
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Guerra Civil Española: Expansión no oficial para The Rise of the Luftwaffe
- 2–3 players
- 60 min
- 1993

1993
Rules assistance for Rise of the Luftwaffe
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rise of the Luftwaffe is a board game released in 1993 for 2–8 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Dan Verssen, Rodger B. MacGowan, and Gene Billingsley and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Simulation, and Open Drafting.
"Rise of the Luftwaffe" is the first in Down in Flames series of card wargames that simulate World War 2 air combat. Each player has a hand of maneuver cards which he uses to improve his position relative to an enemy plane or fire on the enemy. The opponent is allowed to counter the maneuver by playing cards of his own, to which original player can counter back, etc. The last player to play a card determines whether the original action occurs or not. Each plane is rated with horsepower (which indicates how many card you can draw), performance (how many cards to be held), burst (the values of fire cards that can be played), etc. The number of cards in your hand abstractly represents the momentum of each aircraft. A dogfight lasts a mere 6 turns and take about 15 minutes to play. There are also campaign games which represent a number of interconnected missions and various operations the players can take. A campaign can take about 2-3 hours.
Rise of the Luftwaffe supports 2–8 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 Rise of the Luftwaffe 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.
The catalogue lists Rise of the Luftwaffe for ages 12 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.
Rise of the Luftwaffe has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Rise of the Luftwaffe belongs to these categories: Card Game, Wargame, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Simulation, and Open Drafting. 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 Rise of the Luftwaffe are: Dan Verssen, Rodger B. MacGowan, and Gene Billingsley. 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 Rise of the Luftwaffe as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.