Tank Aces Design Notes

Tank Aces

Tank Aces Design Notes
with Andrew Haught

Tank Aces was a fun project to take on. The Aces campaign systems are escalation campaigns in which players start with a small force of 500 points. Through the course of the campaign, a player’s force will grow to 700, then finally 900 points in the end: the start of a proper Flames Of War tank force! Two other Aces campaigns are currently available: Infantry Aces focuses on the footsloggers fighting in Cassino and Raiding Aces covers the daring battles of the Special Forces fighting in the Libyan Desert.

Tank Aces, of course, is all about tanks!

Learn more about Infantry Aces here...
Learn more about Raiding Aces here...

Tank Aces
The first thing I wanted to try with Tank Aces was to change up some of the games rules to make Tank Aces have a more individual tank feel to it—so that you felt like you were commanding a single tank in the battle. From there the game would evolve back into the normal tank fighting formation near the end of the campaign. Along the way your Tank Ace becomes a more lethal machine as he gains special skills to overcome the enemy Ace.
Tank Aces Design Notes
First, I had to start this project with history to set the stage, before building up a believable story arc for the campaign. Mike and I talked it over and he suggested we focus on the Battle of Arracourt. It was an interesting battle that could have ended the Allied spearhead and forced a different turn of events and perhaps ended the war. If the soldiers of 111th Panzer Brigade hadn’t got lost during the night, the battle could have ended in disaster for the Allies. The morning did nothing to remedy the situation when a dense fog filled the battlefield making it even harder for the Panther tanks to use their superior weapons at range. This changed the battlefield and gave the Americans the edge they needed. What emerged was one of the biggest tank battles in history.
Tank Aces Design Notes
In this is the Ace Campaign you find yourself deciding which side will you take on? Will you fight for the Allies, facing the odds and using every advantage you can to take down the Panther horde? Or will you fight with the superior tanks and equipment of the Germans, where even the elements seem to be at odds with you?
Tank Aces Design Notes
The Tank Aces game itself keeps in step with the other Aces Campaigns, in a lot of the basic ideas. In the Aces systems you have a hero that is you. You have been given a command and this is your time to shine. Now you have been given a tank company. Tank Aces is a fast-paced system. You will play many quick games, since you have a few models. This means that each victory matters when advancing your Ace through the campaign.
Tank Aces Design Notes
You create your Ace in much the same way as in the previous Aces campaigns. You have a new set of abilities to choose from and you have a tree that will allow your ace to achieve an awesome Ace of Ace ability. The campaign is split up much the same following the Ace format with three campaign turns and a mega battle, all of which fit into the theme of Tank Aces.
Tank Aces Design Notes
I hope you will enjoy its latest installment in the Aces campaign series as much as I do. It was a lot of fun to write and see it progress from the playtesting stage to the print. I think you will agree is an excellent excuse to dust off some of your old tanks or assemble new ones. You will be a part of the epic struggle to see which tank company is really the best when you strip it down and press metal to metal!

~ Andrew.
Tank Aces Design Notes
If you want to try Tank Aces for yourself, find out more here...