Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987

Red Storm: The Air War Over Central Germany, 1987 is the sequel to the acclaimed Downtown, a wargame that simulates a hypothetical air war scenario in Central Germany during May and June 1987. This standalone game uses the Downtown system to immerse players in an operational air battle where control of airspace and destruction of enemy targets are crucial. Both sides, NATO and the Warsaw Pact, feature state-of-the-art aircraft, long-range missiles, precision bombs, sophisticated electronic warfare systems, and dense air defense networks, including surface-to-air missiles and radar-guided artillery. The game features a vast array of aircraft from the United States, United Kingdom, West Germany, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, Soviet Union, and East Germany.

As the NATO player, you face numerical disadvantage but compensate with technological superiority and more experienced pilots. Your mission is to challenge Warsaw Pact air forces and hit ground targets on the front line and in the rear. As the Warsaw Pact player, your challenge is to use your numerous but less flexible forces to overwhelm NATO in the air and on the ground, while supporting advancing ground troops. Both sides need to manage their complex air defense networks, which include overlapping layers of SAMs and AAA.

Units represent flights of 1 to 4 aircraft, each with specific roles such as bombing, combat air patrol, escort, or jamming support. The game includes over 50 aircraft types, from '3rd Generation' workhorses like the F-4E Phantom II and MiG-23 Flogger, to advanced '4th Generation' fighters like the F-15 Eagle, Tornado, and MiG-29 Fulcrum. Ground units include troop concentrations, SAMs, and AAA. The SAM network is more numerous and dangerous than ever, with low-altitude SAMs like the Rapier and Chaparral, and medium/high-altitude SAMs like the Patriot and SA-12. Two 22” x 34” maps depict the rugged terrain of the NATO front, from the Rhine river to Thuringia, at a scale of approximately 2.5 nautical miles per hex. The front line moves as Warsaw Pact forces advance.

The game system requires detailed prior planning for both air and ground forces, including raid generation, route planning, and aircraft loadouts. Strategic placement of SAM, AAA, and radar units is crucial, considering terrain and weather. During the game, players alternate through phases of electronic warfare, enemy flight detection, movement, and combat. The heart of the game is the movement phase, with a chit-draw system that allows players to alternate moving one to five flights at a time. With over 20 scenarios, ranging from day and night operational missions to ground support operations and deep strikes behind enemy lines, Red Storm offers everything from quick afternoon games to campaigns that can last for days, including reconnaissance missions, airborne drops, helicopter assaults, special forces insertions, cruise missile strikes, and even nuclear weapon delivery.