Red Baron II

Last updated: January 10, 2026

Overview

Red Baron II is a World War I combat flight simulation developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in December 1997¹. The game arrived seven years after the critically acclaimed original Red Baron, which had been voted the fourth best PC game in 1996 and won Computer Gaming World’s Simulation of the Year award in 1991². As the much-anticipated sequel, Red Baron II allowed players to take to the European skies in authentic WWI aircraft, engaging in spectacular aerial dogfights across the battlefields of Flanders, Marne, Verdun, and Alsace³.

The game offered three primary modes of play: instant action dogfights, single missions, and a comprehensive career mode spanning the entire war⁴. Players could enlist with the British Royal Flying Corps, French Aéronautique Militaire, German Luftstreitkräfte, or American Air Service, flying a wide variety of fighter craft—known historically as “scouts”—from both the Allied and Central Powers⁵. Featuring over 40 WWI vintage aircraft with 22 being directly flyable, the simulation emphasized historical authenticity with pseudo-realistic flight mechanics including weapon malfunction, flak, engine damage, and pilot injury¹.

Despite the long development period and tremendous anticipation, Red Baron II’s release was marred by significant technical issues that drew heavy criticism from players and reviewers alike⁶. Sierra was heavily criticized for releasing the game in what many considered an unfinished state, lacking 3D acceleration support and containing numerous bugs⁷. However, Dynamix spent the following year working on patches that would eventually transform the troubled release into Red Baron 3D, which many came to regard as the best World War I simulation of its era⁸.

Game Info

Developer: Dynamix¹ Designer: Doug Johnson, Brian Apgar, Eric Lanz¹ Publisher: Sierra On-Line¹ Engine: 3-Space⁹ Platforms: Microsoft Windows¹ Release Year: 1997 Series: Red Baron Protagonist: Player-created WWI pilot Sierra Lineage: Core Sierra

Story Summary

Red Baron II places players in the role of a young pilot entering the deadly aerial war over the Western Front during World War I. The game’s campaign mode follows the player’s career from enlistment through to the war’s end, with the dynamic war front changing based on the actions of both the player and their squadron⁵. Unlike modern jet combat simulations with their complex avionics, the game offered what reviewers described as “a realistic and romantic return to the era of biplanes and unadulterated dogfighting”¹⁰.

The narrative unfolds through the dynamic campaign system, which was praised for having “more atmosphere and less repetition than the dynamic campaigns found in recent jet sims”⁸. Players experience the war’s progression from March 1916 through the Armistice, with historically accurate squadron details and the appearance of new aircraft at appropriate moments in the timeline—for example, the iconic Fokker Dr.I triplane appears only when it did historically¹¹. The campaign generates missions dynamically, reflecting the actual ebb and flow of the war effort.

The immersion extended to personal consequences for the pilot. As one reviewer noted, “If you were injured from machine gun fire in the air, you’d have to weigh up your chances of landing and being captured against dying in the air”¹². The game featured detailed pilot injury modeling where wounds sustained in combat affected future performance, and being shot down over enemy territory meant capture rather than death. Players could earn medals from four countries—British, French, German, and American—as their career progressed³.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Red Baron II was designed as an accessible flight simulation that could introduce casual gamers to the genre while still satisfying veteran simulation enthusiasts¹¹. The game supported multiple input methods including keyboard, mouse, joystick, flight yoke, and gamepad³. However, reviewers were emphatic that “you absolutely have to use a joystick to play this game or you will get nowhere”¹¹. The game offered a slewable camera system with 360-degree rotation and zoom features, along with various targeting modes to track enemy aircraft¹⁰.

Structure and Progression

The game featured four distinct play modes⁴:

• Fly Now: Instant action dogfighting for immediate combat
• Single Mission: Individual combat scenarios with specific objectives
• Campaign Mode: Full career progression through the war years
• Multiplayer: Peer-to-peer online play supporting up to 100 players⁸

The campaign system tracked player progress through the entire World War I air combat period, with the ability to enlist in any of four air services⁶. Players could earn custom paint jobs for their aircraft upon reaching appropriate ranks¹¹. The dynamic mission generator created varied scenarios including dogfights, balloon busting, reconnaissance, and even zeppelin hunting².

