WW2 Air Force Commander

Last updated: January 11, 2026

Overview

WW2 Air Force Commander is a turn-based war strategy game released in 1993 by Impressions Games, serving as a direct follow-up to the original Air Force Commander (1992)¹². Set during World War II, the game allows players to choose between several historical scenarios, engaging in strategic aerial combat between the Allies and the Axis powers³. The game stands out as a turn-based wargame dedicated to a relatively uncommon subject for such games: leadership of almost exclusively air force operations⁴.

The game invites players to “Reach for the Sky with this Epic World War 2 Air Warfare Simulation,” offering a comprehensive strategic experience that includes managing resources, bases, pilots, and aircraft across 28 historic WWII scenarios⁵. Unlike the modern-day Middle Eastern setting of its predecessor, WW2 Air Force Commander focuses entirely on air combat during the Second World War, with gameplay beginning in 1940 during the German attack on Norway⁴. Players can choose to command either the Allied forces or Germany, experiencing the air war from both perspectives⁴.

Developed during a period when flight simulators and war strategy games were gaining popularity, WW2 Air Force Commander represented Impressions Games’ continued exploration of aerial warfare themes⁶. The game was released for both DOS and Amiga platforms, making it accessible to a broad range of PC gamers of the early 1990s¹⁷.

Game Info

Developer: Impressions Games¹ Designers: David Lester, Mark Saunders¹ Publisher: Impressions Games¹ Engine: Unknown Platforms: DOS, Amiga¹⁷ Release Year: 1993¹ Series: Air Force Commander Protagonist: Player-controlled Air Force Commander Sierra Lineage: Affiliated Studio

Story Summary

WW2 Air Force Commander places players in the role of an air force commander during World War II, tasked with leading aerial operations across various historical theaters of the conflict³. The game opens with scenarios set during the German attack on Norway in 1940, immediately thrusting players into the early stages of the European air war⁴.

The narrative framework encompasses the major aerial campaigns of World War II, allowing players to experience pivotal moments from the conflict³. Players must strategically engage in combat between the Allies and the Axis powers, recreating or altering historical outcomes through their tactical decisions¹. The game features both sides of the conflict, enabling players to take command as either the defending Allied forces or the aggressive German Luftwaffe⁴.

Throughout the various scenarios, players encounter the full spectrum of WWII air operations, from defensive missions protecting strategic assets to offensive bombing campaigns against enemy positions⁶. The game captures the tension and demands of wartime command, where every decision carries significant weight for the outcome of the conflict⁶.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

WW2 Air Force Commander utilizes a top-down perspective for its strategic gameplay, typical of war strategy games of the early 1990s⁸⁹. The game supports both keyboard and mouse input, with a Microsoft-compatible mouse recommended for optimal control⁵¹. The interface allows players to manage their air force assets, issue commands to squadrons, and monitor the strategic situation across the battlefield.

The game features a turn-based system that distinguishes it from real-time flight simulators of the era⁴. This approach allows players to carefully consider their strategic options without the pressure of real-time decision-making, making it accessible to strategy enthusiasts who prefer methodical gameplay over twitch reflexes.

Structure and Progression

The game offers 28 historic WWII scenarios that players can engage with, providing substantial variety in terms of strategic challenges and historical contexts⁵. Gameplay progression involves:

• Scenario Selection: Players choose from multiple historical scenarios representing different theaters and phases of the air war³
• Force Selection: The option to play as either the Allies or Axis powers⁴
• Resource Management: Managing bases, pilots, and aircraft throughout campaigns³
• Strategic Combat: Engaging enemy forces through tactical air operations³

Puzzles and Mechanics

As a war strategy game, WW2 Air Force Commander focuses on tactical decision-making rather than traditional puzzle-solving³. Core mechanics include:

Air Force Management: Players must carefully manage their resources, including bases, pilots, and various aircraft types such as bombers and fighters³⁴. Effective resource allocation is crucial to success in the game’s various scenarios.

Combat Operations: The gameplay encompasses a variety of mission types including fighter operations, bombing runs, escort missions, and dogfights⁶. Players must also manage practical concerns such as fuel and ammunition during operations⁶.

Strategic Decision-Making: The pacing of combat scenarios is described as relentless, with enemy fighters appearing without warning and flak filling the sky around bombing targets⁶. This creates tense situations that demand careful tactical planning and situational awareness⁶.

