Battle Over Britain 2nd Ed.

Battle over Britain
Tactical Air Combat Game,

RAF vs Luftwaffe, 1940
Battle over Britain, 2nd ed.

USA $22.95 UK £17.95
Second Edition
Minden Games Gary Graber

Bringing history to your table top.
minden_games.homestead.com
alejandro anzuinelli (Order #17017804)

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Battle over Britain
Tactical Air Combat Game, RAF vs Luftwaffe, 1940
Second Edition
Gary Graber

Battle over Britain is the first in a series of World War II
air combat games published by Minden Games.
Key to Plane Ratings

Speed Agility Regular Fire
5 3 0
-2 Rear Fire
Nationality
24 ID#
Performance 3 Me-110 12
Plane Damage
Battle over Britain: Tactical Air Combat Game, RAF vs Luftwaffe, 1940, 2nd ed.
(Vol. 1 of the Battle over Britain series)
Author: Gary Graber
© 2017 Minden Games
Wargame Vault edition.
ISBN 9-781542-756785
2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
How to Use this Book ….. 4
What’s New in the Second Edition ….. 4
Standard Game Rules ….. 5
Advanced Rules ….. 11
Optional Rules … 13
Scenarios ….. 14
Solitaire Rules ….. 15
Designer’s Notes ….. 18
Sample Game ….. 19
Description of Aircraft Represented in the Game ….. 21
Campaign Game Log Sheet ….. 22
Description of Additional Aircraft ….. 23
Constructing Components ….. 24
Game Components ….. 25
Battle over Britain Game Series ….. 36
Additional Airplanes in this Edition ….. 37
Special Rules for Additional Aircraft ….. 37
Historical & Game Notes ….. 38
Credits ….. 40

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
This book provides rules and components for a WW2 air combat game of
strategy between British and German fighter planes.
To begin, read through the standard game rules (pages 5-11). This explains
how the game is played. Then, construct the game components (see page 24).
You can then start your first game, or follow along with the extended example of
play starting on page 19 to get a feel for how the game works.
After getting used to the system, you may incorporate the advanced and
optional rules on pages 11-14, play various scenarios or the campaign game, or
incorporate the additional warplanes included (see page 37). Solitaire guidelines
are provided on page 15, enabling you to play on your own.
WHAT’S NEW IN THE SECOND EDITION

The core Battle over Britain game system remains unchanged in this edition.
Game components are included within these pages. Two new optional rules have
been included: (1) Short Burst Option, and (2) 20mm Cannon Bonus. These op-
tions may be used with this game and any other in the Battle over Britain series.
In addition to the standard warplane counters (ID #11-26), several additional
warplanes have been included in this edition, along with some special rules con-
cerning their use. These planes (ID #110-125) will allow gamers to play design-
your-own scenarios between British and German fighters occurring after the
Battle of Britain, to the end of 1942. See pages 37 for details.
Visit the Minden Games website (minden_games.homestead.com) for infor-
mation about other games in this series. A brief description of all the titles in
the Battle over Britain series is provided on page 36.
44

Battle over Britain
World War II Air Combat Game
Instructions
Battle over Britain, 2nd ed. is a two-player (with solitaire option) strategy game of
World War II air combat, based upon single plane-vs-plane dogfights occurring in the
English skies during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Gamers fly historical British and Ger-
man warplanes in fast and furious dogfights, fighting for control of the sky on a Dogfight
Display, using aircraft counters that are maneuvered into position by playing cards.
The key to winning is having positional Advantage over your opponent during play.
Each plane is authentically rated in a variety of categories. The object of the game is to
shoot down the enemy. Each turn, players will play cards from their hand to establish
Advantage and good firing position to accomplish that.
Battle over Britain is a simple game of strategy that provides an ideal two-player
contest, and is suitable for solitaire play. The standard rules describe the two-player ver-
sion; “campaign” scenarios are given in section XIV, and solitaire rules are provided in
section XV. Carefully read through the rules, and then set up and follow along with the
Sample Game (page 19), to ease yourself into play.
I. COMPONENTS
The game components for Battle over Britain must be assembled before play. They
include airplane counters, a Dogfight Display, and a Reference Card. Players will also
need a standard deck of 52 playing cards, and one six-sided die. See page 24 and follow-
ing for game components. You will use airplane counters #11-26 in the standard game.
Playing Cards: The playing cards determine each plane’s altitude, and fire position,
relative to the enemy plane, on the Dogfight Display. The suit of a card determines a
plane’s relative altitude. The value of a card determines its relative firing position.
Dogfight Display: Each turn, each player plays a card from his hand, and places his
plane counter on the corresponding square of the Display. Cards are always played or
discarded face up. For example, if you play a 9 Clubs, you would cross-index the “9”
column with the “Clubs” row, and place your plane counter in that square.
Altitude (suit): Spades is the highest relative altitude in the game, followed by
Hearts (2nd highest), Clubs (3rd highest), and Diamonds (lowest altitude).
Firing Position (value): The higher a card’s value, the better its firing position. An
Ace has a value of one, two has a value of two, all the way up to a ten having a value of
10. Court cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings), also called face cards, have a value of zero.
Die Roll Modifiers (drm): Unless specified, when a roll is modified higher than 6,
use the 6 result. When modified lower than 1, treat result as “0”.
Airplane Counters: Each plane has five ratings (see key, opposite page). Its Speed
(also called Hand Capacity in the rules) is noted in the upper left of its counter. Its Agil-
ity rating (A-rating) is in the middle top of the counter. Its Fire Modifier (FM) rating is
in the upper right corner (if a plane has two FM ratings, the top one is for regular fire,
and bottom one for Rear Fire). Its Performance rating (P-rating) is in the lower left. Its
Durability rating (D-rating) is in the lower right corner. The type of plane is noted on the
55

counter, along with nationality symbol (roundel for
British, cross for German), and identification number.
Read ratings in a “Z” pattern, e.g. a Spitfire I has rat-
ings of 5, 5, 0, 5, 9.
Airplanes: British: Spitfire I, Hurricane I, and
Defiant I (and, optionally, Gladiators). German: Me-
109E, Me-110C, and Ju-87 (Stuka). Additional planes
are provided, that are not used in the standard game.
II. SETTING UP & VICTORY CONDITIONS
The British player and the German player each select one plane to play with. After
shuffling the cards, each player is dealt the number of cards equal to his plane’s Speed
(Hand Capacity) rating. Keep cards hidden from opponent. The remaining cards are
placed face down in the middle of the table to form the draw deck. Play is now ready to
begin. In the standard game, the last plane in play (the one not shot down, or which did
not disengage) wins. The game ends in a draw if both planes are still in play the instant
the last card of the draw deck has been drawn.
III. SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Each turn of Battle over Britain consists of three phases completed in order. Repeat
phases 1-3 until only one plane remains in play, or the deck is exhausted.
1. Advantage Phase: If neither side has Advantage entering this phase, proceed to
phase 1a. If one plane has Advantage entering this phase, proceed to phase 1b. (On turn
one, since nobody has Advantage, proceed to 1a.)
1a. Both planes play one card of their choice face down from their hand. Cards
are simultaneously revealed, and planes are placed on the corresponding space on the
Dogfight Display (see section IV). Play then proceeds to phase 2.
1b. The plane without Advantage plays one card of his choice face up. Depend-
ing on the value of this card, one of two procedures are followed:
--If this card value is Ace-10 (any suit), the disadvantaged plane is placed in the
appropriate space of the Dogfight Display. Then, the plane with Advantage plays one
card of his choice face up, and places his plane in the appropriate space on the Display.
Play then proceeds to phase 2.
--If this card value is J,Q,K (any suit), a Break Off attempt occurs; follow the
“break” procedure given in section VII. First, place the disadvantaged plane in the ap-
propriate space of the Display. Then, the player with Advantage plays one card of his
choice (which will determine if the break is successful or not) and places his plane in the
appropriate space of the Display. After the Break Off attempt is resolved, phase 2 is
skipped; play proceeds with phase 3.
2. Firing Phase: If Fire is to be conducted, it is resolved now, whether regular fire
(see section VIII), Rear Fire, or Head On fire (see section XII).
Then proceed to phase 3.
3. Draw Replacement Cards Phase: Each player draws
replacement card(s) from the draw deck (British player first)
and adds it to his hand, to bring hand back to current capacity.
The turn is then over; begin a new turn.
IV. PLANE PLACEMENT ON DOGFIGHT DISPLAY
When a player plays a card from his hand (during phases 1a
or 1b), he moves his plane counter to the appropriate space on
the Dogfight Display. Example: A 5 Hearts is played, so that
plane is moved to the space where the “5” column and the
6

“Hearts” row intersect, or a Jack Clubs moves the plane to the “Court/Clubs” space.
V. DETERMINING ADVANTAGE
A card’s suit determines its relative altitude. The plane with the higher altitude will
have Advantage. Spades is the highest altitude suit, followed by Hearts, Clubs, and Dia-
monds (the lowest). (A card’s value (Ace-King) has nothing to do with determining
Advantage.) If one plane has Advantage, the other plane is said to be disadvantaged. It
is possible for neither plane to have Advantage.
When players play their cards during phase 1, Advantage for the turn will be deter-
mined (exception: if a Break Off is being attempted, see section VII). If heights (e.g.
suits) are the same, then the plane with the higher P-rating has Advantage. If altitude is
the same and P-ratings are the same, nobody has Advantage.
It is of prime importance to have the Advantage in Battle over Britain. Only the
plane with the Advantage may fire (exceptions: see Rear Fire & Head On fire in section
XII). Examples of Advantage: (1) British plane plays Ace Spades, German plays 8 Dia-
monds; British has Advantage. (2) German plays 2 Clubs, British plays King Diamonds;
German has Advantage. (3) British plays 3 Hearts, German plays 10 Diamonds; British
has Advantage. (4) A British Spitfire plays Jack Clubs, and a German Me-109 plays a 7
of Clubs; nobody has Advantage. (5) German Me-109 plays 4 Hearts, British Hurricane
plays 9 Hearts; since the Me-109 has the higher P-rating (5 to 4), it has Advantage.
VI. PERFORMANCE RATING DIFFERENTIAL
The difference between a plane’s Performance rating (P-rating) and the opponent’s
P-rating is its P-rating Differential (PrD). Examples: An Me-109 has a PrD of +1 vs a
Hurricane, a +2 vs a Defiant, and a +0 vs a Spitfire. A Hurricane has a PrD of -1 vs
an Me-109, a +1 vs an Me-110, and a +2 vs a Ju-87. Planes with better P-ratings have a
greater chance of retaining Advantage when an enemy plane is trying to Break Off, and a
greater chance of Breaking Off against an enemy plane that has Advantage.
VII. BREAKING OFF
A plane may try and “break off” (break) during phase 1b (only) to prevent the oppo-
nent from having Advantage. Only a disadvantaged plane may try and break. No firing
(by either plane) is allowed in a turn when a break is attempted. When a break off is
attempted, phase 2 of the turn is skipped (i.e. no firing at all is conducted). Attempting to
break is always optional. If you play a card that would allow you to attempt a break, and
do not wish to do so, simply place your plane on the Display in the appropriate box, after
which the plane with Advantage will play a card.
Procedure: A disadvantaged plane attempts to break, during phase 1b, by playing a
court card of any suit (including one in play via “Yanking the Stick”, see section XI), and
declaring this intention. The player with Advantage then responds to the break attempt:
(1) If he plays a court card (any suit), he retains Advantage; phase 2 is skipped
(phase 3 is still completed), and next turn phase 1b will be conducted.
(2) If he plays a non-court card, he loses Advantage (exception: see PrD Bonus,
below). Neither plane has Advantage, phase 2 is skipped (phase 3 is still completed),
and next turn, phase 1a will be conducted.
Examples: (1) A British plane has Advantage at the start
of the turn, so the German must play first, as directed by
phase 1b. He plays a King Diamonds, which indicates a
break attempt, and places his plane counter in that space.
The British plane responds by playing a Jack Clubs (moving
his plane to that space), so he retains Advantage. Phase 2 is
skipped. Next turn, phase 1b will be used. (2) Using the
77

8

above example, let’s say the British responded
with a 9 of Hearts (moving his plane there). PrD Bonus Summary
The German has successfully broken off, and PrD is 0 or less: J,Q,K
neither plane has Advantage entering the next PrD is +1: A,J,Q,K
turn (no matter what their relative heights PrD is +2: A,2,J,Q,K
are). Firing is not allowed, since this was a PrD is +3: A,2,3,J,Q,K
break turn, and phase 2 is skipped. Phase 3 is PrD is +4 or more: A,2,3,4,J,Q,K
done normally. Next turn will begin with phase
1a since neither plane has Advantage.
Performance Rating Differential Bonus: A plane that has a positive PrD will be able
to Break Off easier versus its opponent, and retain Advantage easier when an opponent
attempts to Break Off. A plane that has a zero or negative PrD will not (See section VI
to see how PrD is determined). Procedure: (1) Vs. Opponent Trying to Break Off: If
your PrD is +0 or lower, there is no special effect. If your PrD is +1, then your plane
will retain Advantage by playing a court card or Ace of any suit (instead of just a court
card). If the PrD is +2, it is retained by a court card or Ace or 2. If the PrD is +3, it is
retained by a court card or Ace, 2, or 3, etc. (2) Trying to Break Off vs. an opponent: If
the PrD is +0 or lower, there is no special effect. If the PrD is +1, the plane may call for
a break off attempt by playing a court card or Ace (not just a court card). If the PrD is
+2, by playing a court card, Ace or 2, etc. Examples: (1) An Me-110 is fighting a Spit-
fire. The Me-110 has a PrD of –2, and the Spitfire a PrD of +2. The Me-110 plays a Q
to try and break from the Spitfire. To retain Advantage, the Spitfire must play a J, Q, K,
Ace, or 2, since its PrD is +2. (2) A Defiant is fighting a Ju-87. The Defiant has a PrD
of +1, and the Ju-87 a PrD of -1. During a turn, the Ju-87 has Advantage, and the Defi-
ant wants to try to Break Off; to do so, it must play a court card or Ace, since its PrD is
+1, and the Ju-87 would need to play a court card to retain Advantage if the Break Off
attempt occurred. Had the Defiant been flying against an Me-109, its PrD would have
been -2, so it would need to play a court card to try and Break Off, and the Me-109
would retain Advantage by playing a court card, Ace, or 2, given its PrD of +2.
VIII. FIRING
“Firing” refers to regular, forward firing. Only the plane with Advantage may fire; a
plane without it may not fire (exceptions: Rear Fire & Head On fire, in section XII).
Altitude Difference: Firing cannot take place if one plane in at altitude Spades and
the other is at altitude Diamonds. Firing may occur at any other altitude difference
(including same altitude).
Resolving Fire: If fire is possible, look at both planes’ cards that are in play. The
Fire Position (value of the card in play, where Ace = 1, 2 = 2… 10 = 10; J, Q, K = 0) of the
plane with Advantage is noted, and the fire position (value) of the target plane is sub-
tracted from the value of the firing plane. The result is called the resolution number (R#).
If the resolution number is positive, the plane with Advantage may roll on the Fire Com-
bat Table (FCT); if the resolution number is zero or negative, the plane may not fire. If
the pilot of the plane with Advantage chooses to roll on the FCT, the firing plane ex-
pends one burst, and rolls one die on the line equaling the resolution number. The result-
ing number is how many Hits the target receives. Record hits on a piece of paper. After
fire is completely resolved, proceed to phase 3. Example:
Plane A (7 Spades) has Advantage over Plane B (4 Hearts),
with a resolution number of 3 (7-4=3). Plane A decides to
fire, and rolls one die on row 3 of the FCT; a 5 means Plane
B receives four hits. Plane A has expended one burst.
Critical Hits: A result with an asterisk (e.g. a roll of 4 on
9

