Customer Reviews

Axis and Allies Minis 1939-1945 Starter Se

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although I didn't purchase this from Amazon, I do own the product.

Pros:
- Nice looking pre-painted 15mm miniatures
- Quick setup
- Easy to learn
- Games can be played in 60 minutes or less
- Many free downloadable maps and scenarios both from Avalon Hill and the user community
- Expandable via map and booster packs so game play never gets stale

Cons:
- The starter set includes more Allied pieces than Axis, giving the Allies a significant advantage
- Most of the downloadable scenarios cannot be played with just the starter pack units
- Booster packs are expensive for the number of units you get ($11 to $15 dollars for five miniatures)

Being new to Axis & Allies, this seemed like it would be great little game and I am not disappointed. Whereas the board games are more strategic, this is more tactical which I like. In addition, games can be played in around 60 minutes as opposed to 2 to 5 hours for some Axis & Allies board games. It comes with 10 detailed 15mm miniatures, each having a corresponding card that shows its cost, year available, defense, speed, weapons range and any special abilities it may have as well as a little trivia about the unit. The starter pack comes with the following miniatures:

Axis:
- German Panzer III Ausf. F (Tank)
- German MG 42 machine-gun team (Soldier)
- German PanzerFaust 30 (Soldier, anti-tank)
- German Mauser Kar 98k (Soldier, rifle)

Allies:
- British Cromwell IV (Tank)
- Russian T34/76 (Tank)
- U.S. M4A1 Sherman (Tank)
- U.S. "Red Devil" Captain (Soldier)
- U.S. Bazooka (Soldier anti-tank)
- U.S. M1 Garand Rifle (Soldier)

Also included in the box are:
Rulebook
Quick start guide
Eight dice (six sided)
Damage counters
Two double-sided maps that may be used separately, or be combined to form six different configurations

The starter pack does not come with any scenarios probably due to the limited number of units. The rulebook simply recommends you setup some skirmishes using the units included in the box. This will help you learn the rules and flow of the game. There are a ton of downloadable maps and scenarios from the Wizards of the Coast website ([...]) but most I have looked at require more units than the ones included in the starter pack and this is where the game can get expensive. To get the most out of this game (as in any collectible miniature or card game) you need to purchase booster packs. You can buy booster packs from eight different sets, each set containing from 48 to 60+ miniatures. Each booster pack contains five random miniatures from that set. At about $11 - $15 a pop, you can see how this would add up quickly. The good news is that there are websites out there that sell the individual units from each set. Although some of the rare units can be upwards of $10 to $11 apiece.

Overall Axis & Allies Miniatures is a fun game to play if you like unit level tactical combat. As long as you are prepared to make about a $50 to $60 investment beyond the starter pack price, you can have a game of almost infinite re-playability with collectible miniatures to boot. As you purchase more miniatures and map pack expansions, the game just gets richer, more varied and more fun.

I bought this just for fun to see what it's like. I've played the A&A board games and thought this would be similar. Despite the major difference in playing style, I quite enjoyed the miniatures. This particular set was like a teaser, it got me interested in buying more. However, it's not a very balanced set. First off it comes with 4 tanks, 3 of which are allied tanks and 1 is axis. It comes with 6 infantry soldiers, three on each side. The allies have a commander so the M1 Garand troop gets bonuses and the allied side gets an initiative bonus. On the other side the Germans have an MG 42 unit with the double shot ability and a high kill ratio vs. infantry, so the infantry is balanced. However, each allied tank could overpower the axis tank individually. The axis tank is a Panzer III Ausf. F which has lower armor and a low cost. All of the allied tanks are almost twice the Panzer's cost and have more armor/fire power. Out of all the scenarios I have run with this set the Germans have only won once due to a lucky roll by the axis Panzerfaust 30 unit taking out the American Sherman early on in the match. Overall, the set is rather nice. It's a good way to add some troops and armor into your ranks. It's also a good way to obtain the rare British Cromwell tank and the uncommon Russian T-34/76 tank. Of course it's not enough for a good match, if you have the time and extra money then go ahead and buy more.

The starter pack will provide you with the rulebook and maps you will need to play A&A minis. What you may not be able to tell at first look is that 3 of the 4 tanks included here are Allied units. This means it is not very balanced between the opposing forces. You will need to get some booster packs to try to bulk up your Axis units. But the collecting is half the fun!

This is fun miniatures based strategy game. The rules are pretty simple and easy to under stand. You need to have several sets of booster packs to really enjoy the game, otherwise one side can get an overpowered army.

first of all this starter set was worth the money. at first it was hard to learn how to play, but after a couple of you tube tutorials i figured it out. the soldier miniatures are made of a rubbery material and the tanks are made of plastic which are pretty durable i would recommend this product to anyone that is into military or ww2.

The Axis & Allies 1939-45 Minis Starter Set is terrific. My son and I have gotten many hours of enjoyment from it. We have gotten some booster packs already and are ordering more so we can have even more fun playing. Thanks for the chance to send in a review.

its really cool.
except it only has one British unit and one Russian unit,and the allies clearly have an advantage.
despite this the figures are fairly detailed and durable.
I'm going to have to get more.

I was really hoping for a quick paced skirmish version of A&A that was easy to pickup. I don't have the time for 1 hour plus encounters. It is good game if you have the time to spare. The rules are in depth and allow for a variety of paths to defeat the enemy. A good vehicle can easily be outclassed if the tactical use of it is poor. All in all it is just axis and allies length in a smaller scale with specific vehicles. This is not something you can just open the box and play at all. It is also a marketing scam that forces you to buy more if you truly want a balanced battle or unique encounters. It has that Magic: The Gathering or Pokemon feel to it, but for military history/war nerds versus fantasy nerds.

My husband ordered the wrong thing. And he hasn't played w it at all. But I give credit for it came in good condition and it came in fast