Two-Player Mode: The game supports up to two players, allowing for head-to-head strategic competition¹.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Contemporary reviews of WW2 Air Force Commander were mixed, reflecting the challenges faced by many of Impressions Games’ early titles. The original Air Force Commander, upon which WW2 Air Force Commander was built, received criticism for its “weak AI and cumbersome user interface that characterize most of Impressions’ early efforts,” leading one reviewer to describe it as “a marginal underdog at best”⁹.

The predecessor Air Force Commander was noted for having detailed and somewhat esoteric scenarios, though critics pointed out that “the speed of the game could not be slowed down,” a technical issue that required a patch distributed over electronic bulletin boards⁹. The overall assessment characterized the original as “an interesting effort with little potential for enduring play value”⁹.

Modern Assessment

Modern abandonware and retro gaming sites have provided more favorable retrospective assessments of WW2 Air Force Commander. The game is recognized as an interesting entry in the genre, particularly for fans of combat games and aerial warfare simulations⁸.

Free Game Empire notes that “if you are a big fan of combat games and wish to fight in the air, then this game is basically made a must try for you”⁸. The site positions the game as fitting “into a period when flight simulators were gaining complexity but still relied heavily on player imagination and straightforward mechanics”⁶.

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames: 3.7/5¹
• My Abandonware: 4.38/5¹⁰
• Play Old Games: 5.0/5⁴
• Free Game Empire: 4/5⁸

Development

Origins

WW2 Air Force Commander was developed as a direct follow-up to the original Air Force Commander, which was released in 1992¹⁹. While the original game focused on modern air combat scenarios in the Middle East⁹, the sequel shifted the setting to the more popular and commercially appealing World War II theater³.

Impressions Games, originally known as Impressions Software or Impression Software, was founded in 1989 with a focus on strategy and business games, including sport simulations⁸. The company would later be acquired by Sierra On-Line in 1995⁸, bringing the Air Force Commander series under the Sierra family umbrella.

Production

The development of WW2 Air Force Commander built upon the foundation established by the original Air Force Commander. The game engine used for Air Force Commander was later improved and utilized for other Impressions titles including Global Domination and When Two Worlds War⁹, indicating a shared technological heritage among these strategy games.

The Amiga version of the original Air Force Commander was developed by Golden Sector⁹¹¹, suggesting a similar collaborative approach may have been used for the WW2 sequel’s multi-platform release.

Development Credits:¹

• Designer: David Lester
• Designer: Mark Saunders

The original Air Force Commander also featured contributions from:

• Designer: Christopher Bamford¹¹
• Designer: Simon Bradbury¹¹
• Composer: Christopher J. Denman¹¹

Technical Achievements

WW2 Air Force Commander represented the continued evolution of Impressions Games’ strategy game engine. The top-down perspective allowed for clear visualization of strategic situations while the turn-based system enabled complex decision-making without real-time pressure⁴⁸.

The game’s 28 historic scenarios demonstrated ambitious scope for a strategy title of its era⁵, providing players with substantial content to explore across different phases and theaters of the air war.

Technical Specifications

DOS Version:⁵

• Minimum CPU: 286 or Better
• Recommended CPU: 386 or Better
• RAM: 640K
• Graphics: VGA
• Operating System: MS-DOS 3.0 or higher
• Storage: Hard Drive required
• Audio Support: AdLib, SoundBlaster
• Input: Microsoft-compatible mouse recommended
• Media: 3.5 inch High-Density Diskette

Amiga Version:⁷⁸

• Released alongside DOS version in 1993
• Platform-specific optimizations for Amiga hardware

File Sizes:

• DOS Archive: 451-452 KB⁶¹⁰
• Internet Archive Copy: 3.3 MB⁷

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	1993	DOS	Initial release1
1.0	1993	Amiga	Amiga platform release7
4.1	Unknown	DOS	Later version available on abandonware sites10

Technical Issues

The original Air Force Commander suffered from a notable speed issue where “the speed of the game could not be slowed down”⁹. This problem was significant enough that a patch was eventually distributed over electronic bulletin boards to address the issue⁹. It is likely that WW2 Air Force Commander may have inherited or addressed similar technical concerns.

