Get ready to take command of a 'Flying Fortress'! In B-17: Queen of the Skies, you are the pilot of a US Eighth Air Force B-17F bomber, facing the perils of the European skies between 1942 and 1943. The objective is simple yet tense: cross sea and land, survive brutal attacks from German fighters and anti-aircraft flak, drop your bomb load on the target, and, if luck is on your side, return home safely.

The game operates as a tactical simulation where movement happens through zones. Forget pure luck; here, fate is decided by dice rolls cross-referenced with results tables. These tables determine whether enemy fighters appear, where they position their attack, and most critically, where the damage hits your aircraft and how severe it is. Everything from your formation position to the weather conditions is determined by this system of tables and dice.

While it is primarily a solitaire game — perfect for those who want to feel the pressure of commanding a mission alone —, it offers flexibility. A second player can take on the role of the German command, controlling the enemy fighters to make the mission even more challenging. If both players own a copy of the game, they can even fly together in the same formation, each with their own bomber, turning the experience into a coordinated operation. Despite being a wargame, the complexity is low, meaning that after a few games to get the hang of it, missions flow quickly, typically taking less than an hour.