rows 1-5 on the FCT, or a roll of 4 and 5 on rows 6-
10) means a critical hit occurs, and the target imme-
diately rolls one die on the Critical Hit Table (CHT),
and implements the result. This result is in addition
to any damage the target has just received.
Examples: (1) Plane A played 7 Hearts; Plane B
3 Clubs. Plane A has Advantage, and can fire; 7-3
= resolution number of 4; Plane A decides to fire a
burst, and rolls a 5 on the “4” row, so Plane B takes five hits. (2) Plane A played 9 Dia-
monds, and Plane B played 6 Hearts. Plane B has Advantage, but cannot fire since 6-9
= resolution number of -3. (3) Plane A played 4 Spades, and Plane B played Ace Dia-
monds. Plane A has Advantage, but cannot fire due to altitude difference. (4) Plane A
played 7 Diamonds, Plane B played Hearts 10, so Plane B has Advantage; 10-7 = reso-
lution number of 3. Plane B decides to fire, rolls a 4, so Plane A takes three hits. Since
the result was followed by an asterisk, a roll is also made on the Critical Hit Table; a
roll of 3 means the target’s P-rating is reduced by one for rest of the game.
Declining to Fire: A player may, for any reason, decline to fire. Reasons for declin-
ing fire might include wanting to save ammunition, or not wanting to fire if the firing
position (e.g. resolution number) is not as high as the pilot wants, etc.
Out of Ammunition: Keep track of the number of bursts each plane expends. A plane
that has fired five bursts has run out of ammunition, and cannot fire any more during the
game. Rear firing guns have ammunition reduced separately.
Defiants: A Defiant with Advantage may not fire, due to its lack of forward firing
guns (however, see Rear Fire in section XII).
IX. DAMAGE
Keep track of the number of hits each plane receives. Once a plane receives hits
equal to or higher than its current D-rating, it is shot down.
Damage Penalty: If a plane has taken hits more than half its D-rating, that plane’s P-
rating is lowered by one, its A-rating is lowered by one, its regular Fire Modifier is low-
ered by one, and its Hand Capacity is lowered by one. This is for the rest of the game,
cumulative with any Critical Hit damage also occurring. Examples: A Me-109 has taken
4 hits, so is shot down when it takes 5 more; no penalty applies. A Hurricane has taken 6
hits, and is shot down when it takes 4 more. Since the Hurricane has taken more than
one-half of its D-rating in hits, its P-rating is dropped to 3, its A-rating to 3, its FM is
dropped to –1, and its Hand Capacity dropped to 3, for the rest of the game.
X. DISENGAGING
A plane may wish to disengage (leave the game) in certain circumstances (e.g. high
damage, no ammunition, a superior opponent). Procedure: A plane may attempt to dis-
engage during phase 2 of a turn, only if it has Advantage, and only if its fire resolution
number is 3 or higher. If these obtain, the plane with Advantage may roll on the Disen-
gaging Table instead of firing on the Fire Combat Table. (There is no cost to attempt
this; the plane may do so even if out of ammunition.) Procedure: Roll on the column of
the Disengaging Table that reflects the disengaging plane’s PrD (if higher than +3, use
+3; if lower than –3, use –3). Roll a die; if the roll is within the number range, the plane
Disengaging Table
PrD: +2/+3 0/+1 -1/-2 -3
# Range 1-5 1-4 1-3 1-2
10

has successfully disengaged (the game is over; the disengaged
plane has escaped, but therefore has lost the game). If the roll is
not within the number range, there is “no effect” (proceed im-
mediately to phase 3). If, at the start of any turn, both planes
wish to disengage, they may do so, and the game is a draw.
Example: Plane A (Spitfire) plays a 6 Spades in response to
plane B’s (Ju-87) 3 Diamonds. The Spitfire is out of ammo, has some damage, and
wants to disengage. Since it has Advantage and the fire resolution number is 3 or
higher, the Spitfire can roll on the Disengaging Table. The Spitfire has a PrD of +3
against the Ju-87, so will need to roll of 1-5 to disengage. If it disengages, the game is
over, and the Ju-87 wins. If disengaging is unsuccessful, proceed to phase 3.
XI. YANKING THE STICK

Any plane may, in lieu of playing a card from its hand during phase 1a or 1b, call
“yanking the stick”. If a plane yanks the stick, it can discard as many cards from its hand
up to its A-rating (e.g. a Hurricane can discard 1, 2, 3, or 4 cards; a Me-110 can discard
1, 2 or 3 cards; a Ju-87 can discard 1 or 2 cards, etc.). Procedure: After declaring this in
phase 1a or 1b, (1) the plane may discard any cards of his choice from his hand (up to the
plane’s allowable limit), (2) then draws one card which must be his card in play this turn.
Play proceeds as usual (e.g. if this card is a court card, a break attempt may occur, etc.).
A plane cannot regular or Read Fire on a turn it Yanks the Stick, but it may conduct
Head On fire if that occurs. The opposing plane’s fire in unaffected. During phase 3, the
player draws enough cards to bring his hand back to current full capacity. Example: A
Hurricane has Advantage but a poor hand, so after a Ju-87 played 5 Clubs in phase 1b,
calls this option. He keeps one decent card that he has, but discards his other three. He
then draws the top card; it is Ace Hearts; this becomes his played card for the turn, and
so the Hurricane retains Advantage. During the card replacement phase, he draws three
cards, to bring his hand back to four. Both planes my use this option on the same turn.
Each plane may use this option up to twice per game. Note: If 10 or fewer cards left in
the draw deck when Yanking the Stick occurs, shuffle all discards, and draw replace-
ments (for Yanking the Stick replacements (only)) from this deck, instead of from the
regular draw deck.
XII. ADVANCED RULES
Players may use any of the following advanced rules, as desired.
AMMUNITION: Each plane in the game has enough ammunition to fire regularly
five times. When a plane has fired five times (five “bursts”), it is out of ammo for the
rest of the game.
FIRE MODIFIERS: Ju-87s have a -2 drm to any regular and Head On fire FCT rolls
they make, and Gladiators have a –1 drm, due to weak forward firing guns. Defiants
with Advantage may not fire at all, due to their lack of forward firing guns. Example: A
Ju-87 with Advantage played 10 Clubs against a Spitfire playing 6 Diamonds. The R# is
4, with a -2 drm applied. The Ju-87 rolls a 5, modified to 3, which causes 3 hits on the
Spitfire. A modified FCT roll of less than one causes no damage.
REAR FIRE: Certain planes are allowed to fire when they are disadvantaged, or
when neither plane has Advantage. This is called
Rear Fire. Only Defiants, Me-110s, and Ju-87s (i.e.
those with Rear Fire modifier) may conduct Rear Fire.
Depending on altitude difference, and fire position
cards in play, Rear Fire may occur. Procedure: Dur-
ing phase 2, a plane with Rear Fire ability that does
11

not have Advantage may fire if: (a) the two planes are within one altitude level (or at
the same altitude), and (b) the Rear Fire resolution number is one or greater. Rear Fire
is conducted the same as normal fire combat (roll on the resolution number line of the
FCT, with the appropriate drm applied: Me-110s and Ju-87s have a Rear Fire FM of -2;
Defiants have a Rear Fire FM of –1). Modified rolls of less than one cause no hits.
Rear guns have an ammunition supply of five bursts, which exists independently of its
forward firing guns. Examples: (1) A Ju-87 plays a 10 Hearts, and a Spitfire plays a 5
Hearts, so the Ju-87 is disadvantaged, due to the Spitfire’s better P-rating. The Ju-87
can fire even though disadvantaged (10-5= R# of 5, with -2 to die roll). It rolls a 3 on
the FCT, modified to 1, so the Spitfire receives two hits, and the rear Ju-87 guns expend
one burst. (2) As (1), except the Spitfire played 10 Hearts, and the Ju-87 5 Hearts; no
Rear Fire occurs since the R# for Rear Fire is -5; the Spitfire may conduct regular fire,
as usual, with R# of 5.
HEAD ON FIRE: If, during phase 1a or 1b of a turn, both planes play a card of the
same value (Ace-10 only), suits are disregarded, no Advantage is awarded, and Head
On fire occurs instead during the ensuing phase 2. Head On fire may occur any number
of times in a game. Procedure: Neither side has Advantage if Head On fire occurs,
During phase 2, each plane may elect to fire by rolling on the 5 row of the Fire Combat
Table (if it has ammo and elects to fire), modifying the roll by its regular Fire Modifier.
Any damage that occurs is applied simultaneously. Next turn, planes will use phase 1a,
as neither one will have Advantage. Example: Plane A plays 7 Spades, Plane B plays 7
Diamonds, so Head On fire occurs, even though fire would not normally be allowed due
to altitude (suit) difference. Each plane rolls on the 5 row of the Fire Combat Table,
and any damage is applied simultaneously. Rear Fire is not allowed on a turn when
Head On fire occurs. If a Defiant is involved in Head On fire, it may not fire (due to no
forward firing guns), but may be fired upon normally.
TAILING BONUS: If a plane has Advantage on turn x, has a resolution number of 1
or higher, and does not fire, that plane will get a +2 drm tailing bonus (cumulative with
any other drm) on the Fire Combat Table, should it have Advantage and fire on turn
x+1. Example: A Me-110 has Advantage over a Hurricane, with a resolution number
of 3; it does not choose to fire. If the Me-110 has Advantage the next turn, and chooses
to fire, it will get a +2 drm to its fire roll. If it does not fire (and had a R# of 1 or
more), it will have a +2 drm on the next turn if it once again has Advantage and is able
to fire. If a plane cannot fire during any turn, the tailing process must start over. Exam-
ple: Continuing the above example, if the Me-110 did not fire due to a resolution num-
ber lower than 1, it would no longer be “tailing” the enemy plane. If it regained Ad-
vantage later on, it would have to satisfy the tailing process all over again to gain the
+2 drm tailing bonus. There is never a tailing bonus for Rear Fire. Defiants may never
benefit from trailing bonus.
ME-109E HIGH ALTITUDE PERFORMANCE: Consider a Me-109E at altitude
Battle over Britain Plane Ratings

