Skybirds is a card-shedding game where players play cards (called Aces) in turn trying to beat the most recently played cards on the table. Each round of play (called Dogfights) consist of single cards, or sets of cards all of the same value (these are called Squadrons); each Squadron played must match the number of cards played at the start of the Dogfight and be of higher value than the previous played Squadron, until the Dogfight ends and the process starts again.

After cards are dealt, whoever has Roland Garros plays that card (alone or with a set of matched cards). The number of cards played (Squadron Size) sets how many cards everyone plays this round (Dogfight). Players that follow may either pass or play a set (Squadron) with Squadron Size but with a larger Squadron Value. Or they can play a Squadron with a medallion, from cards (9s and 10s) or from tokens (acquired as the game progresses). One medallion always beats none, two beat one, etc. Cards with medallions can played as singletons to beat any lower-valued Squadron regardless of Squadron size.

(If Garros is played alone to start, he wins. That player then starts a new Dogfight.)

The Dogfight ends when all but one player has passed. The winning player leads the next Dogfight, choosing the Squadron Size. The first person to play all their cards (“going out”) gets to take any token they’ve unlocked (i.e., if they have the prerequisite token in hand). The Dogfight continues until all but one player goes out, with the second-place player taking their token, then the third, etc. Second place can take any token they’ve unlocked except the ones marked for 1st place only. 3rd place can’t take tokens marked only for 1st and 2nd. Fourth place (or 3rd place in a 3p game) can only take the tokens worth +1VP from the bottom of the board.

After each campaign, you can trade +1VP tokens for progress tokens you have the proper prerequisites for. 3rd place tokens costs 2 of these +1VP tokens, 2nd place tokens cost 3, and 1st place tokens cost 4.

Tokens can be saved to score VP at the end of the game. Or, if the token has a bonus, you can choose to use it during play. The first time you use a token, flip it over to lower the VP value by 1 point. The second time you use it, put the token back onto your player mat (Aerodrome), face up. You will need to re-earn that token to get it back again. This may mean you no longer qualify to take a more advanced token if you no longer have its prerequisite.

The final token, the Armistice Token, requires you to have both of its prerequisite tokens. Once someone takes the Armistice Token, finish the current Dogfight. Players also take a fractional VP token (in order of finish) if they don’t already have one. Tally up your VP from tokens still in your possession. Highest VP (including the fractional VP tokens) wins.

Here is the distribution of card values in the 40-card deck: