WWII card game-- not computer-- under development

[Oreo]

Hi, everyone, just wanted to let you know I am working on a card game involving WWII air combat. This will be a semi-complicated game allowing for the different characteristics of various aircraft to be used for gameplay. My son and I have tried out the first beta prototype, all hand-written on index cards, and found it quite playable. We also tried it with another friend, and he enjoyed it too, even making an unsolicited comment to someone else later that he liked it.

I am now working up the second beta protoype, which will be professionally printed. That will be sent out to a selected few people for extensive beta testing, to find any bugs in the system.

When it comes time to develop the official final product, I will need some people to draw on for around 150 original paintings which I will buy for a modest down-payment and a royalty agreement.

The theme and scope of this first game is the Pacific theater, Pearl Harbor through the end of 1942. At this time I am only developing the US forces and Japanese forces, although I have plans to introduce an Allied Forces expansion pack afterward.

The game will feature a pack of 100 cards for each side (Japan and US). Of those cards approximately 70 are aircraft (some of them duplicates), 10 are historical leaders, 5 are inspiration (or situation) cards, and 15 are target cards. Basically, the bombers have to attack various targets and score bomb hits on them to win the game. The fighters, naturally, can intercept, escort, or attack the target.

I am building this game in such a way that the exact same platform can be used to build up other similar games. After finishing the Pacific 1941-42 set I'm working on now, Western Front 1939-40 will be next. Small 10-50 card expansion packs will also be available. This is a virtually unending card game possibility. It is interesting enough to be fun for those who already know a lot about WWII, and playable enough to excite those who know little about the war. More to the point, the game is educational for those who know little about the war, but not in an adverse up-front way. It is not a mindless game left entirely to chance, as some are, nor does it leave chance out of the equation. Dice are used to decide conflicts, but critical thinking is needed at all stages of the game.

I remember about 15 years ago playing a Mech Warrior card game with one of my friends. Since it was his game and he knew it well, he always beat me. But from that summer of gameplay, I learned a lot about how to make an interesting card game. I've been mulling the WWII idea around ever since then, and have finally gotten down to hard business about the game.

One thing about building this game has been the research I have had to accomplish to put into it. Even though I was already familiar with the topics involved, I have to constantly go back and put it all together. As I work on this game, I may be asking all kinds of questions for help as I go along.

All questions and comments are welcome.

 

[Thorlifter]

As a long time player of Magic: The Gathering, I would be very interested in seeing the playability of your game. Is it the same basic concept of different planes with basic attack and defense, with different type of modifier cards?

 

[Oreo]

I haven't played MTG, but basically each plane has a different attack capability versus fighters or bombers, and a different defense capability versus fighters or bombers. For instance, a P-39 might be quite good at attacking bombers, but not nearly so good at attacking fighters. Now one thing I have not addressed in this game is the concept of altitude-- I know that purists would like to see that incorporated, but I didn't want to make it overly complicated. There are modifier cards in the form of leaders (historical guys such as Doolittle, O'Hare, and Sakai, for instance), and inspiration cards such as "Remember Pearl Harbor" and so on. Combats are resolved with dice, based on the card data, any modifiers, and the dice roll. The dice roll is explained to take into account the many variables of combat-- weather, maintenance, pilot health, morale, and so on. I know I could make the game even more complicated by providing modifier cards to play for things like "attack out of the sun" or "malaria outbreak" or whatever, and I may consider adding some of these things in. Right now I'm trying not to make it overly complicated because I want it to be a game that will have a broad enough following and appeal to reach outside our closely buttoned fan club and draw more people-- especially young kids-- into a love of aviation history. Make it too complicated, and you lose too many. I can always make it more complicated in later versions-- have a "[My Brandname] Advanced" edition.

 

[PCScipio42]

This sounds something like "Pacific Typhoon" or "Atlantic Storm", although these two were at the heart "trick taking" card games.