
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,998
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Zero!: The Rise and Fall of The Imperial Japanese Air Force Dec 1941 - June 1942
- 2–10 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2001

Rules assistance for Down In Flames: Poland 1939
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Down In Flames: Poland 1939 is an expansion for Rise of the Luftwaffe released in 2006 20 minutes per game. It was designed by Roger Horky and its main mechanics are Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
Poland 1939 is an extension part/ module to the "Down In Flames"-Series - Volume 1: Rise of the Luftwaffe game by GMT. This module is found in RBM/GMT's C3i Magazine Nr18. The German invasion of Poland which began on September 1st, 1939 was the world's first demonstration of "Blitzkrieg", the "lightning war". The sudden onslaught stunned the Poles, who offered little resistance to the Germans' panzer divisions. The invaders quickly penetrated into the into the interior, reaching Warsaw in just over a week. The rapidity of the German troops advance was in large part due to support from the Luftwaffe. Under attack by both air and armor, the Polish army and air force slowly collapsed. On September 17th, 1939, the USSR attacked Poland, shattering the country's morale. The campaign was effectively over in just three weeks, long before France and Britain could fulfill their promises to come to the aid of Poland. "Down in Flames" series is a card-driven game that simulate WW2 air combat.
The listed playing time for Down In Flames: Poland 1939 is 20 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.
Down In Flames: Poland 1939 has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Down In Flames: Poland 1939 belongs to these categories: Card Game, Wargame, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Campaign / Battle Card Driven. 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 Down In Flames: Poland 1939 are: Roger Horky. 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 Down In Flames: Poland 1939 as an expansion for Rise of the Luftwaffe. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Rise of the Luftwaffe to use it. Check that your edition of Rise of the Luftwaffe is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.