B-17, Queen of the Skies

B-17, Queen of the Skies is a solitaire board wargame published in the US in 1983 by Avalon Hill and is a simulation of the experiences of a single B-17F Flying Fortress Bomber flying with the 8th Air Force in World War 2. The game was designed for solitaire play (in fact it is one of the very first purpose-designed solitaire games released in box form), but there are rules for a two-player game. Game (mission) length can vary from 5 to 20 minutes depending on the target.

Several variants exist including a 15th Air Force theater variant along with aircraft variants that include the late-model B-17G, the B-24 Liberator, RAF Lancaster and late-war Luftwaffe aircraft (including the Me-262 and Me-163 jet aircraft). This game is also adaptable to a more role-playing game style of play. These variants were released in periodicals such as The General Magazine.

Note that the bombers and crews in this simulation suffer from high casualty rates. In real life the individual survival rate for members of bomber crew was 1 out of 5- meaning only two individuals in a 10-man B-17 crew made it through without injury (more often from frostbite), mental breakdown or becoming a fatality. Only when long-range fighter escorts (specifically the P-51 Mustang) were finally deployed did the attrition rate for crew diminish. Until the development and deployment of long-range escorts, the bombers had to literally fight their way to the target and back (as in this simulation).

The game is heavily dice-driven, and relies on several charts and tables to determine outcomes. Player participation is minimal, as the game system picks the targets to be flown to, and the enemy opposition as well as a number of random events that might take place (representing damage or failure of equipment on the plane, navigational errors, etc.). Player participation is generally limited to allocating defensive fire from the multiple weapons positions on the B-17.

The game's missions take place in early 1943, between the early raids in 1942 and the costly deep-penetration raids of autumn 1943. This was the period in which American when the 8th Air Force was developing high-altitude daylight bombing strategy and tactics while a seasoned Luftwaffe took advantage of the 8th Air Force's lack of long-range fighter escort and experience. Even with the then top-secret Norden bomb sight and intimidating B-17 combat "boxes" (i.e. close formation flying to allow mutual protection for B-17s and more concentrated bombing patterns) flak, bad weather and determined Luftwaffe attacks resulting in a low number of bombs hitting the target- something that is clearly represented in the simulation.

This game will be experiencing its 20th year at the World Boardgaming Championships (WBC) 2011 Convention. http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook10/b17pge.htm to get an After Action Report on the 19th year of convention play!