Puzzles and Mechanics

Rather than puzzles, Red Baron II focused on combat mechanics and flight simulation. The game featured 22 flyable aircraft with unique flight models, each researched using historical specification sheets, pilot testimony, and WWI flight films¹¹. Plane modeling included detailed damage systems where individual components could be destroyed, and pilots could be killed without destroying the aircraft entirely¹².

The simulation included nearly a dozen customizable realism settings, allowing players to adjust difficulty to their skill level¹³. The ACE AI system governed enemy pilot behavior, creating varied and challenging opponents¹⁴. Ground fire, weather conditions, and mechanical failures all added to the simulation’s complexity.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Red Baron II received mixed reviews upon release, with critics acknowledging its ambitious scope while criticizing its rushed, bug-ridden state. GameSpot awarded the game 7.1/10, with reviewer Denny Atkin noting that “Red Baron II has a lot to offer, but its rushed shipment makes for a game that’s appealing only to those sim fans willing to deal with quirks and inconsistencies while awaiting patches”⁶. PC Gamer gave the game 59%, with Dan Bennett explaining that “when Sierra announced Red Baron II, lots of flight sim nuts were understandably excited. Unfortunately, lots of little problems—and a few big ones—drag the sim down”¹⁵.

GameCenter awarded 7/10, with Hugh Falk summarizing the situation as “The Baron is back…but buggy” while acknowledging that “visually, RBII is a huge improvement on the original; as would be expected after seven years”¹⁶. PC Zone UK was less impressed, giving only 60/100¹⁷. The French publication jeuxvideo.com scored it 15/20, praising it as “une bonne simulation de combat aérien, servie par une réalisation technique correcte, et une durée de vie excellente” (a good aerial combat simulation with correct technical achievement and excellent longevity)¹⁸. Computer Games Magazine gave a harsh 2/5 stars¹⁷.

In stark contrast, GameRevolution gave an enthusiastic A- rating, declaring “Red Baron II is the most immersive flight simulator I have ever laid my hands on” and suggesting it “just may be the crossover title to introduce the casual gamer to the wonderful world of simulations”¹¹. PC Gamer UK was highly critical, scoring it only 53% with Dean Evans stating that “Red Baron 2 hasn’t lived up to the exciting idea that Sierra have been spinning us” and noting that “in a straight fight with the superb Flying Corps, the Rowan game rattles holes in Sierra’s unstable fuselage”¹⁹.

Modern Assessment

The later Red Baron 3D update dramatically improved the game’s reputation. GameSpot’s updated review awarded an impressive 9/10, with Denny Atkin writing “Kudos to Sierra and Dynamix for taking a disappointing disaster and turning it into the best World War I simulation yet” and noting that “only MicroProse’s new European Air War comes close to Red Baron 3D in capturing the atmosphere of historical air combat”⁸. MyAbandonware describes it as “arguably the best WW1 flight sim ever made” with a user rating of 4.33/5²⁰.

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames: 7.7/10²¹
• GameRankings: 65%¹
• IMDB: 5.2/10²²
• GOG.com Users: 4.4/5¹²
• Amazon: 3.3/5 (for Red Baron 3D)⁸

The game received award nominations including “Best Sim Game” from CNET Gamecenter Awards in 1997 and “Simulation of the Year” from GameSpot Best & Worst Awards in 1998¹.

Development

Origins

Red Baron II was developed as the successor to the original Red Baron, which had established Dynamix’s reputation as a premier flight simulation developer. By 1994, Dynamix founder Damon Slye agreed with Computer Gaming World’s assessment that “Now when someone hears ‘Dynamix’ they immediately think ‘flight simulator’“²³. The original game had been released in 1990 and spawned an expansion called Red Baron: Mission Builder in 1992²⁴. A multiplayer version had also launched on the Sierra Network (later renamed ImagiNation Network) in 1992¹⁶.

