Sopwith (1978)

About this game

A simple, fast-playing and very enjoyable game of World War I aerial dogfighting. The board is hexagonal, and up to 6 players may play at once. You have your own airstrip, to which you can return for repairs and ammunition reload; however, their approach is severely constrained, leaving you vulnerable to other players awaiting to pounce on you. Each player simultaneously selects which way he'll fly, and later on the bullets rip through the air. Clouds complicate maneuvers somewhat. Similar to Blue Max but a lot simpler. The game was originally published by Gametime Games. A second edition was published (apparently by the designer) under the company name "Gamer."

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 6.
• Rules load. At 1.8/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 8 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.