British HC A FM P D German HC A FM P D
Spitfire I 5 5 0 5 9 Me-109E 5 4 0* 5 9
Hurricane I 4 4 0 4 10 Me-110 C 5 3 0*/-2 3 12
Defiant 4 3 x/-1 3 9 Ju-87D 3 2 -2/-2 2 11
Gladiator 3 2 -1 2 8
* = qualifies for 20mm Cannon Bonus
# before slash is regular fire drm; # after slash is Rear Fire drm
one FM rating = plane cannot use Rear Fire; x = cannot regular fire
12

Spades (only) to have its P-rating raised by one. Example: Me-109E and Spitfire both
play Spades in phase 1a; Me-109E has Advantage (P-rating is 6 at altitude Spades,
compared with Spitfire’s rating of 5).
RATING MINIMUMS: A plane’s Hand Capacity may never drop below 2, its A-
rating never below 1, and its P-rating never below 0. Ignore results that would take a
rating below these limits.
DRAWN DOGFIGHT: The game ends the instant the draw deck is exhausted. If
both planes are still in play, the game is drawn. Replay Note: During play, once the game
proceeds to the next phase, all play stands, even if a mistake/oversight has occurred.
XIII. OPTIONAL RULES
Players may incorporate any of the following optional rules, in addition to any stan-
dard and advanced rules they are using.
OUT OF THE SUN: Players may dice (or agree otherwise) to see if one plane is
attacking from out of the sun: 1-2= British plane; 3-4= neither plane; 5-6= German
plane is coming from “out of the sun”. The plane with this is given automatic Advan-
tage on the first turn of the game. There is no effect after the first turn.
BAILING OUT: When a plane is shot down, you may draw a card to see if the pilot
survives (unless the Critical Hit Table has already indicated that the pilot has been
killed): Ace-5= killed; 6-8= wounded, not returnable to duty; 9-10= lightly wounded,
returnable to duty; J,Q,K= unhurt. Germans surviving a bailout are considered captured
on the ground. You may draw separately for the plane’s gunner, if any. The game
makes no provision for deciding if a downed aircraft is repairable or not.
CONTINUATION: The winner (only) of a game may ask for continuation, and
continue combat against a new plane during that same game. That is, a plane that shoots
down the enemy, or the enemy disengages, may call for continuation. Procedure: If
continuation is called, reshuffle all cards (except the cards in the winning plane’s hand)
to form a new draw deck. The winning plane retains its current hand, ammo, and any
damage received. Next draw a card to see what type of opposing plane will be used in
continuation: Ace-3 (Hurricane / Me-109); 4-6 (Spitfire / Me-110); 7 (Defiant / Ju-87);
8-King (same type as before). This “new” plane enters play with no damage, full am-
munition, and is dealt a normal hand of cards. The game “restarts” with neither plane
having Advantage. The game continues normally until the deck is exhausted, or only
one plane remains in play. Continuation may be called only once per game. Campaign
Victory Points: If a plane is shot down in the continuation portion of the game, the win-
ner gets an additional 4 VP; if disengaging occurs, the winner gets an additional 2 VP.
If the “continuation” deck is exhausted with both planes still in play, each side gets one
additional VP. Only one continuation is allowed per game. Example: A Spitfire shot
down a Me-109, has three bursts left, and has 2 hits, and opts for continuation. It keeps
its characteristics and current hand. Cards are reshuffled; a 5 draw means the enemy
plane will be a Me-110 (if a 7, it would have been a Ju-87; a 9 another Me-109, etc.).
Play continues normally. Let’s say the Spitfire shoots down the new Me-110; the Brit-
ish would therefore get 8 VP for the game (4 VP per plane) while the Germans would
get 0 VP. If the Spitfire was shot down by the Me-
110 during the continuation part of the game, both
the Germans and the British would get 4 VP. If con-
tinuation ended in a draw (e.g. both planes were in
play when the new deck was exhausted), the British
would end the game with 5 VP, the Germans 1 VP.
20mm CANNON BONUS: Allow any plane
firing forward (including Head On) with at least two
13
13

20mm cannon to receive a firing bonus. Procedure: If a 1 is
rolled when resolving a Critical Hit Table roll by that plane,
the target is destroyed (instead of causing Cable Damage).
Example: Me-109E has resolution # of 3, and rolls 4 on the
FCT. Target gets 3 hits, & roll on Critical Hit Table must be
made; a 1 or a 6 roll on the CHT will destroy the target.
TARGET DESTROYED OPTION: For increased realism,
when a “target destroyed” result occurs on the Critical Hit
Table, roll a die three times, and total. If this total is equal to or
higher than the target’s D-rating, the target is destroyed. If
lower, the target’s A-rating, P-rating, and Hand Capacity are
each reduced by one. Example: A targeted Ju-87 rolls a 6 on the CHT. A dice total of
11 (rolls of 2, 4, 5) occurs, and so it is destroyed. Had the total been 10, the Ju-87’s
current A-rating, P-rating, and Speed would each drop by one.
TAILING BONUS OPTION: If a tailing plane’s current A-rating is 3 or less, it gets
a tailing bonus of +1 drm (not +2) vs. planes with current A-rating higher than its own.
LONG BURST OPTION: A plane may opt to fire a “long burst” on any regular fire
roll (not Head On or Rear Fire). Procedure: Declare the option before firing, apply a
+2 drm (cumulative) to the roll, and deduct two bursts (not one) from the firing plane.
HALF-BURST OPTION: A plane may opt to fire a “half burst” on any regular fire
roll (not Head On or Rear Fire). Procedure: Declare the option before firing, apply a -2
drm (cumulative) to the roll, and deduct one-half burst (not one) from the firing plane.
GUNNER KIA: If a plane has a rear gunner, receives a Critical Hit, and rolls a 4 on
the CHT, the gunner is killed (no more Rear Fire allowed), in addition to regular result.
DEFIANT’S AMMO SUPPLY: Allow the Defiant’s Rear Fire gun to have seven
bursts, due to its increased ammunition capacity.
GLADIATOR: You may use Gladiators in single game contents, but they should
not be used in campaign games, as they were not numerous in the historical campaign.
INCREASED HAND CAPACITY: To increase strategy options in the game, allow
all planes a Hand Capacity 1 higher than usual (e.g. 4 for Ju-87, 5 for Hurricane, 6 for
Me-109, etc.).
PLAY BALANCE: Allow weaker players to play with a Hand Capacity one higher,
and/or superior players one lower, than usual.
ACE STATUS: If the pilot of a plane is considered an Ace, allow him to discard up
to two cards of his choice that are initially dealt to him at the start of play. Discard
before play begins, then draw replacement cards to bring hand up to capacity. Both
planes in a game may have ace status.
XIV. SCENARIOS
STANDARD SCENARIO: Each player selects (or draws) an opposing plane to fly.
CAMPAIGN GAME: Players may play a series of games, with the side having the
most victory points (VP) at the end of the series being the winner. You get 4 VP for
shooting down an enemy plane, and 2 VP if the enemy disengages; both sides get 1 VP
if the game ends in a draw. (The Continuation optional rule may be used.) The side
with the most VP at the end of an agreed to number of
games is the winner. Decide the number of games to
be played before the start of the first game.
SCENARIO GENERATOR (Single Game): Each
side draws a card before the start of play, with the card
indicating the plane that side will fly during the game.
14

