Above the Trenches: The Fokker Scourge 1915-1917

Above The Trenches is a 2-player war game combining tactical, operational and strategic aspects of the Air War that occurred on the Western Front in the First World War. It covers the war from 1915 to 1917 between the German and British air forces during the period known as the ‘The Fokker Scourge’.

Technological innovations in the air war surged remarkably as a reaction to the critical role of reconnaissance in collecting data on enemy movements and positions.

Aircraft were developed specifically to stop enemy aircraft from achieving these goals. Initially, crews carried rifles, pistols, and other crude weapons to strike at the enemy. Machine guns were mounted, but the propeller hampered proper aiming.

Deflector plates were designed by the French pilot Roland Garros in April 1915 to keep bullets from hitting his propeller. He shot down enemy planes, forced them to land, and made a lasting impact on friend and foe alike. From this crude start, aircraft grew increasingly dangerous as the war progressed, driven by technological advances in weaponry, engines, materials, and aerodynamics. The evolution of fighter aircraft began.

This game mirrors the progressive improvements for the aircraft of the time. Increasingly effective aircraft (due to technological advances) prompt both sides to adjust their tactics and strategies to take advantage of these improvements. Each aircraft type introduced in the game uses eight values to reflect these ongoing improvements as players try to gain a technological leg up on their opponent.

—description from the designer