Night Witches

Night Witches thrusts players into the harrowing world of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, an all-female Soviet unit that flew harassment bombing missions against Nazi forces during World War II. Known as "Nachthexen" (Night Witches) by the Germans for their stealthy wooden biplanes and night attacks, these women faced impossible odds in obsolete aircraft—often flying multiple missions per night with minimal equipment.

Theme and Setting

The game explores both the terrifying night missions and the brutal daytime reality of discrimination, sabotage, and sexism from male comrades. Set across historically accurate targets throughout the Soviet Union, Poland, and Germany, players experience the arc of the war from desperate defense to final victory.

How Play Feels

The setting confronts themes of patriotism, sacrifice, gender discrimination, and the limits of human endurance. Night Witches is built on Vincent Baker's Apocalypse World engine but heavily modified to meet the unique demands of its historical setting.

What Makes It Distinct

The game uses the classic PbtA 2d6 resolution (6- miss, 7-9 partial success, 10+ full success) with custom moves that reflect wartime stress and interpersonal conflict. Day and Night Structure Play alternates between two distinct phases: Day: Focuses on renewal, interpersonal conflict, and dealing with base life—sexist officers, secret police paranoia, supply shortages, and squadmate relationships.

Where It May Not Fit

You want denser mechanical crunch or build complexity You want combat and action to drive most of the session.