- BGG rank
- BGG #18,430
- BGG rating
- 6.6
The Air-Eaters Strike Back!
1981
Rules assistance for The Air-Eaters Strike Back!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–5 players
- 180 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.8/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for The Air-Eaters Strike Back!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Air-Eaters Strike Back! is a board game released in 1981 for 1–5 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Keith Gross and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
About the game
This sequel to "Invasion of the Air-eaters" has the aliens of the title staging another invasion a century later. This time the war is fought over the entire inner solar system, using 240 counters that represent a variety of space- and ground-based units. From the box: "Turns are three months, planets move in orbit and spaceships move from planet to planet. Separate ground actions occur on maps of Mercury, Earth, Mars, the Venusian poles, Ganymede, Callisto, Europa, and Io -- all in the same scale. ... Rules cover production, technology, teleportation, combat, and movement." There are numerous scenarios in the rules including multiplayer games ("The Air Eaters Strike Back may be played by up to five players by splitting the Aliens and/or Terrans up between players..." from paragraph preceding rule 32.0). There is one solitaire scenario. There are also two scenarios that setup conflict between human forces (no aliens). Actual playing time will vary; the box says three to six hours. This is Metagaming MetaGame #1 (product #5101). Magazine Articles: The Space Gamer #44, Capsule Review (October, 1981) Interplay Magazine: The Metagaming Dialogs #1 ... "Air-Eaters Strike Back: Designer Notes" (1981) Interplay Magazine: The Metagaming Dialogs #3 ... "Air-Eater's Background"
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Metagaming
Questions and answers
The Air-Eaters Strike Back! supports 1–5 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 The Air-Eaters Strike Back! is 180 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 The Air-Eaters Strike Back! 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.
The Air-Eaters Strike Back! has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
The Air-Eaters Strike Back! belongs to these categories: Wargame and Science Fiction. 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 The Air-Eaters Strike Back! are: Keith Gross. 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 The Air-Eaters Strike Back! 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.