
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,776
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Attack Vector: Tactical
- 2–8 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 4.1/5
- 2004

Rules assistance for Birds of Prey: TOPGUN
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Birds of Prey: TOPGUN is an expansion for Birds of Prey: Air Combat in the Jet Age released in 2023 for 1–8 players, 120–480 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Tony Valle, Philip A. Markgraf, and David Kenneth Ellis and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
1986. Present day. The Indian Ocean. OPFOR airspace. Across 36 years of technological advancement, can you still prove you’re the best of the best? From its small start in a trailer out back of Miramar’s hangar row and validated in the skies over Vietnam, the role of the Navy Fighter Weapons School exploded into public consciousness at the climax of the Cold War. Hollywood’s flash and fiction can’t distract from one consistent theme — the drive to win. Not as a lone maverick, but part of a team; pilot and RIO, lead and wingman. Together, just like the name — one word, all caps — TOPGUN. Face an array of Navy adversaries and opposing air forces hell–bent on teaching you very real lessons. Fortunately for you, you are not going it alone! Included are a variety of scenarios teaching the real-life tactics for employing your mighty wings. This game is about combat, so study hard and lean into what you’ve learned. There are no points for second place! —description from the publisher
Birds of Prey: TOPGUN supports 1–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Birds of Prey: TOPGUN is 120–480 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Birds of Prey: TOPGUN for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Birds of Prey: TOPGUN belongs to these categories: Miniatures, Modern Warfare, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Birds of Prey: TOPGUN are: Tony Valle, Philip A. Markgraf, and David Kenneth Ellis. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Birds of Prey: TOPGUN as an expansion for Birds of Prey: Air Combat in the Jet Age. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Birds of Prey: Air Combat in the Jet Age to use it. Check that your edition of Birds of Prey: Air Combat in the Jet Age is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.