BRITISH GERMAN
Spitfire I A,2,3,4,5 Me-109 E A,2,3,4,5,6,7
Hurricane I 6,7,8,9,10,J,Q Me-110 C 8,9,10,J
Defiant K Ju-87 D Q,K
BATTLE OF BRITAIN CAMPAIGH GAME: As above,
except you will play thirteen games. You get 4 VP for shoot-
ing down an enemy plane, 2 VP if the enemy disengages; both sides get 1 VP if the game
ends in a draw. The continuation optional rule may be used. The side with the most VP
after 13 games is the winner. Plane Limits: To reduce the “luck factor”, you may re-
quire each side to use their planes the proper number of times (that is, the British will use
a Spitfire in 5 games, a Hurricane in 7 games, and a Defiant in 1 game; the Germans will
use a Me-109 in 7 games, a Me-110 in 4 games, and a Ju-87 in 2 games). Planes should
be drawn randomly, until that “type” of plane has reached its limit. Example: It is game
#9, and the British draw a Spitfire. However, since they had use of a Spitfire five times
already during this campaign, they must redraw. Alternately, you may modify plane
limits if both players agree.
VARIANT CAMPAIGN GAME: The British have 13 planes to use during the cam-
paign (7 Hurricanes, 5 Spitfires, and 1 Defiant). The Germans have 13 planes (7 Me-
109s, 4 Me-110s, 2 Ju-87s). Thirteen games are played. Instead of randomly selecting
planes each game, each player secretly selects the plane he will fly for that game. Keep
track of the number of times each type of plane is flown. When you have flown a plane
the maximum number of times, that type may no longer be selected. Use the Continua-
tion rule (but planes used in continuation do not count against the plane’s maximum use).
Example: You choose to fly a Defiant in game #1, so can’t fly a Defiant the rest of the
campaign, unless called for under the rules of continuation. Victory conditions as above.
HOUSE RULES & EXTRA PLANES: Players may adapt rules/scenarios as they
wish, as long as agreed to before play. For example, they may wish to ignore ammo
rules, keep playing after the deck is exhausted, etc. Extra planes are not used in 1940
games, but may be used in design-your-own scenarios running through 1942.
XV. SOLITAIRE RULES
The game is played the same when playing solitaire, with the following exceptions.
Set Up: The player plays the British, the game system plays the Germans. (If playing
the Germans, simply reverse “British” and “German” references in what follows.)
Jokers: Add two Jokers to the deck (the deck will now have 54 cards). Effects: If
drawn by the German plane, treat a Joker as a “7 Spades” card (“10 Spades” if ace pilot).
If drawn by the British plane, treat a Joker as a “blank”
card (that is, it may not be played, but takes up a spot in
the British hand unless gotten rid of via Yanking the
Stick).
Play: British play regularly. The German is not dealt
any cards. Instead, whenever the German needs to play a
card, you will draw a card from the deck, and this will be
the German’s card in play. Advantage is determined in
the usual way. A German plane will fire at every allow-
able opportunity (regular, Head On, and Rear Fire), and
never runs out of ammunition. Examples: (1) In phase
1a, the British plays 6 Hearts. The draw for the German
then reveals 7 Spades, so the German has Advantage. The
resolution number is 1, so the German plane fires using
15

1. Pilot Name (English / German)
Card/Suit Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds
Ace Smith/Müller Baker/Lange MacGregor/Zahn Parker/Vogts
2 Campbell/Bucer Williams/Moser Sanders/Steury Flint/Breyer
3 Adams/Hoffman Taylor/Bauer Boyd/Schneider Gough/Schwartz
4 Roe/Heinrich Green/Vogler Arden/Schultz Jones/Voormann
5 Little/Bruner Hunter/Gerig Kay/Klinsmann Harris/Kuster
6 Bell/Buchholz Phillips/Beitzen Howard/Lenk Gordon/Steiner
7 Marks/Weiss Ellis/Haufbauer Langston/Meyer Pierce/Winteregg
8 Lee/Kircher Taylor/Braun Parr/Zimmermann Anderson/Becker
9 Gerrard/Kury Scott/Baumann Spencer/Witt McCullough/Goll
10 Kyle/Lehmann Hill/Abnutz Sandys/Kohl Davis/Halder
Jack Walker/Collet Walters/Schmidt Latimer/Hausser Innes/Reichenau
Queen Lynch/Schall Johnson/Klein Miller/Otto Tozer/Scheer
King Martin/Habegger Wilson/Leichty Perceval/Steiger Still/Wassermann
the 1 row of the FCT; a 3 has “no effect”, and no ammunition (in game terms) is spent.
(2) In phase 1b, British have Advantage, so German card is drawn and revealed (4
Diamonds); the British then follows with card of his choice in response. Only the Brit-
ish may call Continuation, Yank the Stick (maximum once per game), use Long Burst
option, benefit from tailing bonus, or attempt to disengage.
PrD Modifications: All British planes have their PrD unchanged in relation to Ger-
man planes. All German planes, however, have their PrD raised by 2 in comparison to
the enemy. Examples: (1) A Spitfire has a PrD of 0 vs. Me-109; the Me-109 has a PrD
of +2 vs. the Spitfire. (2) A Hurricane has a PrD of +1 vs Me-110; the Me-110 has a
PrD of +1 vs. Hurricane. (3) A Defiant has PrD of –2 vs. Me-109; the Me-109 has PrD
of +4 vs. Defiant.
Victory Conditions: Individual Game: Same as regular game. Campaign Game:
British must have at least twice as many VP as the Germans at the end of the scenario to
win, or the Germans win. Handicap: If you find the Germans too strong, play without
Jokers.
Personal Campaign: You may use the Roleplay Option rules (section XVI) for
your pilot, and keep his characteristics through a whole series of games. See how many
enemy planes your pilot can shoot down before he is killed or retired.
16

2. Flying Ability, Firing Skill, Boldness, Special
Card Flying Ability Firing Skill Boldness Special
Ace — +1 to FM -2 H.O. drm c
2 -1 to P-rating -1 to FM — —
3 +1 to P-rating — -1 H.O. drm a
4 — +1 to FM -1 H.O drm b
5 -1 to P-rating — +1 H.O. drm g
6 +1 to P-rating -1 to FM — —
7 — -1 to FM +1 H.O. drm f
8 +1 to P-rating — -1 H.O. drm —
9 -1 to P-rating +1 to FM — e
10 — +1 to FM -1 H.O. drm c
Jack — — +2 H.O. drm a
Queen +1 to P-rating -1 to FM — g
King -1 to P-rating — +1 H.O. drm d
XVI. ROLEPLAY OPTION

To introduce variation, and more of a “role play” feel, you may determine the skill
of individual pilots, by drawing cards before each individual game. Procedure: Draw
five cards for each pilot in the current game, and check them on the tables below
(pilot’s name on table 1 on page 16, the rest on table 2 on page 17, above) to determine
the characteristics of each pilot. (If the plane has a gunner, draw separately for his
name and firing ability.) After characteristics have been determined and verified, re-
shuffle all cards, deal initial hands, and begin play. The characteristics are: pilot name;
flying ability; firing skill; boldness; and special characteristic. On the tables, “—”
means “no effect”. This option (except for Pilot Name) can be used in any series game.
Players are free to create modified or extra table results (e.g. add more names), or
craft this option to suit themselves (e.g. allow pilots to “carry over” characteristics from
game to game). Have fun with it.
GAME EFFECTS: Individual ratings affect the
game as follows. Pilot Name: No effect. Flying Abil-
ity: Affects P-rating. Firing Skill: Affects Fire Modi-
fier (forward; if Rear Fire capability, draw separate
card for gunner’s firing skill). Boldness: Affects Head
On fire. Special Characteristic: Use the following list
of effects.
17

