Customer Reviews

Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition

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Axis and Allies Anniversary Edition is an updated version of a board game classic. The original game was designed by Larry Harris and was part of the Milton Bradley GameMaster Series - large box games with full color mounted boards, simple mechanics which allowed rapid understanding of "how to play" yet with deep subtle strategies, and of course wonderful little plastic soldiers, tanks, planes, ships and submarines. The game has changed hands over the years passing through Avalon Hill/Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast. Wizards of the Coast currently is the publisher. This new version is published on the 50th anniversary of the Avalon Hill company. Avalon Hill is widely regarded as the company which helped to popularize board wargaming in the US and was for many years the leading producer with mounted game boards and die-cut counters. The company produced such classics as Panzerblitz and Squad Leader.

For people who are unfamiliar with the game, Axis and Allies is a board game recreating World War II on a grand strategic level. Armies, fleets, and air armadas are represented abstractly by wonderful plastic pieces (battleships, tanks, soldiers, etc.). Movement is by area and combat is resolved in a simple yet satisfying system. Research and industrial production are key parts of game play. It was a huge hit when first introduced and spawned variants and a Revised version a few years ago.

If you are familiar with the original game and the later variants (A&A Europe, A&A Pacific, etc) the fundamental mechanics are the same. The designer and developers have clearly been tracking the progress of this great game and have incorporated many of the rule changes seen in later variations. The major differences are:
1. There are now three Axis powers: Germay, Japan and Italy. This alters the game play sequence from Germany-USSR-Japan-UK-US to Germany-USSR-Japan-UK-Italy-US. This eliminates the Allies "double move".
2. There are special rules for China - there are now specific Chinese game pieces and help to recreate the historical situation where huge numbers of Japanese troops were tied down in China - making an attack against the USSR (a favorite strategy) in coordination with Germany more difficult.
3. The map is smaller than the original version but about the size of the Revised version. The colors are a muted green/brown earth tones. It may be nostalgic or just my eyes getting older, but frankly I liked the original primary color map - the details were easier to see and less fatiguing. Admittedly, the newer maps are more artful.
4. The game map now includes major cities (sort of like the key cities in Third Reich)and controlling form the victory conditions (unlike the older Industrial Production Certificate [IPC] total method)but in practice this is quite similar.
5. The game map now has impassable and neutral territories which cannot be crossed/invaded/flow over. The Sahara, Switzerland, and other territories are now impassable. Other territories don't have much IPC value.
6. Ships are a bit cheaper to acquire than the original version. The commonly used "double hit" rule is now standard for Battleships. There are now cruisers and destroyers in addition to the original Aircraft Carriers, Battleships and Submarines.
7. Transports now no longer automatically defend with a value of 1. The old strategy of having an armada of transports (e.g. 10 or 12) overcoming an attacking sub force is no longer allowed. If attacked and undefended by other forces, transports are automatically destroyed. It is also no longer possible to move-unload-and-scoot. I understand why this rule change was made but at the large grand strategy scale, the transport unit represents not a single ship or small flotilla of transports but a whole transport fleet - with minor escorts, oilers, etc. So it is reasonable to think it has some self-defense capability.
8. Research now has 12 possibilities. Old favorites like Heavy Bombers and Jet Power are still there but tweaked down. Heavy Bombers only inflict two dice worth of damage and not three. Jet powered fighters attack at 4 and not 5.
9. Armored or tank units are upgraded and attack and defend at 3. The older version attacked at 3 but defended at 2.
10. The little plastic pieces are all there and have been tweaked a bit to reflect the different nations. The UK tanks look like the Churchill and the USSR tanks look a bit like the T34.
11. Rule books and misc. Again, I fear it is just my aging eyes, but the newer version with the darker muddier colors and fancy watermark/faded images on each page are quite beautiful but are a bit harder on the eyes. The game play examples are hard to see the colors of the printing obscures the detailed outlines of the pieces. Again, maybe a simple bright colored illustrations would be more legible. I saw an comment on another site complaining that the IPCs were printed on only one side - but that was the case with the original version. The box art on the site is a bit off. On the actual box, it is entitled "Spring 1941" and not "1942"

Who will like this game? Anyone who is familiar with the original or later Revised version will appreciate this new version. For newcomers, Axis and Allies is a wonderful system - simple and easy to learn, but full of subtle moves and strategies.

