RTW-RICHTHOFEN'S WAR

1. TITLE: Richthofen's War
2. PUBLISHER: The Avalon Hill Game Company (TAHGC)
3. SCOPE: (World War I) The Air War 1916-1918
4. TAHGC CATALOG VERBAGE:
5. GAME BOX VERBAGE:
6. YEAR PUBLISHED (EDITIONS): 1972. Only one published edition. Discontinued before the end of TAHGC life span (1998). Early printings were in the three pieces sleeve bookcase game, latter prints were the two piece bookcase box.
7. CREDITS
   • Game Design and Research: Randall C. Reed (staff)
   • Components Design: Randall C. Reed (staff), Donald Greenwood (staff), Thomas N. Shaw (staff)
   • Aircraft Profiles, Mapboard, Box Art and Design: W. Scott Moores, Thomas N. Shaw (staff), pilots of the Flying Circus Aerodrome.
   • Playtesting: Steve Smith, Russell Vane, Interest Group Baltimore.
   • Printing: Monarch Services, Colonial Composition (Baltimore, MD)
8. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2+
9. WGA COMPLEXITY SCALE (1-10): 3, additional general variants for alternate campaign games, maneuver card variant. Eight scenario card, and multiple campaigns in addition to player generated versions of both.
10. TYPICAL PLAYING TIME (HOURS): 20 min dogfights to 10 hour campaigns.
11. MAP SCALE: 50 meters
12. UNIT SCALE: individual planes
13. TIME SCALE PER TURN: minutes
14. NUMBER OF GAME TURNS: until a plane goes down, typically about 10-20 per dogfight.
15. ARTICLE LISTING: Click here
16. GAME INVENTORY: Approximately 80 unit counters; 22" x 24" mounted mapboard; multiple playing aids and airplane data card, charts, 1 die; rulebook, eight scenario cards.
17. WBC & AVALONCON HISTORY: Never made it as an Avaloncon event as the game was 'dated' by 1991 standards
18. PBEM TOOLS:
• No Java application VASSAL module at this time.
19. PBEM OPPORTUNITES: Contact Wargame Academy if interested. A Boardgamer Player Association PBEM tournament can be organized by WGA pending suitable interest once a VASSAL VRTW module is completed.
20. WARGAME ACADEMY COMMENTS: As one of the original popular TAHGC designs, its forte and foible is its simplicity and familiarity with old time gamers. In single plane combats, geometric moves results in a tail shot. Best played in multi scenario campaigns. Game strength is its role as an introductory game and ease of player designed scenarios and campaigns. The introduction of the maneuver card variant added some realism, suspense and refinement. Eventually lost its appeal as boardgame player base sought more complex games's. I still retain an affinity for simple, easy to play, inexpensive games of which RTW fits that category. The introduction of real time VASSAL play may benefit titles such as these.
21. WARGAME ACADEMY GAME TOOLS: Given suitable interest, a VRTW VASSAL module can be easily created. Plane counter art with KNIGHTS OF THE AIR can be shared.