a = Jittery Under Fire (P-rating drops by one the turn after his plane first receives
any damage, and remains dropped for rest of the game)
b = Careful Shot (plane can fire regularly only if resolution number is 3 or higher
(ignore this stipulation if plane has tailing bonus))
c = Me-109E Bonus (if the plane is an Me-109E, raise its P-rating by one at all alti-
tudes (not just Spades); any other plane, no effect)
d = Nerves of Steel (+3 Fire Modifier (instead of +2) if plane has tailing bonus)
e = Ace Pilot (pilot of plane gets “Ace Status” bonus, if using that optional rule (see
bottom of page 14 for effects and details))
f = Slow Reflexes (if plane has same P-rating as the opposing plane at the same alti-
tude during phase 1a or 1b, the enemy plane gets Advantage)
g = Wild Flyer (may Yank the Stick as often as desired)
Examples: (1) The British plane is a Hurricane. You draw a 9 Spades, so Gerrard is
the pilot. You draw a 6 for Flying Ability, so the plane’s P-rating is raised to 5 for this
game. You draw a King for Firing Skill, so no effect. You draw a 7 for Boldness, so Ger-
rard will get a +1 drm if he is involved in any Head On attacks. For Special, an Ace is
drawn (characteristic “c”), so there is no effect. (2) The Germans plane is an Me-110.
You draw Ace Clubs, so the pilot is Zahn. Another draw, King Spades, means Habegger is
the gunner. For Flying Ability, a 10 has no effect. For Firing Skill, Zahn draws a 3 (no
effect), while Habegger draws a 9, so Rear Fire fire modifier is raised by 1, to –1. The
Boldness draw is 8, so if the Me-110 is involved in a Head On attack, it will have a –1
drm. For Special, a 3 means Zahn is jittery (characteristic “a”), and the Me-110s P-rating
drops by one the turn after it first receives any damage.
Designer’s Notes
Battle over Britain is a simple game of WWII fighter combat set during the summer of
1940. It simulates single fighter encounters. This second edition is unchanged from the
first, though it includes some extra optional rules, and new planes, and some verbal
smoothing of the rules. Battle over Britain is meant to be the sort of card game you can
play on your tray table during a airline flight, commuting to work on a train, or at your
desk during a lunch break. Apart from the plane ratings, the game does not emphasize real-
ism per se, but focuses on delivering fun as a strategy card game that is capable of produc-
ing believable results. Game play is abstracted, so it helps if you imagine the planes swirl-
ing around each other in a chaotic dogfight, rather than focusing on what exactly each card
might mean in a strict sense. That is, card suits indicate relative altitude between the two
planes to one another (not a fixed value of so many feet per altitude level), and card values
indicate relative fire positions. A vivid imagination will no doubt add enjoyment to the
game.
As far as plane ratings go, Hand Capacity is based on each plane’s top speed. The
faster the plane, the higher its Hand Capacity. Performance is based on a plane’s maneu-
verability, and its ability to climb and dive, relative to other planes. The higher the P-
rating, the better its relative performance. Agility is based on handling and nimbleness.
Durability is based on the plane’s ability to take damage before being destroyed. Fire
Modifier ratings are based on a plane’s firepower configuration and strength. There is a
subjective element present when assigning ratings, but we’ve tried to give ratings that pro-
duce an authentic feel and believable interactions. Good planes naturally are stronger in
combat, but smart card play can compensate for this when flying a weaker aircraft.
Changes in fortune can come suddenly, and one unfortunate card (combined with a high
fire die roll) can spell disaster to most any plane. Airplane ratings from this game may be
continued on page 20
18

SAMPLE GAME
The following extended example illustrates various mechanics of a two-player
Battle over Britain standard game, not necessarily good tactics. Planes: Spitfire
(British) vs. Me-110 (German). The deck is shuffled, and since each plane has a
Speed rating of 5, the Spitfire gets dealt 5 cards, and the Me-110 gets dealt 5 cards.
TURN 1: No Advantage
Phase 1a: Both sides play a card face down; cards are simultaneously revealed.
Spitfire played a 10 Clubs, and Me-110 played a Jack Hearts, so the Me-110 has Ad-
vantage. Phase 2: No fire possible (resolution number (R#) is not positive). Phase 3:
Each plane draws a replacement card from the draw deck.
TURN 2: Me-110 has Advantage
Phase 1b: Spitfire plays 2 Diamonds face up, and declares a break attempt (since
it has a PrD of +2). Me-110 plays a Jack Spades in response, so the break is unsuc-
cessful, and Me-110 retains Advantage. Phase 2: Skipped. Phase 3: Each plane
draws a replacement card.
TURN 3: Me-110 has Advantage
Phase 1b: Spitfire plays 3 Spades face up; Me-110 replies with Ace Clubs. Spit-
fire has Advantage. Phase 2: R# is 2; Spitfire declines to fire. Phase 3: Each plane
draws a replacement card.
TURN 4: Spitfire has Advantage
Phase 1b: Me-110 plays Queen Hearts face up, so break off attempt occurs. Spit-
fire replies with 5 Clubs. so break off successful, and neither plane has Advantage.
Phase 2: Skipped. Phase 3: Each plane draws a replacement card.
Phase 1a: Both sides play a card face down. Before revealing them, Me-110
declares “yanking the stick”, and takes back the card he laid down. He discards
three cards of his choice from his hand of 5 (the limit for him, given his A-rating of
3), retaining the other two cards. He then draws the top card from the draw deck,
which becomes his “played card” this turn. Both cards are now revealed, showing
Spitfire played a 8 Clubs, and the Me-110 card a 3 Diamonds, so Spitfire has Advan-
tage. Phase 2: R# is 5, and Spitfire fires a burst. It rolls a 1 on the 5 row of the FCT,
so the Me-110 takes two hits. The Spitfire now has four bursts of ammo left. Phase
3: Spitfire draws one replacement card; the Me-110 draws three (since it got rid of
three cards via yanking the stick earlier this turn), bringing its hand back up to its ca-
pacity of five.
Phase 1b: Me-110 plays 9 Diamonds face up, then Spitfire plays 6 Clubs. so Spit-
fire has Advantage. Phase 2: Spitfire cannot fire because its R# is –3. The R# for the
disadvantaged Me-110 is +3, so it can Rear Fire. It rolls a 4 on the 3 row of the FCT,
modified –2 because of the rear gun fire modifier, for final result of 2. Spitfire gets
one hit, and Me-110’s rear guns have four bursts left. Phase 3: Each plane draws a
replacement card.
19
19

Phase 1b: Me-110 plays 3 Clubs face up; Spitfire replies with
8 Hearts, so the Spitfire has Advantage. Phase 2: The R# is 5, and
Spitfire fires, rolling a 4 on the 5 row of the FCT, giving the Me-
110 five hits, and Me-110 must also roll for a Critical Hit. A roll
of 2 on the CHT means Me-110 suffers gun damage (its forward
guns Fire Modifier is dropped by one, to –1). Spitfire has three
bursts left. The Me-110 now has seven hits; since this is over half
its D-rating of 12, the damage penalty also applies (its P-rating is
lowered by one, A-rating lowered by one, regular Fire Modifier
lowered by one, and Hand Capacity lowered by one), so Me-110
now has cumulative current ratings of 4, 2, -2(-2), 2, 12. Phase 3:
Spitfire draws a replacement card, but Me-110 does not (it already has four cards, its
current Hand Capacity).
Phase 1b: Me-110 plays 10 Spades face up, then Spitfire plays 10 Diamonds;
Head On fire occurs, so no one has Advantage. Phase 2: Both planes elect to fire;
damage is simultaneous. Me-110 goes first. It rolls a 2, modified –2 to 0 on the 5 row
of the FCT, so does not generate any hits. Spitfire then rolls a 3 on the same row, so
Me-110 gets four hits. Spitfire has a total of one hit, and two bursts left. Me-110 has a
total of eleven hits, and four regular bursts left, and four rear bursts. Phase 3: Each
plane draws a replacement card.
Phase 1a: Both sides play a card face down; cards are simultaneously revealed.
Spitfire played a 5 Hearts, and Me-110 played a 4 Hearts; since the same altitude, the
Spitfire has Advantage, since its P-rating of 5 is higher than the Me-110’s current P-
rating of 2. Phase 2: Spitfire declines to fire, since the R# is only 1. Phase 3: Each
plane draws replacement card.
Phase 1b: Me-110 plays 7 Hearts face up, then Spitfire plays 8 Spades, so Spitfire
has Advantage. Phase 2: The R# is 1, but since Spitfire can benefit from the tailing
bonus, it decides to fire. A roll a 3 on the 1 row of the FCT, modified +2 (tailing bo-
nus) to 5, means the Me-110 gets two hits (one more than necessary to destroy it) and is
shot down. Since it only has one burst left, the Spitfire declines to call for Continua-
tion. Game over; Spitfire wins.
continued from page 18

used with those from any other game in the series, and visa versa.
The campaign game scenarios are very abstracted. The idea is not to suggest that
dogfights were always one-on-one affairs, or that a series of thirteen contests demon-
strates control of the skies. It is more along the lines of, the side having the most victory
points after an extended series of games will be the one with the better claim to “local
control of the skies”. The most satisfying way to play is with a campaign, or series of
contests, and, of course, the game may easily be played solitaire. Once you have a feel
for the system, the Dogfight Display may not even be necessary. Just memorize a few
simple rules (and plane ratings), grab a deck of cards, and you’ll be off to the summer
skies of Britain.
Designer: Gary Graber
For complete list of games available, including more WW2 air titles, visit:
20