Is it worth the price ($80-100)? For collectors and nostalgia buffs, it is probably worth having a nice new version. If you are just into playing the game, and have already your own set of homebrew rules then you are probably already using most of the new rules and could draw up your own maps!

A great game for the board gamer!

I'm going to write this review from the point of view of those who have already played previous editions of A&A - there's way too much to cover to do a full review from scratch, and besides, that is the point of view from which I'm best suited to write.

I'm not going to touch on EVERY change, just the major ones. First of all, the introduction of Italy as a 3rd Axis player is substantial. Sure, Italy is a minor nation, starting the game making only 10IPC, but it has potential to do much better than that. More importantly, it removes the Allied Advantage of getting 3 player turns to 2 every round. Having US and then USSR go back to back every game turn was often brutal. Now there's at least SOME response the Axis can make.

They also made the game have 2 start dates, 1941 and 1942. I haven't played the 1941 start yet, so I can't really give constructive comments on it...most of my comments apply equally to both versions, but if in doubt, assume I'm talking about the later version.

Another major change is with the navies. Cruisers have been added, and they essentially occupy the slot previous held by destroyers. Destroyers, then, are cheaper and less potent, but have nice anti-sub rules. Subs themselves have changed, and can go through enemy held sea zones and move through to the other side (unless destroyers are present). They also can't be attacked solely by aircraft. Navies are also generally cheaper overall. Battleships are only 20 now, for instance.

Transports were substantially changed as well, in that they now have no combat value whatsoever (even on defense). The more vital change (at least the way I play the game) is that you have to take Transports as the LAST casualties of a naval battle. No more sending transports to die as cannon fodder to give your battle units more shots. This was always one of my peeves with the game in that historically navies NEVER did that sort of thing.

Industrial bombing has made a minor change for the better - too complicated to go into here for the amount of change it makes. The research mechanism is a bit different as well - you actually get some credit for past failed rolls, which makes sense to me. There are also twice as many advances, on two tables. You decide which of the two tables you're rolling on. So it is random, like older editions, but also somewhat targeted, like the latest one.

The map is bigger and nicer, and the territories are a bit different. This affects play as you might expect. China in particular is much more complex, and difficult for the Japanese to totally occupy (as it should be)

The biggest change to me though, by far, is the way IPCs are distributed. Beyond simply getting paid the sum total of the value of the territories you occupy, you can qualify for IPC "bonuses" based on your nations goals. This is where a little nation like Italy suddenly has a chance to matter. A LOT. I won't go into every one, but suffice to say that most give a 5IPC bonus, most nations have 3 they can qualify for, and some are almost "automatic" while others take more effort to acheive. So Italy, which starts at 10 IPC, can suddenly be earning 25. To do so, the Axis have to more or less own the entire Med Sea area (including N Africa) Not so minor any more, eh?!

Anyway, there are other changes to the game, but these are most of them, and the most important ones. For those that have never played A&A before, this may not be as useful to you, hopefully other reviews will help more. But to those who are A&A veterans, this is what I wish someone had been able to tell me before I bought the game - a general overview of what the big differences are. Hope it helps!

Back in college in 1990 I remember playing this game late into the night with buddies and a fair share of beer. Now it is 18 years later and the good times are back. Of course now we drink far better beer or wine and we all need to put our kids to bed first but as soon as they are down let the good times roll!