The sequel was part of Sierra’s ACES series of historical wartime simulation products¹⁴. Development took “several long years of secretive development”¹⁹, building anticipation within the flight simulation community. Gamecenter noted that “although it took several years to get off the ground, Sierra and Dynamix’s Red Baron II was well worth the wait”—though this assessment came after the game had been patched¹⁰.

Production

The development team was directed by Tucker Hatfield with Graeme Bayless serving as producer¹. Doug Johnson, Brian Apgar, and Eric Lanz led the design work, with Brian Apgar also serving as primary programmer¹. Douglas Brashear was the primary artist¹. Steven Hill served as director and Neil Haldar as producer according to MobyGames credits²¹.

The developers invested heavily in historical accuracy, consulting original plane specification sheets, pilot testimony, and authentic WWI flight films to ensure accurate aircraft modeling¹¹. The game’s terrain was based on historical cartographic information of the northern French countryside¹⁴. The comprehensive manual reflected this dedication, containing over 100 pages of historical content covering WWI aviation history, flight tactics and maneuvers, military awards, and more²⁵.

Development Credits:¹²¹

• Director: Tucker Hatfield
• Producer: Graeme Bayless, Neil Haldar, Steven Hill
• Designers: Doug Johnson, Brian Apgar, Eric Lanz
• Primary Programmer: Brian Apgar
• Primary Artist: Douglas Brashear
• Music: Charles (Chuck) Barth²⁶

Technical Achievements

The game featured a dynamic mission generator and the proprietary ACE AI system for enemy pilot behavior¹⁴. Red Baron II represented a significant visual upgrade over its predecessor, utilizing the 3-Space engine⁹. The game covered a massive 40,000 square mile gameworld¹⁹ with high-resolution texture-mapped terrain¹⁴.

However, the initial release lacked 3D acceleration support, a significant omission for a late 1997 release⁶. The subsequent Red Baron 3D patch added support for 3Dfx graphics cards with resolutions up to 1024x768, enhanced fog, smoke, and cloud effects, and a dramatically improved multiplayer engine supporting up to 64-100 simultaneous players⁸²⁷.

Technical Specifications

Minimum Requirements:¹⁵²⁸

• OS: Windows 95
• Processor: Pentium 133 MHz
• RAM: 16 MB
• Hard Drive Space: 125-130 MB
• CD-ROM: 4X speed
• Graphics: SVGA, 640x480, 256 colors
• Sound: Windows 95 compatible sound card
• Input: Mouse

Recommended Requirements:¹⁵²⁸

• Processor: Pentium 200 MHz
• RAM: 32 MB
• Hard Drive Space: 213-250 MB
• CD-ROM: 8X speed
• Additional: Joystick, 28.8Kbps modem or network for multiplayer

Multiplayer Support:³

• LAN
• Internet (via World Opponent Network)
• Modem
• Serial connection

Cut Content

The initial release shipped without several features that had been promised or expected. Most notably, 3D acceleration support was absent despite being increasingly standard for flight simulations of the era⁶. Full multiplayer functionality was also limited at launch and required patches to bring to full capability⁷.

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	December 16, 1997	Windows	Initial release14
1.002	1998	Windows	Beta update patch29
1.05	1998	Windows	Patch with new flight model and fixes29
1.0.7.7	October 29, 1998	Windows	”Super Patch” converting to Red Baron 3D with 3D acceleration29
1.0.7.8	Later 1998	Windows	Server update with visibility fixes29

The version 1.0.7.7 “Super Patch” was transformative, adding 3D single and multiplayer capabilities and effectively converting the game into Red Baron 3D²⁹. This patch was available free to existing Red Baron II owners¹³.

