World War II (WWII) has a stranglehold on the first-person shooter genre and even real-time strategy games have their fair share of this famous war as a backdrop. A new WWII-inspired game is on the move and no, it’s not a first-person shooter or a real-time strategy. Ground of Aces, developed by Blindflug Studios, is a base-builder strategy game with a heavy focus on the personal lives and stories of the characters you maintain and care for.

The game centers around a top-down view of an air base that players will need to develop and maintain. Theater Campaigns are a mode that provides a realistic glimpse into the war, bringing conflicts and obstacles threatening the air base inhabitants based on actual events, like the Battle of Britain. The campaign section accompanies the alternative free-build sandbox mode, a mode for a freer form play style. The “ligne claire” art style defines the game’s visual look, and the gameplay takes inspiration from similar games like Rimworld and Hearts of Iron IV.

Each base is unique and designed by the player. The airmen and base workers are just as unique and provide their personal stories to the mix. They all have personalities and when a life is lost in battle, it’s a major event. The aircrew will need planes to fly, and since the game is set in WWII, every plane unlocked in the campaign mode is accurate to the period and can be upgraded and customized. While these planes can be used for attack, the war goes both ways. Preparation for aerial bombings is a regular problem, and only the player can get everyone out alive.

To help get their game to the quality they are aiming for, they have opened a Kickstarter. Already nearly 200% funded, it is looking like players are sure to get the best version of this game possible! If you’re interested in Ground of Aces, it can be further supported on Kickstarter with a planned release in 2024 on PC via Steam.