Overview

Airborne in My Pocket is a solo or cooperative print-and-play wargame set during Operation Neptune on the night before D-Day (June 6, 1944). Players take the role of an Allied paratrooper who has been blown off course and landed near a German bunker containing two 24.0 cm guns positioned to bombard the Normandy beaches. Armed only with a Colt .45, the player must explore the area, find explosives at an ammo dump, and sabotage the bunker’s guns before they devastate incoming Allied troops.

Components

• Location tiles (representing different terrain and buildings)
• Event cards
• Player character token
• Equipment tokens
• German soldier tokens
• Rules and scenario booklet

Setup

1. Place the starting location tile.
2. Set the player character on the starting tile with the Colt .45.
3. Shuffle the location tiles face-down in a draw pile.
4. Shuffle the event deck.
5. Refer to the selected scenario for any additional setup instructions.

Turn Structure

Each turn consists of:

1. Exploration Phase: Place a new location tile adjacent to the player’s current position, expanding the map.
2. Event Phase: Draw and resolve an event card, which may trigger enemy encounters, discoveries, or environmental effects.
3. Action Phase: The player may move, search, pick up items, or engage enemies.
4. Enemy Phase: Any active German soldiers act according to their behavior rules.

Actions

Move

Move to an adjacent revealed location tile.

Search

Search the current location for useful items or the ammo dump.

Combat

Engage German soldiers using the Colt .45 or any acquired weapons. Combat is resolved with dice, comparing attack values against enemy defense. Stealth approaches may allow avoiding detection.

Use Items

Use found equipment such as explosives, first aid, or other mission-critical items.

Sabotage

At the bunker location, use explosives to destroy the guns and complete the mission objective.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The player wins by:

• Locating the ammo dump and acquiring explosives
• Reaching the German bunker
• Successfully sabotaging both guns

The player loses if:

• The character is killed
• The time limit (event deck) runs out before completing the mission

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• The game features tile-based exploration, creating a different map each session.
• Stealth mechanics allow players to avoid some encounters.
• Different scenarios vary the starting conditions and objectives.
• The cooperative 2-player variant splits control of paratrooper abilities.
• Originally designed as a print-and-play game; later reimplemented as “Airborne In Your Pocket” via Kickstarter.

Player Reference

Turn Flow: Explore (place tile) → Event (draw card) → Action (move/search/fight) → Enemy Phase

Objective: Find explosives → Reach bunker → Sabotage guns

Key Rule: You start with only a Colt .45 — stealth and scavenging are essential.