Technical Issues

Red Baron II shipped with numerous bugs that significantly impacted the player experience. Known issues included¹¹:

• Flight models acknowledged as problematic by developers themselves
• Ground fire accuracy set excessively high
• Enemy AI difficulty settings sometimes ineffective
• Dead pilots mysteriously reappearing
• Kill board getting wiped clean unexpectedly
• Dates often recorded incorrectly in mission logs
• Keyboard rudder controls moving in 25% increments, making fine control difficult
• Virtual cockpit instruments garbled and hard to read³⁰
• Padlock view treating nearby enemy fighters and distant scouts with equal regard³⁰

The patch released in August 1998 addressed many of these issues, adding 20 lockdown views, six outside cameras, a flexible slewing mode, and fixing blind spots¹¹. IGN reported that “gamers have been requesting these features since the game was released late last year, and Sierra was heavily criticized for release Red Baron II in an unfinished state”⁷.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• Some retail copies of Red Baron II included a 75-cent coupon for Red Baron frozen pizza, with no expiration date. In 2014, a viewer used a 17-year-old coupon successfully, proving it still worked³¹¹.
• Dramatic pilot animations included catching fire and jumping from the cockpit screaming, as well as Red Cross trucks rescuing crashed pilots¹¹.
• The game allowed custom paint jobs upon reaching appropriate rank¹¹.
• The extensive game manual contained 156 pages of WWI aviation history with diagrams, photos, color illustrations of Allied and German planes, medals, and maps³².

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

While specific sales figures are not available, Red Baron II’s retail price at launch was $54.95{[}^{r}ef-14],laterdroppingtoanestimatedstreetpriceof$39.99 for Red Baron 3D²⁷. The game was distributed internationally, with releases in Germany, Sweden, and Russia over several years²⁰. Publisher 1C Company handled the Russian release in 2004²⁰²¹.

Collections

Red Baron II was included in several compilations and re-releases:

• Red Baron Pack – Available on GOG.com and Steam, including Red Baron 1, Red Baron: Mission Builder, and Red Baron 3D¹²
• Sierra’s ACES Series – Marketed as part of Sierra’s historical wartime simulation lineup¹⁴

Fan Projects

The Red Baron community developed extensive modding capabilities after fans cracked the game’s file structure. User “Sygrod” noted: “Way back, I was part of the Beta test team, and subsequently a key part of the SWIISA group, having cracked the file structure of several files, thus allowing for extensive modding”²⁰. Fan-made patches like XBaron were created for the original Red Baron to address performance issues on faster computers, adding frame rate limiters and improved joystick support³³.

A Kickstarter campaign for a Red Baron remake was launched in 2013 but failed to reach its funding goal⁴.

Related Publications

• Red Baron II Official Strategy Guide: Written for Prima Games, published February 1, 1998. 240 pages. Received criticism from reviewer M. Fazekas who called it “simply a repeat of the manual that comes with the game”³⁴
• Game Manual: 228 pages indexed, including 156 pages of WWI aviation history with diagrams, photographs, color illustrations of Allied and German planes, medals, and maps³²

Critical Perspective

Red Baron II represents a fascinating case study in game development and post-release support. The original Red Baron had established an extraordinarily high bar—winning Computer Gaming World’s Simulation of the Year in 1991 and being inducted into their Hall of Fame by 1993². The sequel faced impossible expectations after seven years of development.

The initial release was undeniably rushed, likely to meet the 1997 holiday season. As CD Mag’s Tom Chick lamented, “Sierra has come so maddeningly, frustratingly, agonizingly close to putting out a worthy successor to what may very well have been the best flight simulation ever”²⁸. However, the story of Red Baron II is ultimately one of redemption. AllGame’s Michael L. House noted that “Red Baron 3-D is a direct result of what can be accomplished when the developing company asks for and receives user feedback in a genuine effort to improve the product”¹³.

The game’s significance extends beyond its troubled launch. It preserved the accessible, romantic vision of WWI aerial combat that the original had established, while updating the technology for a new generation. Next Generation magazine captured this appeal perfectly: “If you’ve ever hankered to climb into an open cockpit and do battle with the early knights of the sky, this is your baby. All you need is a leather helmet, a pair of goggles, and a white silk scarf”¹.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• GOG.com – Red Baron Pack
• Steam – Red Baron Pack

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive – Red Baron 2
• Internet Archive – Red Baron 2 ISO
• MyAbandonware

Manuals & Extras

• Sierra Help – Red Baron II Manual (PDF, 3.60 MB)

Patches

• Sierra Help – Red Baron Series Updates

Series Continuity

Red Baron II is the third entry in Dynamix’s World War I flight simulation series, following the original Red Baron (1990) and Red Baron: Mission Builder (1992). The series was part of Dynamix’s broader “Great Warplanes” flight simulator lineup that helped establish the studio’s reputation in the simulation genre²³.

