Tally-Ho!

Players: 1 player
Play time: 15–45 min
BGG rating: 8.0

Defending England during the Battle of Britain. Tally-Ho! is a book-based solitaire air war game that puts you into the role of a Sector Controller during the Battle of Britain in the Summer of 1940. You direct Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter squadrons as you struggle to protect England from attack by incoming raids by the Luftwaffe – and in one mission, by the Italians. There are too many raiders, however, and too few RAF aircraft, yet you have one major advantage – England’s “Chain Home” radar network. Fifteen individual missions are included in this book-based game. Each mission relates to one of the key aerial engagements of the Battle of Britain. Most missions can be completed in less than thirty minutes. This is not a simulation of air-to-air combat between individual fighter planes, nor is it intended to be a realistic depiction of the air war, but rather an entertaining educational tool that allows you to experience the story of the conflict through strategic decision-making set against a backdrop of the real history of the Battle of Britain – as if you were there. Tally-Ho! is designed for experienced and novice war gamers alike. It is quick and easy to play yet deeply challenging. Though dice do play a role, the outcome of each mission rests on your shoulders. Where you deploy your fighters, what orders you give, and what tactics you employ are the critical factors that determine the outcome of each mission. You decide which enemy squadrons to engage and how to prioritize each as you struggle with radio communications and the fog of war. Most of the time, you cannot stop the Luftwaffe. Bombs will fall. Airfields will be strafed. Convoys at sea will suffer. Your performance in each mission will affect the setup of subsequent missions by reducing or increasing the number of aircraft available to fly on each side. If you direct your squadrons skillfully, you might prevail and save England. The game is available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSP4MXM/ A boxed set of game assets is available through Blue Panther, which includes an add-on EXPANSION GAME called Operation Seelöwe, is at: https://www.bluepantherllc.com/products/tallyho —description from the publisher