Description of Aircraft Represented in the Standard Game
Boulton Paul Defiant I
Royal Air Force
Two-seat fighter
Maximum speed: 305 mph
Climb rate: 1,900 ft./min.
Armament: x4 .303” machine guns
Gloster Gladiator
Royal Air Force
Single-seat biplane fighter
Hawker Hurricane I
Royal Air Force
Single-seat fighter
Junkers Ju-87D
Luftwaffe
Two-seat dive bomber/fighter
Armament: x4 7.9mm machine guns
Messerschmitt Me-109E
Luftwaffe
Single-seat fighter
x2 20mm cannon
Messerschmitt Me-110C
Luftwaffe
Two-seat twin engine fighter/bomber
x2 20mm cannon
Supermarine Spitfire I
Royal Air Force
Single-seat fighter
Climb rate: 2,800 ft/.min.
21

Campaign Game Log Sheet
Brit Ger
Game British Plane(s) German Plane(s)
VP VP
10
11
12
13
22 (photocopy before use)

Description of Additional Aircraft
(see also page 37)
Fairey Swordfish
Fleet Air Arm
Two-seat bomber
Climb rate: 900 ft./min.
Focke-Wulf 190-A
Luftwaffe
Single-seat fighter
Armament: x2 13mm machine guns
x4 20mm cannon
Hawker Hurricane IIB

Royal Air Force
Single-seat fighter
Messerschmitt Me-109G
Luftwaffe
Single-seat fighter
Armament: x2 13mm machine guns
x1 20mm cannon
Supermarine Spitfire VC
Royal Air Force
Single-seat fighter
Climb rate: 2,800 ft/.min.
x2 20mm cannon
Bristol Blenheim IV
Royal Air Force
Multi-crew bomber
Heinkel He-111H
Luftwaffe
Multi-crew bomber
Climb rate: 900 ft./min.
x1 20mm cannon
23
23

CONSTRUCTING COMPONENTS
Game components are provided on page 25 and following. These
consist of three items: Reference Card (page 25), Dogfight Display
(pages 27 and 29), and Airplane Counters (pages 31 and 33). You may
construct the components in one of two ways.
Scan and Cut Method: You may scan each of these pages, print off
the scan on paper (or cardstock), and cut apart the pieces. This method
allows you to produce the components without tearing out any pages of
the book.
Tear-out and Cut Method: You may tear out the pages of the com-
ponents, mount them on cardstock, and then cut the pieces apart. Two
identical sets of components are provided in this book, so that you will
have an extra set still contained within the book’s pages.
Alternatively, you may purchase these components directly from
Minden. These are printed on heavy card; airplane must be cut apart
prior to play. Visit the Minden website for details.
Note that for the standard game covering the Battle of Britain, you
will be using plane counters #11-26. The other counters are provided
for design-your-own scenarios occurring in 1941-1942.
Whatever construction method you choose, the key ingredient is to
have fun. With a little practice, you can create colorful components
which will allow you to enjoy the game.
Those purchasing this book via Amazon may order

separate game components directly from Minden.
See Bomber Command, on page 36.
24 24

25

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26
26

27

28
28

29

30
30

Airplane Counters
31
31

32
32

Airplane Counters
33
33

34
34

35
35

BATTLE OVER BRITAIN GAME SERIES
There are several titles in the Battle over Britain game series published by Min-
den Games. Each covers a separate campaign of World War II, with different na-
tionalities and warplanes, covering the conflict from 1939 to the end of 1942. Plane
ratings are compatible between titles of the series. Visit the Minden website for
more details and to see what is currently available.
BATTLE OVER BRITAIN (Vol. 1)

Battle of Britain (1940) Campaign Game. German and British aircraft. Avail-
able from Amazon, or directly from Minden.
BATTLE OVER THE PACIFIC (Vol. 2)
Pacific Campaign (1941), Pacific Campaign (1942), and Philippines Campaign
(1941). Japanese and American aircraft. Available directly from Minden.
FAITH, HOPE & CHARITY (Vol. 3)
Battle of Malta (1940-41) Campaign Game. Italian, German, and British aircraft.
Available directly from Minden.
FLYING TIGERS (Vol. 4)
Module with 3 Campaign Games: Early Chinese (1941-42), Polish (1939), and
Dutch (1940) Campaigns. Japanese, Polish, Dutch, German, and AVF Chinese air-
craft, plus advanced solitaire rules. Available directly from Minden.
TALLY HO! (Vol. 5)
Combines all the planes and campaign games included in Battle over the Pacific,
Faith, Hope & Charity, and Flying Tigers in a single book, with advanced solitaire
rules, and several additional aircraft counters included. (If you own Tally Ho!, you
do not need to buy vols. 2-4.) Available from Amazon, or directly from Minden.
BATTLE OVER EUROPE (Vol. 6)
Winter War (1940), Battle of France (1940), and Operation Barbarossa (1941-
42) Campaign Games. Finnish, Russian, German, French aircraft. Available from
Amazon, or directly from Minden.
BOMBER COMMAND
Module adding bombers from various nations to the system, and includes game
components (Dogfight Display, Reference Card, Bomber Command counters (32),
and Battle over Britain counters (32)), but no rules. Ideal for those ordering Vol. 1
via Amazon and desiring separate components. Available directly from Minden.
3636

ADDITIONAL AIRPLANE COUNTERS
INCLUDED IN THIS EDITION
Additional airplane counters have been provided for the following aircraft:
British: Spitfire VC, Hurricane IIB, Fairey Swordfish, Bristol Blenheim IV; Ger-
man: Me-109G, Fw-190A, Heinkel He-111. See page 23 for aircraft descriptions.
You may use these planes in design-your-own games in scenarios occurring
after the Battle of Britain, through 1942.
SPECIAL RULES FOR THE ADDITIONAL PLANES

Heavy 20mm Cannon Bonus: Airplanes having four or more 20mm cannons
use the 20mm Cannon Bonus (page 13), except if a 1 or 2 is rolled when resolving a
Critical Hit Table attack roll by that plane, the target is automatically destroyed
(ignore the usual results of these rolls). Example: FW-190 has resolution # of 5
and rolls a 3, modified +1 to 4 on the FCT. Its target gets 5 hits, and a roll on the
Critical Hit Table must be made. On a roll of 1, 2, or 6, the target will be destroyed.
The Heavy 20mm Cannon Bonus only applies to the FW-190A (which has four
20mm cannons firing forward) in this particular game.
30mm Cannon: Allow one 30mm cannon to receive the same benefit as two
20mm cannon, as far as the 20mm Cannon Bonus is concerned. The Me-109G
(with one 30mm cannon) therefore qualifies for the 20mm Cannon Bonus.
Swordfish at Low Altitude: If a Swordfish is at disadvantage while at altitude
Diamonds, any enemy firing on it suffers a -2 drm penalty to its FCT roll. This does
not affect the Swordfish’s fire. In addition, a Swordfish at altitude Spades may not
fire (at all). You may apply this rule to any plane with a maximum speed lower
than 200 mph.
Slow Speed Option: In any game involving a plane with a starting hand capac-
ity of 2, the side with that plane may invoke the Slow Speed Option for the game.
Procedure: If invoked, both planes have their hand capacity increased by one for
the game. Example: A Swordfish is flying against a Ju-87. The Swordfish invokes
the Slow Speed Option, and so plays with a hand capacity of 3, and the Stuka will
play with a hand capacity of 4. This option applies to continuation games as well.
Multi-crew Bombers: The game system was designed for fighter dogfights.
Bombers (e.g. Blenheim & He-111) may be introduced into the game, as long as
one side has a fighter involved. These bombers may not fire (in any way) when at
altitude Spades; they never run out of ammunition. Otherwise, no special rules ap-
ply to games involving them.
Additional Plane Ratings

