Avalon Hill Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition Strategy Board Game

The Anniversary Edition of Axis and Allies is the best overall version in terms of variability, balance, approachable game play, board size, and impressive production value. This offering is actually a reprint of the Anniversary Edition released around 2007, but rest assured there is no striking difference between the two. I have the original from back in the day, and it is almost exactly the same with a few nearly unnoticeable differences (the Chinese/Japanese territories are marked differently, the game company logo has changed, and the game pieces are slightly lighter in weight; all aesthetic). Seeing as out-of-print original copies were recently selling for $500, this is a great opportunity to get this version for a reasonable price. This version has the 2nd largest board of all the Axis & Allies iterations; 2nd to the titanic 1940 Global. Anniversary's advantages over Global are that you don't have to buy 2 separate games to form the world map, and that Anniversary doesn't have the awkward rules Global has for powers entering the war on such and such a turn; you just dive right in. Anniversary is perhaps the best play tested and thought out version of Axis and Allies. My group of friends have been playing this version for 10 years, and we have found that it is well balanced between the Axis and Allies. Comparatively, Global (which I still love in spite of issues) has undergone many changes to get the game to be better balanced, and for the most part these changes have complicated an already long, lawyery, epic game that I would argue still tends to be weighted towards the Allies (not insurmountably, but Axis have to be on point). Anniversary added Italy as a playable power, two different set-ups (1941 and 1942), artillery, and cruisers to the mix (well, artillery and cruisers were in some of the smaller scenario games, but that's nitpicky). Artillery was a great addition, allowing infantry to be more versatile on offense. Cruisers were an OK addition, adding a more affordable option for bombardments than battleships. Adding Italy as a separate Axis power was a game changer. Some think Italy is too small a power to make much of a difference, but it cannot be underestimated how important having Italy around to breakup the Allies' turns is. Italy is a fun power if played right, so give it a chance! The two set ups do change the game considerably. The 1941 version is the set up that the board was printed for, and in our opinion the better option. However, the 1942 version is also fun; you basically start with the Axis deeper into Allied territory, more or less at their historical apex. Otherwise, there are no major changes between this version and the preceding ones, so if you've played any version before, you should be able to jump right into this one! Enjoy! PS: As far as shipping, mine was tightly packed in a tough, sturdy cardboard box and arrived with no damage or scuffs.

