The Ancient Art of War in the Skies

The Ancient Art of War in the Skies

Microprose · 2022 · Simulation, Strategy, Flight, Wargame, 2D

PC
Positive100% · 10
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About The Ancient Art of War in the Skies

Verdun, April 1916. The radio crackles alive as forward observers on the ground alert air commanders to enemy planes overhead. The balance of power in the skies continues to shift, back and forth between the allies and Germany. The battle for air superiority will continue until the United States enters the war and fills the skies with hundreds of aircraft.

This classic game will test both your strategic command and aerial combat skills. Plan your strategy, goals, and routes on the overhead tactical map, and then head into the cockpit for side-scrolling dogfights, squadron-to-squadron battles, and eagle-eye bombing runs

The game includes 20 historically accurate, and 34 fictional campaigns, providing hours and hours of gameplay. A detailed campaign editor lets you create even more campaigns, designing battlefields, assigning planes and pilots, defining the rules and even writing the campaign narrative.

The Ancient Art of War in the Skies is based on the writings of Sun Tzu, who wrote the military strategy and tactics masterpiece The Art of War. The game is a fantastic, early example of a blended strategy and action title. Will you destroy your enemies factories in order to gain numerical superiority? Destroy his capital city to force his surrender? Or wear his forces down in battle?

- Command in both fact-based and fictional scenarios
- Control British or German forces
- Manage plane factories
- Plan routes and battles
- Make bombing runs against factories and cities
- Take part in aerial battles and dogfights
- Fight against historical figures, including Lord Kitchener, Ferdinand Foch, Kaiser Wilhelm II, fictional enemy Helmut von Spike, and even Sun Tzu himself.
- Use the campaign editor to create your own scenarios

First published in 1992, The Ancient Art of War in the Skies was part of a series of games created by brothers Dave Murry and Barry Murry based on the writings of Sun Tzu.

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

Recommended Sep 26, 2025
The Ancient Art of War in the Skies, released by MicroProse in 1992, is a distinctive blend of strategic planning and arcade-style aerial combat set during World War I. Developed by Evryware and designed by the Murry brothers—Barry, Dave, and Dee Dee—the game draws inspiration from Sun Tzu's The Art of War, infusing its gameplay with principles of military strategy. This title stands out for its innovative approach, combining top-down strategic map navigation with side-scrolling dogfights and bombing runs, offering a multifaceted experience that was ahead of its time. The gameplay is divided into two primary modes: strategic planning and tactical combat. In the strategic phase, players manage their air forces, plan missions, and allocate resources on an overhead map. This involves setting objectives, determining flight paths, and deciding on targets, all while considering factors like enemy movements and weather conditions. Once a mission is underway, the game transitions to arcade-style sequences, where players engage in side-scrolling dogfights or execute bombing runs. These action segments, while simplistic by modern standards, add an engaging layer of interactivity to the stra…
5 found this helpful
Recommended Feb 8, 2022
PLEASE HAVE THIS GAME PART OF STEAM WORKSHOP!
3 found this helpful
Recommended Mar 17, 2023
Microprose <3
2 found this helpful
Recommended Feb 26, 2026
were there wars in the sky in ancient times? hmmmmmmm
1 found this helpful
Recommended Jan 21, 2024
An old gem!
Recommended Nov 27, 2022
What a great classic. It has a RT dynamic Campaign. There really isn't really any modern game that surpasses the mechanics in this game.

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