Critics also noted that Impressions’ early efforts, including the Air Force Commander series, were characterized by “weak AI and cumbersome user interface”⁹, suggesting areas where the development team faced ongoing challenges.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• The game includes a 34-page User Manual providing historical context and gameplay instructions⁵
• WW2 Air Force Commander is sometimes listed under the alternate title “Air Force Commander: WW II”¹²
• The game represents Impressions’ second title focused on air force combat, following the original Air Force Commander⁴
• The original Air Force Commander’s manual included 43 pages of Middle East history¹¹

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

While specific sales figures for WW2 Air Force Commander are not available in historical records, the game contributed to Impressions Games’ portfolio during a formative period for the company. Impressions would go on to achieve greater commercial success with city-building games like Caesar and Pharaoh before their acquisition by Sierra On-Line in 1995⁸.

The Air Force Commander series demonstrated Impressions’ early ambitions in the strategy game market, though the company would ultimately find its greatest success in different sub-genres of strategy gaming.

Collections

WW2 Air Force Commander has been preserved as part of the MS-DOS Classic Games collection⁶, ensuring its availability for historical gaming enthusiasts and researchers. The game is playable through browser-based emulation on several abandonware and retro gaming sites⁴⁶.

Fan Projects

As an older strategy title with a relatively niche audience, WW2 Air Force Commander has not spawned significant fan remake projects. However, the game remains available through abandonware preservation efforts, with multiple sites hosting playable versions⁷¹⁰⁴.

Related Publications

• User Manual: 34-page manual included with the game, providing historical context and gameplay instructions⁵
• Original Air Force Commander Manual: 43 pages of Middle East history included with the predecessor game¹¹

Critical Perspective

WW2 Air Force Commander occupies an interesting niche in early 1990s strategy gaming. Released during a period when flight simulators were achieving new levels of sophistication through companies like Dynamix (whose founder Damon Slye noted that “Now when someone hears ‘Dynamix’ they immediately think ‘flight simulator’”¹³), Impressions took a different approach by focusing on turn-based strategic command rather than real-time flight action.

The game represents an earnest attempt to bring air warfare strategy to PC gamers, though it competed in a crowded market against more polished titles. While Impressions would eventually achieve their greatest acclaim with city-building games, the Air Force Commander series demonstrates the company’s early willingness to experiment with different strategy sub-genres.

The game’s historical significance lies primarily in documenting the evolution of Impressions Games as a studio and showcasing the diversity of strategy games available during the DOS era. For enthusiasts of military history and vintage gaming, WW2 Air Force Commander remains an accessible window into 1990s strategy game design philosophies.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores:

• Not currently available for digital purchase

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive - Browser-playable version⁷
• My Abandonware - DOS download¹⁰
• Free Game Empire - Game information and download⁸
• Play Old Games - Browser emulation⁴
• Classic Reload - Online play¹⁴

Series Continuity

WW2 Air Force Commander is the second entry in Impressions Games’ Air Force Commander series. While the original Air Force Commander (1992) focused on modern-day Middle Eastern conflict scenarios with detailed geopolitical situations⁹¹¹, the WW2 sequel shifted the setting to the more universally recognized World War II theater³.

The game engine technology developed for Air Force Commander was subsequently improved and utilized in other Impressions strategy titles including Global Domination and When Two Worlds War⁹, demonstrating how the series contributed to the studio’s broader technological development.

• Previous: 1992 - Air Force Commander

References

Footnotes

1. MobyGames – WW2 Air Force Commander – release dates, platforms, designers, publisher, ratings, technical specs ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴

2. Old Games – WW2 Air Force Commander – game description, release information ↩

3. LaunchBox Games Database – WW2 Air Force Commander – game description, publisher, ESRB rating ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

4. Play Old Games – WW2 Air Force Commander – gameplay details, historical context, developer info ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴

5. Amazon – WW2 Air Force Commander – system requirements, scenario count, manual details, marketing description ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

6. Classic Games – WW2 Air Force Commander – gameplay description, file size, content review ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

7. Internet Archive – WW2 Air Force Commander – platforms, release dates, file size, game description ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

8. Free Game Empire – WW2 Air Force Commander – developer history, platforms, game description, ratings ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

9. My Abandonware – Air Force Commander – user reviews, technical issues, patch information, engine details ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³

10. My Abandonware – WW2 Air Force Commander – version info, ratings, file size, download details ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

11. MobyGames – Air Force Commander – original game credits, manual details, developers ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

12. MobyGames Search – WW2 Air Force Commander – alternate title information ↩

13. Wikipedia – Dynamix – Computer Gaming World quote about flight simulators ↩

14. Classic Reload – WW2 Air Force Commander – online play availability ↩