or die battle was not fun for those commited to it. So, they tried (and succeeded) in making thing more realistic here. But, here comes the cliche, at the expense of playability.

The pros first: you feel like you are flying a World War I aircraft, with all its clumsiness and frailty and lack of speed. The mapboard is gorgeous, one the best game boards I've seen. The cards for maneuvers are very good, as also are the Aircraft Data Cards.

The cons: lack of possibility of playing with more planes. The game components are for six planes maximum. IT would be no use to have more: he spotting procedure that starts each turn, although highly elaborate and apparently realistic, is a bore, but eventually the player figure it out. Also, there are a lot of mathematics in the game. It's not hard mathematics, of course.

Well, what I mean is that, even for the players wanting a "real" simulation, thsi game unexpectedly flawed. For a good World War I airgame with enough realism without stopping dead on its tracks, I'd suggest WINGS. For a good World War II air combat game also with enough realism but without burning your brain, I'd recommend AIR FORCE. For a World War II air combat game that will blow your mind with details and total commitment to learn even the more basic rules, the game to go is WHISTLING DEATH.