Dogfight - 1917
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
You're at high altitude, the engine roaring, an enemy on your tail. You turn sharply, pray the dice are on your side, and discover that thirty minutes can last an eternity.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Aerial dogfights over the Western Front, where every turn could be your last
Designed by Sol Kong and illustrated by Stephane Arson and Julien Lepelletier, Dogfight: 1917 takes you to the skies of World War I. You are a pilot in one of history's most legendary air battles, where fighters were fragile, weapons imprecise, and survival depended on reflexes, intuition, and a bit of luck. Every duel is a personal, face-to-face clash with the enemy.
You play maneuver cards to move on a hexagonal grid, trying to position yourself behind your opponent. Basic attacks are free but only work if you target the enemy from behind: you must turn, anticipate, exploit the unique abilities of your aircraft and your pilot. A die decides if you hit or miss. The game ends when someone falls.
What they say abroad
Thirty minutes where every turn can change everything
— FroGames
Tactical positioning that rewards those who think two moves ahead
— FroGames
Dogfight: 1917
FrogScore · editorial rating FroGames · based on rules, international reviews and play sessionsThe elements of the duel
What you hold in your hand during combat
Maneuver cards
Each card shows a movement pattern on a hexagonal grid. You have few, so you must choose the right one to turn, ascend or descend, and position yourself behind the enemy.
Unique fighters
Each aircraft has special abilities: one is more agile, another more resilient, a third has better weapons. Your choice of fighter changes your combat style.
Pilot abilities
Pilots have activated skills that can turn a duel around: quick reloads, evasive maneuvers, critical hits. Using them at the right moment is the difference between victory and defeat.
Combat dice
Every attack is resolved with a die roll. Luck matters, but if you are in an optimal position, you get bonuses that increase your chances of hitting. The die rewards good positioning.
Recommended sleeves 90 cards in 1 size ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting your cards with clear sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 65 × 100 mm | 90 |
| Total cards | 90 |
In half an hour, you'll know if you were truly the best pilot of the evening. Or if you just got lucky with that last die roll.
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
A five-moment game
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Takeoff and first turns
Choose your plane and pilot, place the fighters on the grid. The first turns are for cautious positioning: study your opponent's maneuver cards, look for the right angle. Nobody wants to be the first to expose themselves. The engine hums, tension rises.
The first engagement
Someone attempts the first aggressive turn. The other must decide: evade or counterattack? The first die is rolled. If you hit, the opponent takes damage. If you miss, you are exposed. Now it's real war.
Dance of death
Both of you have taken hits. Maneuver cards are starting to run low, you must manage your hand carefully. Every turn is a risk calculation: do you attack or reposition? The other pilot is thinking the same thing. Whoever anticipates better wins.
The skill that changes everything
One of the two plays the pilot's special ability. An impossible maneuver, a critical hit, an extra burst. The table freezes. The die must roll. It does. The enemy plane loses pieces, black smoke billows. Now it's only a matter of time.
Shot down
The final blow lands. A fighter plummets towards the trenches below. The winner returns to base with a smoking engine. Check the remaining cards: you could have done better. Someone suggests a rematch. Change planes.
How to play
The flow of each round
Each turn is quick and brutal: move, shoot if you can, it ends.
Draw or choose a card from your hand and play it. The card shows a movement pattern on a hexagonal grid: follow that path and move your plane. The final position determines if you can attack.
If the enemy is in your frontal firing arc AND you are behind them (or in an advantageous position), you can attack for free. Roll the die: if you hit, you inflict damage. Some abilities modify the die or allow extra bursts.
Now it's your opponent's turn. They play their maneuver card, trying to get out of your firing arc or to position themselves behind you. If they succeed, you are exposed. The duel continues until someone accumulates too much damage.
During your turn, you can activate your pilot's special ability (if available) or exploit your fighter's unique characteristics. Maneuver card management is limited: you must plan two or three turns ahead to avoid getting stuck.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Critical positioning
You don't attack whenever you want: you attack when you are in the right spot. Basic attacks are free but only work if you are behind the enemy. This perfectly recreates the tactics of historical dogfights, where position was everything. You must think about the next move before playing the card.
