We have a new update for Ground of Aces, bringing a new official map alongside a range of improvements and bug fixes!
And this new map is a special one: RAF Duxford, originally created by community member Sten_M as an entry for our RAF Airfield Map Jam contest back in April.
Sten_M took 1st place in the contest, winning prize money as well as the opportunity to have the map reviewed by the Ground of Aces dev team for possible inclusion in the game. And we loved what we saw. So after some adjustments, RAF Duxford is now joining Ground of Aces as an official map!
Before we take a closer look at the story and design behind RAF Duxford, here’s what else is included in this update:
Improvements & Bug Fixes
Added visible wall fires to tarp and plank walls
Added event highlights to the log for crew accidents
Added reduced attack severity, depending on current crew size, intact planes, equipment, and date
Added wood to tutorial shipment for faster progression
Reduced fire accident chance for kitchens
Extended map descriptions to include map keywords
Fixed empty attacks from spawning and causing the siren to go off indefinitely
Fixed destroyed bubbles appearing on map objects
Fixed graves and other objects displaying wrong materials
Fixed sleeping people having wrong animations
The issue initially occurred due to a performance improvement. The change has been reverted, but we will still continue to improve performance
Fixed UI issues related to crew priorities being the wrong ones
Fixed spin direction of propellers to fit real-life counterparts
Fixed orbiting propellers in scramble animations
Fixed mission text not displaying the successful variant if squadron score was the same as mission score
Fixed issues of planes not being able to properly pathfind to their parking spot despite having a valid path
Fixed issue of planes with repaired defects not being reparked automatically
Fixed issues related to crew members being stuck in planes
Fixed issues related to planes not starting / returning from missions
It is now also possible to manually assign people to beds for recovery
Welcome to RAF Duxford
RAF Duxford was built in 1917 and used as a training station for the Royal Air Force. During the Battle of Britain, it became home to several fighter squadrons.
Here is the design idea and concept by Sten_M:
I tried to capture or hint at a few of the airfield’s distinctive features, as they can be glimpsed in the famous 1946 photograph: the bright paths, the hangars, the groups of three parking boxes, and the grass-covered airfield. I also used a 1946 map as inspiration, though I shifted the locations around a bit. We see the village of Duxford to the east, as well as College Farm to the southwest and Hill Farm to the northeast.
For gameplay purposes, I decided to treat the airfield as if it were still designed for sturdier biplanes but now needs to be made ready for war. The days when a patch of grass was enough for a runway and hangars are made of wood, are over. Work has just begun.
For a quicker start, there are already a few beds and a kitchen, as well as two Vickers machine guns for minimal air defense. Some barracks are already standing, others are under construction, or at least their building sites have been staked out. A large hangar is finished (and contains two parking spots); others are under construction. Some clutter may need to be removed from a few buildings before they can be used properly. The map is made for experienced players.
Congratulations again to Sten_M, and thank you for creating and sharing RAF Duxford with us!
If this has you thinking “I want to take part in such a contest, and it would be cool to see a map I made get a permanent place in the game too,” we have good news:
NEW CONTEST ROUND
Recreate an RAF airfield and win USD 300! Plus the chance for your creation to become an official Ground of Aces map!
We’re launching a 2nd round of our RAF Map Jam, and once again we’re inviting you to put the Ground of Aces map editor to work.
Recreate a real RAF airfield located in the United Kingdom and design it as a map suitable for Ground of Aces players. It can be beginner-friendly, made for more advanced players, or somewhere in between.
The map must be based on a real RAF airfield in the United Kingdom that was operational during World War II.
Airfields with a connection to the Battle of Britain are especially encouraged, as this period is closest to the current setting of Ground of Aces.
Historical accuracy is welcome, but don’t forget about gameplay. Think about how players will build up / expand the base and what will make your map interesting to play.
Like in the first round, the winner receives a prize of CHF 250, which is around USD 307, via PayPal, and the opportunity to have their map reviewed by the Ground of Aces dev team for possible inclusion as an official map.
If the winning map is selected for the official map collection, its creator will receive an additional CHF 250 (~ USD 307).
Submission deadline: September 6, 2026, at 23:59 CEST
Our team will first review all submissions to make sure they meet the contest requirements. Eligible maps will then be added to the Community Maps tab inside the game in the week of the 7th of September, giving players the chance to check them out before voting for their favorite (link will be posted here as a Steam news post.) The community will vote to determine the top three maps.
[p align="start"]If we receive too many eligible submissions for a single community vote, the entries may be divided into multiple voting rounds.Maps that were previously shared with the community, like our Discord, are welcome to enter the contest.
[p align="start"]If you submitted a map to our previous RAF Map Jam, you can enter a reworked version of it, as long as you have made meaningful changes for this new contest round.The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place maps from the previous RAF Map Jam are not eligible for resubmission.
We’re looking forward to seeing which corners of the United Kingdom you choose to recreate!
SUBMIT YOUR MAP IN THE DISCORD CHANNEL #map-jam-round-2
1st Place
CHF 250 (~USD 307, paid only via PayPal)
Featured in the community maps list (rotating selection; usually up to 5 maps at a time)
Your map will be reviewed by the dev team for inclusion as an official map:
If selected:
+ CHF 250 bonus (~USD 307, paid only via PayPal)
Credit in the game
Added to the official map roster
1 piece of Ground of Aces merch (baseball cap, T-shirt, or poster)
Steam Gift Card worth CHF 25 (~$31 USD)
Featured in the community maps list (rotating selection; usually up to 5 maps at a time)
1 piece of Ground of Aces merch (baseball cap, T-shirt, or poster)
Featured in the community maps list (rotating selection; usually up to 5 maps at a time)
