Ace of Aces - Powerhouse Series
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Pairs well with
Picture-book game, no board. Ace of Aces uses a picture-book system: no board, no miniatures, no map. The entire duel unfolds by flipping through two illustrated books. In the box: 2 full-color booklets, rulebook, drawer-style case, tokens, and bookmarks.
FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Flipping through pages as you try to line up your opponent. Watching him do the same. Realizing too late that he's got you in his sights. And hearing the bullets whistle by.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
WWI Aerial Duels without dice, miniatures, or a game board
Ace of Aces: Powerhouse Series is a pocket wargame designed by Alfred Leonardi and first released in 1981. Unlike the Handy Rotary set, which has been reprinted multiple times over the years, the Powerhouse only had one print run—until now. Mr. B Games, in collaboration with Nova Game Designs, is bringing it back to life in a Deluxe full-color edition, with re-illustrated artwork by Sean Brown and Jerry Redding. Set in the skies of 1918, it stages a duel between the German ace Georg von Hantelmann's Fokker DVII and the American Eddie Rickenbacker's SPAD XIII.
Each player has their own booklet and secretly chooses a maneuver. You then flip to the corresponding pages together: the illustration shows what your pilot sees from the cockpit. Is the enemy in front? To the side? Has he got you locked on? Mark damage with tokens, then choose your next maneuver. No dice, no board: just timing, positioning, and the ability to think like a fighter pilot. Twelve hits and your plane goes down.
Why this edition is special
A picture-book system that encapsulates tactical tension within two booklets. No dice, no luck: just you, your opponent, and reading their intentions.
— FroGames
The Deluxe edition redoes everything in color, enlarges the books and maneuver matrix, adds tokens, and includes a drawer-style case. The same legendary game, finally given the treatment it deserves.
— FroGames
Ace of Aces: Powerhouse Series
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsWhat's in the box
Two full-color booklets, a case, one hundred duels
Two full-color booklets
The two pilots' points of view: Fokker DVII (von Hantelmann) and SPAD XIII (Rickenbacker). Larger format than the original, more readable maneuver matrix, clearer damage indicators.
Drawer-style case
The two booklets plus the rulebook inside a rigid slipcase. An extra drawer holds dice and tokens: everything in a compact block for your shelf or travel.
Damage, ammo, and ace tokens
No more paper and pencil: dedicated tokens to keep track of damage, ammo, and kills. More order on the table, zero erasures.
Combat bookmarks
Useful ribbon bookmarks for when you're tracking more than one aircraft. Also includes data for other WWI fighters compatible with the Powerhouse booklets.
When you close the booklet, you already know if you want a rematch. It always happens with Ace of Aces.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Duel opening
Choose your fighters, take your color booklets. A brief look at the stats: the Fokker climbs better, the SPAD is faster in a dive. Decide your opening maneuver without looking at your opponent. Flip through together. The illustration shows your relative positions: the duel begins.
First exchange of fire
Someone's on the other's tail. Shots fired, you place the first damage token. Your opponent tries to turn, you try to stay glued. Each page reveals if you are predator or prey. Ammunition is limited: wasting a burst now can cost you the victory later.
Desperate maneuver
You're losing altitude, you've taken damage. You attempt a tight turn to get out of the crosshairs. Flip through: you managed to escape, but now the enemy is to your side. Do you reposition or try a counterattack? Tension rises. Another damage token is added to your plane.
The decisive moment
Someone executes the perfect maneuver. The illustration confirms it: full target, close range, lethal burst. Damage tokens accumulate. The other pilot knows the next hit could be the last. They choose: press on or retreat?
Free fall
Twelve damage: the plane is crashing. The winner closes the booklet and marks the victory. Twenty minutes, an intense duel. Immediately, the demand for a rematch begins, perhaps swapping fighters. The table fills with chatter about what would have happened if...
How to play
The flow of each turn
A round lasts as long as it takes to turn a page. But the choice of maneuver can decide everything.
Both players secretly choose a maneuver from the available options (turn, climb, dive, accelerate, etc.). The choice depends on the current position and what you think your opponent will do.
Announce your chosen maneuvers together. Flip your booklets to the page corresponding to the intersection of the two actions. The illustration shows the new relative position: who is in the crosshairs, who is to the side, who is out of range.
If someone has their opponent in their sights, they can fire (if they have ammo). Add damage tokens to the hit plane. Check altitude, speed, and plane status: twelve damage and the fighter is shot down.
Start from the new position and repeat: simultaneous choice, flip, fire. Until victory or retreat.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make the difference
Picture-book system
No board, no miniatures, no dice. Just two illustrated booklets that simulate the cockpit's point of view. Each page is a frame of the duel: you see what your pilot sees, in real time. Revolutionary in 1981, still elegant today.
Pure simultaneous actions
No one plays in turns. You choose together, reveal together, flip together. Timing is everything: you have to anticipate the enemy's maneuver, not react after seeing it. It's bluff, reading your opponent, pure psychology.