Limited hand management
You have few maneuver cards and each shows a specific path. You cannot move freely: you must choose from the available options. This creates continuous tactical tension: you might not have the perfect card, you have to adapt. Every turn is a compromise.
Asymmetrical planes
Each fighter has different statistics and abilities. One is faster, another is more armored, a third has better weapons or can perform special maneuvers. The choice of plane at the beginning influences the entire game: you must play to your strengths and exploit the enemy's weaknesses.
Timed pilot abilities
Each pilot has a unique skill that can be activated once or twice per game. These are strong abilities: critical hits, impossible evasions, instant reloads. When to activate them is a crucial choice. Too early and you waste the opportunity, too late and you're already shot down.
Tactical, not random, die
Yes, you roll a die to attack. But the die rewards those who position themselves well: attacks from optimal positions have bonuses, abilities modify the result, some cards allow rerolls. Luck exists, but it's mitigated by your tactical choices. The winner isn't just the one who rolls better, but the one who creates the conditions to roll better.
30-minute games
A full game lasts exactly half an hour. There are no complex setup phases, no long downtimes. It's pure action: move, shoot, reposition. Perfect for playing two or three duels in a row, changing planes and pilots each time.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Victory is simple: shoot down your opponent before they shoot you down.
Victory
- Reduce your opponent's hit points to zero with repeated attacks
- Force the enemy into an impossible position where they can no longer defend themselves
- Exploit the unique abilities of your plane and pilot to deliver the final blow
Elimination
- Your hit points drop to zero: your fighter crashes
- You find yourself exposed with no useful maneuver cards to get out of the line of fire
- You waste pilot abilities at the wrong moments and lose your tactical advantage
Dogfight: 1917 is a tactical wargame that respects the player's intelligence: clear rules, fast games, decisions that matter. Every turn could be your last.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Dogfight: 1917
Is it really that tactical with games lasting only 30 minutes?
Yes. The short duration doesn't mean low depth. Every turn requires thinking two or three moves ahead: which maneuver card to play, when to activate the pilot's ability, how to anticipate the enemy's move. The weight 2 on BGG confirms it: immediate rules, but continuous tactical decisions. It's not a casual filler.
Does it play well with 2 players or do you need 4?
The base format is 1 vs 1, and that's where Dogfight: 1917 excels. Variants for 3-4 players exist, but the heart of the game is the pure duel. If you're looking for a tactical wargame for two, this is designed exactly for that. With four, it becomes more chaotic, less controllable.
How much luck is there? Do dice ruin the tactics?
Dice exist, but they don't dominate. Attacks are resolved with a roll, but the position you build turn by turn gives you bonuses to the die or abilities that modify the results. Those who position themselves better roll with an advantage. Luck exists, but it rewards those who create the right conditions. It's not pure Ameritrash.
Do each plane and pilot really play differently?
Yes. Each fighter has different statistics (speed, endurance, firepower) and unique abilities. Each pilot has a different special skill. Changing planes means changing tactics: one requires aggressive play, another defensive. Replayability comes from that: you try all the combinations until you find one that suits your style.
Is it available in Italian?
No, this edition is in English. Text on the cards is present (maneuver names, pilot abilities), but the symbols are clear and after the first game, language dependency is low. If you have some English proficiency, it's not an obstacle.
Dogfight: 1917 is a tactical wargame for 2-4 players set in the skies of World War I, designed by Sol Kong and published by Korea Boardgames. Games last 30 minutes and require tactical positioning on a hexagonal grid, limited maneuver card management, and strategic use of unique plane and pilot abilities. Suitable for ages 10 and up, the game combines grid movement, hand management, and dice rolling mechanics with a combat system that rewards players who anticipate their opponent's moves. Each WWI fighter has asymmetrical characteristics that change the tactical approach to the duel. Available on FroGames.it.
Dogfight - 1917
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