Julian Wan has given an excellent review of the contents of this box and some of the changes. I have played A&A Europe but none of the other incarnations so some of these rules are new to me but I like them. Some he has not mentioned are:

1. Strategic Bombing does not remove IPCs, it damages the factories in the region reducing what can be produced there UNTIL REPAIRED. That is a big difference as this damage can build up or occur in multiple areas forcing hard decisions on what to fix and where to build units.

2. For Research you buy research tokens and then roll the amount of dice for the tokens you bought. If you get at least one 6 you turn in the tokens and roll on one of two tables (your choice). If you do not roll a 6 you RETAIN YOUR TOKENS. Yes, you are not throwing money down a black hole with research as you can continue to roll each turn until you get something after paying for it!

Other observations:

The board and pieces are all beautiful. The board is in three sections and does not fold. This makes moving it easier and will also prevent the joints from wearing out as there are none.

The pieces are all removed from their sprues already; a nice feature that saves lots of time! I have encountered plenty of other games which do not do this for you.

The cardboard tokens appear far more resilient than others I have had. They almost feel like they have a plastic coating and look to be very durable.

Each nation has a storage box for all their items. There are two general storage boxes. All the boxes have three internal compartments. This is a very nice feature for keeping everything organized.

As an old time Axis and Allies player I really like this set. If you are looking to drop the cash on a great game that truly is timeless and comes with everything you need this is an excellent choice. Everything about it screams quality.

My friend & I just finished our first game of A&A: Anniversary edition. WOW!! What an experience!! All the great feel and charm of the original, but a whole new game as well.

First off, the quality of this game is amazing. The artwork is excellent. I didn't find that the muted tones make the game hard to read, as many reviewers claim.

The board comes in three separate sections so there is no hinge wear and tear. However we sat the board on some non-slip material to keep the boards from moving. I love the non-hinged board idea.

Each nation has a box to help organize parts. A long rectangular box divided into three sections. Easy, simple, and elegant are the best way to describe this. If you arrange the boxes correctly when storing a stunning bonus appears. The eight boxes (6 nations plus 2 for other parts) form a large mural.

Rulebook is large and easy to read. The rules are better explained than ever. Obvious 'what if' questions are answered immediately after a rule is presented.

I won't go into much details on the mechanics of the new game, but I will say this. The Germans lost France turn one. The Italians conquered Stalingrad and paved the way for the Germans to conquer Moscow. China tied Japan's hands in the east. At one point UK, and later Russia, held the lead for industrial production.

In other words, the nations are very balanced. Everyone has a part to play.

It's obvious that all the A&A sequels and spin-offs have helped build the brand. Critics will say they're just milking a name, but every A&A game has been better than the last. This installment IS THE BEST!

PS - We totally missed the ball dropping on New Year's to keep playing.

This version combines all the Axis & Allies games in one. It covers the whole war and everyone involved. The economics idea is pure genius. It makes the battles take place where history tells us they took place and when and for what reason. This game is GREAT!!

Exceptional quality wargame for those who enjoy A&A.
It's the "basic" version, with limited special rules.
However, you can apply your addendum rules as you see fit.
It's expensive but a nice collection piece.
NOT the kind of thing you would want to give to kids that might tear it up.

Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition, A Review


While A&A is arguably the best grand strategy game ever produced, the recently released, A&A Anniversary edition, upped the benchmark in every regard (price point included). This, the AE of A&A, has taken production values to a new level, expanded the active nationalities in play, provided country-specific materiel modeling, and made several very well received revisions to the rule set. It's like THE FINISHED SET (as long as they don't make another iteration, of course, but why would they would after this magnum opus is beyond me) for enthusiasts of the game, OR a perfect entry vector for the 1st time purchase of a timeless classic.
The net design of A&A is ambimental, if you will.
In other words, a game designed for both left and right brained players, not at the exclusion of one or the other. Immersed in a game of A&A, we can tackle the logical aspects of production, expansion, research and economics in best left brain fashion, or we can sit back a moment and appreciate the splay of color across the board, empathizing, perhaps, with the egregious disruption of life in these turbulent times. Point is, with Axis & Allies, the game is both straight forward to play and easy to appreciate. On the one hand, turn decisions don't boggle the mind; the game does not go off the deep end with excessive detail. And on the other, it's great to kick back between turns and soak up the experience. More than most games, what's going in is RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU in telling quantities of colored plastic. Each of us has a personal fit as regards the playable-versus-simulated continuum of game design, but for me at least, there IS a magic point, that being a game with a blend of history/theme and play dynamic that doesn't sacrifice one for the other. A&A is one such animal.
Touted as a gateway game for wargamers, for everyone else who's interest in World War II or war in general, goes no further than an opportunity to experience it in abstraction, to try one's hand at Winston Churchill's job, say, or Togo's, to manage nations, entities, countries, a single country when you get down to it, in dynamic relation with other nations/players . . . the search can stop right here. Grand strategy, after all, begs a grandly strategic setting, and the big war was that, if nothing else. For those of a decidedly non-warlike persuasion, the game will likely not fly.
A few specifics on why you might want to shell out the extra dinero for this, the Anniversary edition. Elegance, above all. The box, the gorgeous, hard mounted (no glare) map boards, the handsomely designed and colored storage boxes that fit precisely into the box and hold ALL of the game tokens, separated by nation. Finally, the rules. Research has been expanded. Strategic Warfare is improved. There are new nations, new ships. All in all, I would buy the game for any of the above reasons, EVEN if I owned a prior iteration, and I would certainly buy it as a first time player.

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great game but this second hand market is out of control. you can find this game for 50 or60 dollars. dont pay 200 to 300 for it or 1000 for the anniversary edition. you can find it for around 100. Pappy's Toy Shop is one of the places you dont want to buy this.

I bought this right when it came out, just on a whim one day because I was thinking about the older version that I used to play in high school. I did not realize how special it was at the time, but this really is the highest quality Axis and Allies game that has been produced. The plastic pieces are very nice and are different for each country. For example, US Battleships are Iowa Class ships, the Japanese have Yamato Class ships, and the Germans have Bismarck class ships. The same is true for all of the other units. It's very cool. The storage trays are excellent and make it easy to find pieces by using dividers. The reference cards are helpful, accurate, and durable, and the board and the box are beautiful to look at. All of the cardboard pieces are thick and durable. Additionally, the setup and game play is fairly well balanced between the countries so that everyone has a chance to be an important player in the game. There are even TWO DIFFERENT SETUPS so that it's not exactly the same every time. Everything is of very high quality. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the newer 1940 Axis and Allies games, which have a lot of errors in the rules and setup (which had to be fixed and released online no fewer than four times), low quality parts, and an overall sense of cheapness.

This game is very nice. It's too bad this one is no longer available for a reasonable price. I consider myself very lucky to have it. If you have tons of extra money lying around and you really love Axis and Allies, maybe you could buy this...maybe. It is really expensive, though.

I was slightly disappointed with the game in comparison to other Avalon Hill board games that I have played in the past. The main emphasis of this game appears to be resource management more so than recreating a particular event in history. The other AH games that I have played were reenactments of a historical battle where you received additional units or reinforcements based on a historical time line. Your role was to develop a strategy that would change the outcome of the battle and change history. The only strategy I observed while playing this game was how to spend your resources effectively so that you were not eliminated from the game. Applying a military strategy similar to other AH games was not obvious since the flow of the game did not follow a historical time line. Also, the plastic pieces were difficult to use. Distinguishing ship types was not always easy and the color differences were subtle between the military forces making it difficult to tell them apart under normal night time lighting conditions (especially with energy efficient - low intensity lamps). The pieces are very small, fragile, and hard to maneuver with adult sized fingers in a crowded battle zone. We had fun playing, but did not learn much about WWII military events.