
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,417
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Downtown: Air War Over Hanoi, 1965-1972
- 2 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 4.1/5
- 2004

Expansion for Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987
2022
Rules assistance for Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987
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.
Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987 is an expansion for Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987 released in 2022 for 1–2 players, 60–360 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Lee Brimmicombe-Wood and Douglas Bush and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
Red Storm: Baltic Approaches is the first expansion for GMT’s Red Storm game of operational level air combat between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Red Storm: Baltic Approaches adds the air forces of three new countries (Denmark, Sweden, and Poland) along with additional units for nations represented in Red Storm, including US Navy and US Marine Corps aircraft. The game will also add naval units, anti-ship missiles, maritime weather, and rules covering other facets of air combat in the predominantly maritime domain of the western Baltic. Scenarios featuring mission types from Red Storm (close air support, interdiction, air defense suppression, and deep strike) will be joined by new types focused on raids against enemy ships, amphibious operation support, airborne drops, and aerial mining. Solo scenarios, using the Bot system introduced in Red Storm, will also be included. New aircraft types will include the F-14A Tomcat, AV-8B Harrier II, F/A-18A Hornet, A-6E Intruder, EA-6B Prowler, Atlantic 2, P-3C Orion, F-35XD Draken, JA-37/AJ-37 Viggen, Tu-22M Backfire, Su-20 Fitter, Tu-95 Bear, IL-38 May, and more. Naval units range from cruisers and destroyers down through amphibious ships, missile patrol craft, and other types from the various countries whose navies would be engaged in the area. Players will need a copy of Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987 to play Red Storm: Baltic Approaches. Components: 2 x Maps (34" x 22") 1 x Rules/Scenario/Appendices booklet 1 x Counter Sheet 1 x Player Aid Card (11 x 17) 2 x Aircraft Data Cards (11 x 17) 2 x Naval Data Cards (8.5 x 11) 1 x Pad Naval Unit Log Sheets -description from publisher's website
Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987 supports 1–2 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 Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987 is 60–360 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 Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987 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.
Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987 has a complexity rating of 3.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987 belongs to these categories: Wargame, Modern Warfare, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid. 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 Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987 are: Lee Brimmicombe-Wood and Douglas Bush. 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 Red Storm: Baltic Approaches – The Air War Over the Baltic, 1987 as an expansion for Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987 to use it. Check that your edition of Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987 is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.