Game: Flying Circus

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skaro — 2008-06-24T18:13:14+00:00

counter sheet

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WatchmanX2000 — 2008-02-07T15:11:37+00:00

Flat box Cover

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The Maverick — 2006-06-02T05:20:59+00:00

Mapsheet (larger image)

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The Maverick — 2006-06-02T04:36:13+00:00

SPAD XIII card

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The Maverick — 2006-06-02T04:36:08+00:00

Fokker Dr I card

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The Maverick — 2006-06-02T04:33:46+00:00

Counter storage in white box

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The Maverick — 2006-06-02T04:33:37+00:00

Components in white box

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The Maverick — 2006-06-02T04:20:30+00:00

Flat tray coversheet

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The Maverick — 2006-06-02T04:20:20+00:00

White box edition

Thread: Re: One question...

castiglione — 2005-11-02T20:20:09+00:00

Thanks all - I was looking at the cover and it was just bugging me that I couldn't identify the airplanes. Now I know why.

Initially, when I saw just a thumbie of the cover, I assumed they were Albatri but got really puzzled when I clicked on the image. I didn't realize it was a photo which was I was really surprised - I assumed it was an artist's drawing and I wondered why an artist would draw "fantasy" aircraft rather than the real thing.

Thread: Re: One question...

scribidinus — 2005-11-02T11:11:46+00:00

DH Tiger Moths were painted up for use in the movie, the Blue Max with George Peppard. George Peppard was painted up to resemble a German pilot. The aircraft did a better job in their roles but...

A number of WWI replicas were built for the movie, RE8, Pfalz D IIIs, SE 5s, Fokker D7 and DR-1. As I understand it the RE 8, the Pfalz and SE 5 replicas were built using Tiger Moth airframes. Nevertheless to flesh out the squadrons on both sides more economically, a number of Tiger Moths were just repainted.

With many photos of the real deal available, I always wondered why SPI chose the Pfalse aircraft for the cover.

Thread: Re: One question...

GROGnads — 2005-11-02T08:07:04+00:00

heh heh heh...funny you should 'ask' as those are 'de Havilland' ''Tiger Moths'' dolled UP to 'look' like GERMAN planes! Now, I'm talking 'bout the TOP & BOTTOM aircraft, while the middle one looks to be perhaps a 'Gloster' ''Bulldog''(?), or something along that line. Yep, they are NOT even 'from' the ''W.W.I.'' era, but more of post-War, or inter-War kinds.

Thread: One question...

castiglione — 2005-11-02T05:42:56+00:00

One question burns at the core of my soul...

...just WHAT is the model of German plane on the cover of the issue of S & T in which the game was published?

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tathui — 2004-04-09T21:42:39+00:00

Thread: User Review

The Maverick — 2003-07-24T18:55:48+00:00

Flying Circus, Tactical Aerial Combat, 1915-1918
SPI (1972, magazine edition $7.00)
Designed by James F. Dunnigan

Players: 2 to 6
Playing Time: 1 to 2 hours
Period: World War I
Scale: Tactical
. Turn: 10 seconds
. Map: 60 meters
. Unit: individual aircraft

MAGAZINE EDITION

Magazine: S&T issue 31 (March 1972) in mailing envelope.

Magazine Inserts: S&T book service insert, feedback response card, business reply envelope.

FLAT BOX EDITION

Box: SPI flat box with cover sheet, or SPI white box with wrap-around Flying Circus sticker.

BOTH EDITIONS

Components: 28x22" unmounted mapsheet, 200 die-cut counters, rules folder, sheet of 12 uncut German aircraft control cards, sheet of 24 uncut Allied aircraft control cards, 3/8" six-sided die (boxed editions only).

Counter Manifest: 6 different colored sets of 32 counters (22 aircraft numbered 1-22, 3 target acquisition, 3 speed, 2 ammo, 1 climb, and 1 trial), 8 blanks.

SPI says: "Plane to plane combat in the age of the 'knights of the air.' Movement and combat rules permit the re-creation of the 'dog-fighting' characteristic of the period. Famous aircraft included for use in the scenarios are: Fokker III, Dr I, D VIII, Albatross, Pfalz, Sopwith Camel, SPAD 13, Nieuport 11, SE 5A, and many others. Each aircraft type has its own customized control card used to keep track of its speed, ammunition, damage, and climbing. A 'streamlined' version of the rules is also provided to introduce players to tactical aerial simulation."

The contemporary reviewer says: "Although the title refers or seems to refer to larger numbers of aircraft, it is only possible to have three planes on each side . . . The rules contain a multitude of scenarios, including some that are open ended. A few are faulty as games. One Allied reconnaissance mission turned out to be an automatic victory for the Allied player. But most are true tests . . . Admittedly, it contains compromises, but it is still realistic, simple to operate, and challenging at the same time -- a rare combination." Martin Campion in Moves nr. 4.

Comments: This simple World War I game followed close on the heels of the Guidon edition of Fight in the Skies. Both games served as inspiration for Randall Reed when he designed Richthofen's War.

The Flying Circus game system was used as the basis for Dunnigan's World War II air combat game Spitfire (with a change in scale due to differences in aircraft performance.) The game system even carried over into Foxbat & Phantom which shows some faint echoes of the Flying Circus game mechanics.

Unfortunately, Flying Circus lacked the personality and depth to stand up to its contemporaries. Both Fight in the Skies and Richthofen's War featured a larger selection of aircraft, more historical background information, and counters with individual aircraft silhouettes. The generic Flying Circus counters (numbered for altitude) were functional but bland. And the Richthofen's War mapboard marked a step forward for air combat boardgames. It's no surprise that Flying Circus dropped off the radar not long after its release while the competing titles managed to live on for years and years.

Collector's Notes: Those looking for a copy to play should be happy with any of the editions as the components are all the same. Cover art fans will want the flat box edition with its dramatic depiction of triplanes over an Iron Cross background. Avid readers will want the magazine edition in order to have something to read while their opponents are pondering maneuvers. Collectors, of course, will want all three. Boone's Internet Wargames Catalog (3rd) lists low/high/average prices of $10/$40/$18.46 at auction and $8/$75/$31.27 for sale.