
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,039
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Raiders of the Deep: U-boats of the Great War, 1914-18
- 1 player
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2018

2023
Rules assistance for Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918 is a board game released in 2023 for 1 player, 120–180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Gregory M. Smith and Ian B. Cooper and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Role Playing.
Western Front Ace is a solitaire, tactical air war game covering air operations in the Western and Italian fronts during WWI. Players control an aircraft from one of seven different nations represented, with options to upgrade to better aircraft as the war progresses. You will manage individual aircraft, weapons systems, specific crew members, and ammunition over missions representing 3-4 days per turn.
Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918 supports 1 player according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918 is 120–180 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 Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918 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.
Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918 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.
Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918 belongs to these categories: Wargame, Aviation / Flight, and World War I. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Role Playing. 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 Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918 are: Gregory M. Smith and Ian B. Cooper. 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 Western Front Ace: The Great War in the Air, 1916-1918 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.