Historical asymmetry
The Fokker DVII and the SPAD XIII have different characteristics: one climbs better, the other accelerates in a dive. It's not a balanced duel, it's a realistic duel. You have to play your plane to its strengths, not seek equality.
Powerhouse Maneuvers
This set introduces a different repertoire of maneuvers compared to the Handy Rotary books (the base set with less powerful biplanes). More powerful engines, more aggressive maneuvers: 1918 fighters battle differently from 1917 Sopwith Camels.
Zero randomness
No dice, no drawn cards. Every outcome depends on your choices. If you lose, it's because your opponent read you better. If you win, it's because you understood how they think. Chance doesn't exist: only skill and anticipation.
Redesigned Deluxe Edition
Mr. B Games and Nova Game Designs have redone everything: fully colored artwork, larger books with more readable maneuver matrix, damage and ammunition tokens, bookmarks, and a sturdy hard case with a drawer — compact to take anywhere. Maneuvers and page numbers remain identical: full compatibility with old books.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
An aerial duel ends when someone is no longer flying. Or when they decide to retreat before crashing.
Victory
- Shoot down your opponent: bring their damage points to twelve with well-placed bursts
- Force a retreat: severely damage the enemy plane until they prefer to flee
- Dominate the duel: maintain control of the crosshairs for enough turns to deplete enemy ammunition without taking fatal hits
Defeat
- Twelve damage: your plane can no longer withstand hits and crashes
- Forced retreat: you are too damaged to continue, you must exit the duel
- Ammunition exhausted without results: you have fired everything, the opponent is still flying, you can no longer inflict damage
Ace of Aces: Powerhouse Series is the only aerial wargame you play without a board, without setup, without luck. Just you, your opponent, and a hundred decisions per second — now in a Deluxe color edition.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ on Ace of Aces: Powerhouse Series
What has changed compared to the classic 1981 edition?
Quite a lot, but only in form. This Deluxe edition from Mr. B Games and Nova Game Designs redoes the artwork entirely in color, enlarges the books (so page numbers, icons, and maneuver matrix are more readable), adds damage and ammunition tokens, bookmarks, and a sturdy hard case with a drawer. The game is the same: the maneuvers and page numbers are identical to the original, so it is fully compatible with old books. The only modification to the basic rules is the doubling of damage and health points to eliminate fractional damage; advanced rules have been simplified.
Is it compatible with other Ace of Aces sets?
Yes. The Powerhouse booklets use a different repertoire of maneuvers compared to Handy Rotary (Sopwith Camel vs Albatros), and this is precisely what makes cross-set play interesting. The cleanest experience remains Powerhouse vs Powerhouse or Handy vs Handy, but the game provides statistics for several other WWI fighters usable with these booklets.
Can I play even if I know nothing about historical aviation?
Absolutely. The picture-book system is immediate: you see the illustration, you understand the position, you choose the next maneuver. You don't need to know what an Immelmann or a barrel roll is: maneuvers have understandable names (climb, turn, dive) and the effect is visual. The learning curve is gentle, but the game remains deep.
How long does a game actually last?
Between 15 and 25 minutes for a complete duel. The first games are slower because you need to get used to flipping through the booklets and understanding the positions. After a few duels, the pace accelerates: choice-flip-fire becomes fluid. It's a perfect game for short sessions or quick tournaments.
Is Powerhouse or Handy Rotary better as a first set?
It depends on taste. Handy Rotary (Sopwith Camel vs Albatros) is slightly more iconic and classic. Powerhouse (Fokker DVII vs SPAD XIII) offers more powerful fighters and more aggressive maneuvers, but the system is the same. If you love American aces (Rickenbacker) or 1918 German fighters, Powerhouse is perfect. Otherwise, both work great as an introduction.
Is this edition in Italian?
No, this edition is in English. The texts are minimal: names of maneuvers, aircraft statistics, references in the booklets. The gameplay is almost language-independent because it relies on illustrations. With a basic knowledge of English, you can play without problems. The rules are clear and brief.
Ace of Aces: Powerhouse Series is a pocket wargame for 2 players, lasting 20 minutes, recommended age 12+. Designed by Alfred Leonardi and originally published in 1981, it returns now in a Deluxe full-color edition thanks to Mr. B Games and Nova Game Designs, with artwork by Sean Brown and Jerry Redding. It simulates WWI aerial duels (Fokker DVII vs SPAD XIII) through a revolutionary picture-book system: no board, no dice, just simultaneous actions and cockpit illustrations. The new edition adds damage and ammunition tokens, bookmarks, and a sturdy hard case with a drawer, maintaining maneuver and page numbers compatible with the original books. The Powerhouse set introduces different maneuvers compared to the Handy Rotary, offering asymmetric duels between the most powerful fighters of 1918. Compatible with statistics for other WWI aircraft. Available on FroGames.it.
Ace of Aces - Powerhouse Series
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