British HC A FM P D German HC A FM P D
Spitfire VC 5 5 +1* 5 9 Me-109G 6 5 0* 5 9
Hurricane IIB 4 4 +1 4 10 FW-190A 6 5 +1** 5 10
Swordfish 2 2 -2/-2 1 11 He-111 3 2 -1/-2 1 14
Blenheim IV 3 2 -2/-1 2 12
* = qualifies for 20mm Cannon Bonus
** = qualifies for Heavy 20mm Cannon Bonus
# before slash is regular fire drm.; # after slash is Rear Fire drm
Modified FCT roll 6+ is treated as 6
3737

HISTORICAL & GAME NOTES
Much has been written about the Battle of Britain and its history. The
story of the air war over England in the summer of 1940 is readily acces-
sible, and no attempt to describe the specific events occurring during the
campaign will be provided here. Instead, some general historical and
game notes may be touched upon, with the aim of increasing your enjoy-
ment of Battle over Britain.
When one looks at the main fighter aircraft involved on both sides, it
is not apparent who had the material advantage. In single dogfights, a lot
depended on the individual match up, and the same holds true in the
game. Simply surviving an encounter against a superior plane can be
seen as a victory of sorts. Speed (hand size) and performance (P-rating)
are key indicators of a plane’s relative worth, though agility, fire, and
durability also play important roles. Different planes most definitely
need to be handled differently if you are to fly successfully.
The most important aspect of successful play will come down to the
skill of individual pilots. No one is guaranteed a good hand in the game
(or in life), but playing whatever hand you are dealt with boldness and
wise tactics will go a long way towards success.
Adolph “Sailor” Malan, a South African, was leader of 74 Squadron
during the Battle of Britain, flying a Spitfire I. He was an aggressive
pilot, and excelled in aerial tactics. He wrote his Ten Rules for Air Fight-
ing, a short but effective primer for air combat that became widely known
among RAF pilots. We could do no better than to reproduce his observa-
tions here. They were penned while flying a Spitfire, but are highly rele-
vant to anyone who took to the air in a fighter.
1. Wait until you see the whites of his eyes. Fire short bursts of one
to two seconds only when your sights are definitely “ON”.
2. Whilst shooting think of nothing else, brace your whole body: have
both hands on the stick: concentrate on your ring sight.
3. Always keep a sharp lookout. “Keep your finger out”.
4. Height gives you the initiative.
5. Always turn and face the attack.
6. Make your decisions promptly. It is better to act quickly even
though your tactics are not the best.
7. Never fly straight and level for more than 30 seconds in the com-
bat area.
8. When diving to attack always leave a proportion of your formation
above to act as a top guard.
9. INITIATIVE, AGGRESSION, AIR DISCIPLINE, and TEAMWORK
are words than MEAN something in Air Fighting.
3838

10. Go in quickly -- Punch hard -- Get out!
Quoted from Martin Robson, The Spitfire Pocket Manual
(Conway, 2010)
While one should not conflate a card game such
as Battle over Britain with actual air combat tactics,
you will find that some of Malan’s advice can be put
to good use on the game table. Part of your fun might
be evaluating his tips to see how they might be util-
ized during play.
Malan
Some of the tips are more relevant to playing well
than others, but several should give table top pilots pause to think.
While number four is obvious in its game application, others may be
seen to express sound game principles as well. Thus, in game terms, #7
might be expressed, “Keep your opponent guessing; vary your card play
and don’t fall into a predictable rut”. Number 1 might suggest some-
thing like, “A single burst at resolution 9 or 10 is worth several at low
resolution range”. Numbers 5 and 9 tell us that aggressiveness is usu-
ally the best policy; many times, in warfare -- and in life -- fortune favors
the bold. How might these apply to game tactics such as Head On fire?
Tip #10 pretty much sums up your goal when playing; your hand will
often dictate if discretion or valor ought to be pursued in a particular
contest. An excellent pilot (especially an ace) is perhaps your best
weapon, since there is no substitute for sound card play and good strat-
egy. You cannot dictate what cards you are dealt, but remember that
good tactics and a bit of timely luck can enable a weaker airplane to
dispatch a stronger one.
“Go in quickly -- Punch hard -- Get out!” Timely words indeed as
you strive to fly your table top fighter to victory.
All the best in your table top aerial exploits.
Gary Graber
39
39

NOTES
CREDITS
Designer: Gary Graber
Publisher: Minden Games
Printed by CreateSpace, an Amazon Company.
40
40

WARGAMES AVAILABLE FROM MINDEN GAMES
Dozens of land, naval, air, WW1, WW2, ACW, and ancient titles
are available from Minden Games, including many in PDF format.
Check out the Minden website for full details.
Battle of the River Plate NavTac: Coronel & Falklands Pz Digest Conv. Special
Tally Ho! Battle of the Somme Battleship Captain
Combat Leader: Sourcebook Assault at Cold Harbor Combat Leader: Solitaire
Battle over Britain
Tactical Air Combat Game,
RAF vs Luftwaffe, 1940
Second Edition
Minden Games Gary Graber

Bringing history to your table top.

Battle over Britain Fire Combat Table
Roll
Res #
1 2 3 4 5 6
10 7 8 9 10* 11* 12
9 6 7 8 9* 10* 11
8 5 6 7 8* 9* 10
7 4 5 6 7* 8* 9
6 3 4 5 6* 7* 8
5 2 3 4 5* 6 7
4 1 2 3 4* 5 6
3 0 1 2 3* 4 5
2 0 0 1 2* 3 4
1 0 0 0 1* 2 3
# = Number of hits target receives; Modified rolls lower than 1 cause 0 hits
* = roll on Critical Hit Table
Altitude (high to low): Spades, Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds
Critical Hit Table

Roll Result
1 Cable damage (Agility rating reduced by one)
2 Gun damage (Fire Modifier reduced by one)
3 Electrical damage (Performance rating reduced by one)
4 Hydraulics damage (Durability rating reduced by one)
5 Engine damage (Hand Capacity reduced by one)
6 Target destroyed*
Effects are cumulative * roll again for cause: 1-2= pilot killed, 3-6 = explosion
Reference Card For use with any game in the Battle over Britain game series.
1

Battle Over Britain 2nd Ed.

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Battle over Britain

Tactical Air Combat Game,

Battle over Britain, 2nd ed.

Minden Games Gary Graber

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Key to Plane Ratings

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WHAT’S NEW IN THE SECOND EDITION

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XI. YANKING THE STICK

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Battle over Britain Plane Ratings

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Ace Smith/Müller Baker/Lange MacGregor/Zahn Parker/Vogts

2 Campbell/Bucer Williams/Moser Sanders/Steury Flint/Breyer

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4 Roe/Heinrich Green/Vogler Arden/Schultz Jones/Voormann

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6 Bell/Buchholz Phillips/Beitzen Howard/Lenk Gordon/Steiner

7 Marks/Weiss Ellis/Haufbauer Langston/Meyer Pierce/Winteregg

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9 Gerrard/Kury Scott/Baumann Spencer/Witt McCullough/Goll

10 Kyle/Lehmann Hill/Abnutz Sandys/Kohl Davis/Halder

Jack Walker/Collet Walters/Schmidt Latimer/Hausser Innes/Reichenau

Queen Lynch/Schall Johnson/Klein Miller/Otto Tozer/Scheer

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3 +1 to P-rating — -1 H.O. drm a

5 -1 to P-rating — +1 H.O. drm g

8 +1 to P-rating — -1 H.O. drm —

Jack — — +2 H.O. drm a

King -1 to P-rating — +1 H.O. drm d

XVI. ROLEPLAY OPTION

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continued from page 18

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Hawker Hurricane IIB

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