Hello everyone,
We are now at a place in the development process where we can give you more regular updates on the project. Welcome to the first in a series of devlogs on the Bloody 100th. We aim to create frequent blogs over the coming months. The first devblogs will focus on broader elements of the experience and vision for the game, and as we get deeper into finalising each feature, we will walk you through the features of the game in more detail.
What Makes The Bloody 100th Different
We know many of you have fond memories of B-17 Flying Fortress Bombers in Action and B-17: The Mighty 8th. The Bloody 100th is not a remake; it’s a bold step forward, building on the Flying Fortress legacy while introducing modern design and technology.
Here’s a taste of what’s to come:
A Living Crew
Your crew aren’t just numbers on a sheet; each mission leaves its mark: a navigator grows more confident, a gunner might falter under fire, a wounded pilot returns slower, quieter, changed. Every success and every scar tells a story, and your leadership will decide not only who survives, but what kind of crew they become.
Persistent Health & Interactive Damage
Just like her crew, your fortress bears witness to the strain of combat. With our new interactive damage model, your B-17 is no longer just a backdrop, it’s a living part of the campaign. Hits spread through its systems, and you’ll see exactly what’s failing: leaking fuel, overheating engines, ruptured oxygen system.
You decide what to fix, what to shut down, and what to risk. The Fortress becomes your 11th crewmember, scarred, temperamental, vital, and keeping it alive is critical to bringing your men home.
Critical Events – Moments That Define the Mission
At 25,000 feet, no two missions ever play out the same. To capture the unpredictable chaos of WWII bomber operations, The Bloody 100th introduces Critical Events. These are cinematic moments where everything hangs in the balance.
A sudden flak burst may tear open the fuselage, forcing the crew to fight fires while oxygen leaks into the freezing sky. A cannon shell might strike the cockpit, leaving you scrambling to keep control with half the instruments gone. Or perhaps an enemy ace lines up a perfect attack run, and only your gunners’ steady hands will decide whether you fly on or fall from formation.
These events aren’t scripted cutscenes; they emerge from the game’s systems, influenced by your crew’s health, morale, and skill. The Dynamic Time System allows you to slow the moment down, assess the damage, and make the hard calls: who gets first aid, which engine to shut down, whether to press on or turn for home.
Critical Events are more than just spectacle. They’re the heartbeat of the experience, the moments you’ll remember long after the mission is over, when survival comes down to one decision, one pull of the trigger, or one desperate command to your crew.
Closing Thoughts
Flying 25 missions in a B-17 was one of the most dangerous jobs of WWII. Crews called it trench warfare in the sky - and it’s that mix of fear, courage, and camaraderie that we want to capture.
The Bloody 100th is about more than just flying a bomber. It’s about the stories forged in fire and flak, about survival against the odds, and about turning a vulnerable crew of rookies into legends of the Mighty 8th.
This journey has been ongoing for the team for some time already, and we are happy to be inviting you behind the scenes now.
What excites you most about the vision for The Bloody 100th?
What crew stories or mission moments would you most love to experience?
How do you see yourself playing: as a meticulous planner at the controls, a daring bombardier lining up the perfect shot, or a gunner holding steady under fire?
Your feedback and enthusiasm will help shape the game as it grows. We’ll be listening here on Steam, on our Discord, and yes, we’re planning to fire up the old B-17 x account as well, to keep the updates coming.
Clear skies,
- The B-17: The Bloody 100th Team
A New Mission: The Bloody 100th Board Game Edition
The B-17 story doesn’t just live on in the digital skies — it’s also coming to the tabletop.
We’re proud to announce B-17 Flying Fortress: The Bloody 100th Board Game Edition, a cooperative experience that lets you and your friends take command of a bomber crew during WWII’s most dangerous missions.
Just like the video game series, every decision matters. You’ll chart courses, man the guns, repair damage, and push through flak and fighters to deliver your payload. Work as a team, or risk watching your Fortress fall apart around you.
This board game brings the tension, camaraderie, and desperate heroism of the air war to life — with immersive scenarios, richly detailed crew roles, and a mission structure that will test your nerves from takeoff to landing.
The project is heading to Kickstarter, and we want you with us from the very beginning. Visit our brand-new “Notify Me” page to learn more and be first in line when the campaign goes live.
👉 link to the notify me KS page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/microprose/b-17-flying-fortress-the-bloody-100th-board-game