The game builds directly on the foundation of the original, maintaining its focus on accessible yet authentic WWI aerial combat while significantly upgrading the graphics and adding features like dynamic campaigns. The Red Baron 3D update in 1998 is sometimes considered a separate release and sometimes treated as a major patch to Red Baron II, as existing owners could upgrade for free¹³.

The series would later see Red Baron Arcade in 2008, developed by Stainless Games for Windows and PlayStation 3, which took a more action-oriented approach with 20 planes across 36 levels featuring zeppelins and battleships³⁵.

• Previous: 1992 - Red Baron - Mission Builder
• Next: 1998 - Red Baron 3D

References

Footnotes

1. Wikipedia – Red Baron II – release dates, development credits, ratings, awards, pizza coupon trivia ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴

2. MobyGames – Red Baron (1990) – original game awards, historical context ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. eBay Product Listing – aircraft count, medal systems, control methods ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

4. Games Nostalgia – Red Baron – game modes, Kickstarter information ↩ ↩² ↩³

5. Sierra Gamers – Red Baron 2 – campaign features, squadron dynamics ↩ ↩²

6. GameSpot – Red Baron II Review – review score, technical criticism ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

7. IGN – Sierra Fixes Plane Game – patch details, release criticism ↩ ↩² ↩³

8. GameSpot – Red Baron 3D Review – 3D version review, technical specs ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

9. Sierra Chest – Red Baron 2 – engine information ↩ ↩²

10. Gamecenter 1997 Awards (Archive.org) – award nomination, feature description ↩ ↩² ↩³

11. GameRevolution – Red Baron II Review – gameplay details, bugs, controls ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

12. GOG.com – Red Baron Pack – user reviews, injury mechanics ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

13. AllGame Review (Archive.org) – user feedback, accessibility ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

14. Dynamix Press Release (Archive.org) – official release details, features ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

15. PC Gamer US Review (Archive.org) – review score, system requirements ↩ ↩² ↩³

16. GameCenter Review (Archive.org) – contemporary review, multiplayer history ↩ ↩²

17. GameRankings (Archive.org) – aggregate scores, multiple review sources ↩ ↩²

18. jeuxvideo.com Review – French review, score ↩

19. PC Gamer UK Review (Archive.org) – UK review, game world size ↩ ↩² ↩³

20. MyAbandonware – Red Baron II – international releases, modding history ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

21. MobyGames – Red Baron II – credits, publisher info ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

22. IMDB – Red Baron II – user rating ↩

23. Sierra Fandom – Dynamix – company history, series context ↩ ↩²

24. MobyGames – Red Baron: Mission Builder – expansion details ↩

25. Reddit – Red Baron 2 Manual – manual content description ↩

26. Gaming Stack Exchange – Red Baron II Music – composer credit ↩

27. CD Mag – Red Baron 3D Announcement (Archive.org) – pricing, multiplayer capacity ↩ ↩²

28. CD Mag – Red Baron 2 Review (Archive.org) – system requirements, technical issues ↩ ↩² ↩³

29. Sierra Help – Red Baron Series Updates – patch version history ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

30. Old PC Gaming – Red Baron 2 Review – technical criticism, cockpit issues ↩ ↩²

31. Kotaku – Pizza Coupon Story – pizza coupon trivia ↩

32. Amazon – Red Baron Game Manual – manual specifications ↩ ↩²

33. VOGONS – Red Baron Technical Discussion – XBaron patch, fan support ↩

34. Amazon – Official Strategy Guide – strategy guide details ↩

35. MobyGames – Red Baron Arcade – later series entry ↩