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- 7.4
Corsairs and Hellcats
- 2 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,460
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Wild Blue Yonder
2017
Rules assistance for Wild Blue Yonder
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–8 players
- 15–180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.6/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Wild Blue Yonder
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Wild Blue Yonder is a board game released in 2017 for 1–8 players, 15–180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Chris Janiec and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
Expansions
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About the game
In 1992, GMT released Rise of the Luftwaffe, the first Down in Flames WWII air combat card game. That game covered the early part of the War in Europe, from 1939 to early 1942. It was followed a few years later by the Eighth Air Force expansion module, which added aircraft and campaigns for the latter part of the war. Since then there have been two more games (Corsairs and Hellcats, Zero!: The Rise and Fall of The Imperial Japanese Air Force Dec 1941 - June 1942), two packs of additional aircraft (Down in Flames Squadron Pack 1: Fighters, Down in Flames Squadron Pack 2: Bombers), and a large number of C3i modules for the series. However, the original two games have been long out of print. GMT has considered a number of options to address that, from straight reprints to a base game/campaign module arrangement. Finally, though, the company has decided to P500 an entire new game covering the war in the ETO (European Theatre of Operations) from 1940-1944. Wild Blue Yonder is a true deluxe Down in Flames product. It contains a dozen full campaigns, over 200 aircraft cards, plus all of the necessary targets, resource sheets, and play aids needed for play. All of this is packaged in a large box similar to the ones for the Combat Commander games. Many of the campaigns are on the same subjects as those in Rise of the Luftwaffe, 8th Air Force and various C3i modules. However, they are not simple reprints of those campaigns. Wild Blue Yonder contains three different types of campaigns: Land Campaigns, Progressive Campaigns, and Operations (The Schweinfurt Raids, for example). The first type is the familiar “standard” DiF campaign to which players of the system are accustomed. Progressive Campaigns give both players a fixed “order of battle” along with reinforcements and replacements they will have to use throughout the campaign. This reflects the more attritional nature of these air campaigns. The game also includes one solitaire campaign for players who don’t have an opponent available.
Designers
Publishers
- GMT Games
Questions and answers
Wild Blue Yonder supports 1–8 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 Wild Blue Yonder is 15–180 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 Wild Blue Yonder 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.
Wild Blue Yonder has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
Wild Blue Yonder belongs to these categories: Card Game, Wargame, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and 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 Wild Blue Yonder are: Chris Janiec. 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 Wild Blue Yonder 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.