Speed Kings: Air Racing in the 1930s (Historic Wings Air War Games)

Speed Kings is a table-top, book-based solitaire and multiplayer board game about air racing in the 1930s, featuring the classic planes of the era, such as the Gee Bee R series, Hall-Springfield Bulldog, and Wedell Williams Model 44, among others. Race pilots include the most famous names of the time, such as Roscoe Turner, Bill Ong, Jimmy Doolittle, Pancho Barnes, Elinor Smith, and Ruth Nichols. Each player manages their own Race Team of 1-3 Race Planes and Pilots. Gameplay involves Speed Cards, Pilot Skills, and Race Plane Attributes. Dice play a role, but not a decisive one -- this is a game of skill, calculated action, and careful planning. Your task is to out-think your opponents in a strategic and challenging game. Optional rules allow players to mount weapons on their plane, transforming the experience into a wargame.Players manage each Race Plane’s performance as it flies around Pylons and down Straights, hoping to achieve victory and taking risks when the time seems right. The key is to know when to challenge for the lead and when to wait before making your move.Players race on historic Air Race Circuits or make their own, composed of Pylons and Straights. Players may fly an individual Air Race or engage in a Campaign Game of as many Air Races as they choose. On each Race Circuit, Pylons represent turn points where maneuverability counts, while Straights are long runs where engine power is king.Six types of Race Plane are in the game, such as the Hall-Springfield Bulldog, Laird LC-DW-300 Solution, Gee Bee Model Z, Howard DGA-4 “Mike”, Wedell Williams Model 44, to the Gee Bee R Super Speedster; with several examples of some rounding out the options with nine Race Plane Cards. Each Race Plane features unique characteristics that reflect its design, maneuverability, engine power, and reliability – a measure of how far the designs push the limits.Eighteen historic Race Pilots are included, each with different levels of skill and daring. Some famous names in the game are Jimmy Doolittle, Dale "Red" Jackson, Lee Gehlbach, Beeler Blevins, and others. Women pilots include Blanche Noyes, Gladys O'Donnell, Elinor Smith, Louise Thaden, Pancho Barnes, and others. Each Pilot has varying Skills and a Pilot Skill Check Rating that defines how well they can handle the challenges of each Air Race.Players set up a Race Circuit of their choice (or fly one based on a die roll made on a table), then select their own Race Planes, and recruit their Pilots to assemble a Race Team. With that, they're off to a Flying Start. Most Air Races are three Laps in duration, though Players may choose any number of Laps. Gameplay takes about 10-30 minutes per Lap, depending on the length of the Race Circuit. Read more