Here is the 2017 reprinting of the out-of-print first edition of 2008; finally, Hasbro has yielded to demand and re-released this best of all Axis & Allies games, the most balanced, detailed, and playable global game. The first edition only stayed on the market a few months; no telling if that experience will be repeated this time or not. My advice is to snag it while you can, because if the game goes OP again, it will cost hundreds of dollars to buy a copy. There is some contradictory, dated, or inaccurate information given in Amazon's own description, and many of the customer reviews here are dated or refer to the first edition. So what's NEW about this 2017 reissue? If I own the first edition, do I need to buy it again? Have the components remained the same? These are important considerations for purchasers; I will tell you the facts and essentials now to save a lot of fuss and confusion. First: unlike many A&A variants or revisions, this reprinting does NOT delete original components or playing pieces. That's a major plus. You still get play money (i.e. IPC notes), AA guns, factories, a battle board, an IPC tracking board -- they have not cut these out to save a few bucks. And the game costs no more now than it did in 2008. Big huzzah here! The game board is also unchanged; still large, still on three separate mapboards. Even the typo on the map is the same (see if you can find it!) and the Italian roundel control markers remain incorrect (so be aware, if this is going to bother you). What has changed is the rulebook. Hasbro has incorporated much or all of the official errata and answers to rules questions that cropped up since 2008, so while I have not yet tried to trace or read them all, I can tell that the rules do incorporate new material and so should be much cleaner than in 2008. You might not want to buy this game again if you already have an original copy just to get the rulebook, but maybe it is available on the Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast website as a separate item for purchase or as a PDF. Rules errata for the 2008 rules should still be obtainable on the web as well. There are new playing pieces compared to the earlier, "basic" A&A games but the "cruisers" noted as being new to "this" edition is not entirely correct, cruisers have been a naval piece since 2008. There are no actual "new" pieces in this 2017 reprint. Cruisers have also appeared since 2008 in some of the theatre-based A&A games and perhaps some of the other variants -- I can't keep up with all the different versions of the "basic" A&A game anymore. You will NOT find the new pieces for tactical bombers or mechanized infantry that were introduced for the "theatre" A&A games (Europe 1940 and Pacific 1940), but these were never part of this 50th anniversary edition anyway, and at this scale, they are not missed or needed. (There is a "mechanized infantry" bonus possible within the research & development rules, however.) There remain two different scenarios you can play, a game starting in 1941 or starting in 1942, each with different set-ups (these remain, for better or worse, as they were in 2008). Italy is treated as a separate power (this has always been the case with this game, another thing Amazon wrongly implies is new to "this" edition). Italy might seem to be a drag for a six-player game because he may not have a lot to do between turns, and Italy's turns tend to go by fast, but Italy can really make a difference for the Axis side, it can punch above its weight by shrewd play and give the Allies fits. Italy should cooperate with Germany whenever it can and take some of the burden off the Gemans in the Med and Africa. With familiarity, it is possible to play a game to completion in four to five hours among experienced players who don't dawdle too much, or even less time with fewer or faster players. You can't do that with the "global" version of the Europe and Pacific games, making this the ideal version for those wanting a larger and more detailed A&A game than the "basic" sets allow but without the time to play the linked "theatre" games. Those are the basic facts. Any other questions, leave a comment and I'll try to check in. This is a great game and it's good news to have it back in print again and still up to the original standards. COMMENT: Here's something important I noticed was NOT included in the revised rules but was an official clarification or errata item: the Turkish straits are closed to all navies. This means effectively that the Black Sea is a lake and only a unit mobilized from an adjacent Factory can be placed in that sea zone, and once placed, it will be stuck there. This is important because the Italian navy is NOT able to sail into the Black Sea from the Med, which some people thought was a legal move. To balance out this in a sensible strategic fashion, it is recommended strongly that the Danish straits between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea also be considered "closed" to all surface ships unless Northwestern Europe AND Norway are friendly. The Danish straits are narrow and were heavily mined, and it should not be possible for the Allies to send surface navies through them if these adjacent land territories are hostile. Conversely, a German surface fleet in the Baltic would be bottled up if the Allies controlled Norway and Northwestern Europe. This change balances the inability of the Axis in the Mediterranean to invade the USSR amphibiously via the Turkish straits (which historically were closed to all foreign navies in WWII).

I've played the game online and with others before, but never actually owned it. I was turned off by the extreme price on eBay prior to this reprint, so I was very excited to see it get reprinted. I bought it almost immediately. It has a superior world map (China is infinitely more interesting as it has maybe 10 provinces instead of a measly 2), has paper money, plastic factories, has Italy, has tech / research, has national objectives, et cetera. Better than any other A&A variant out there today, in my opinion. I like the 1940 Europe / Pacific games, but they have just a few more extra rules (harbors and airports, for example) that I'm just not a huge fan of, especially when playing with more casual players. This is the "standard" A&A ruleset with a good map and good pieces and I think it's a great balance between accessibility and length / complexity. Also, I was worried about crumpled or falling-apart nation boxes like I saw in some other reviews. Absolutely no problems with mine, dividers are fine, boxes are sturdy. I ordered from Amazon itself and the game came double layered (delivery box + inner box probably from the factory).

The Anniversary Edition of Axis and Allies is an EXCELLENT version, containing two different setups, namely '41 or '42. To those of you who have played Axis and Allies before, this is a welcome addition, with the inclusion of new powers, namely Italy and China, and a FAR improved map, allowing for deeper game play than ever before. The rules and initial setup are not challenging, but after several games, you will soon see the depth and variety of strategies to implement. There are also new units, such as the naval Cruiser, which gave naval battles a more diverse experience. For those of you who enjoy playing live online, there are also good resources which offer free game software to play other people live. Overall, a great game to have around for those of you who enjoy a deep and strategic board game. Highly recommended !!

Improvements as a board game. 1) Sectioned box trays to hold all the pieces for each country. Much easier to find the pieces you need now. 2) Paper currency for Industrial Production Certificates (IPCs). No more keeping count with pencil and paper. 3) A huge 3-section game board! Much bigger than previous boards. Now there is actually room to place the game pieces in each territory. Also, a decent sized "battle board" replacing the small "battle strip" to resolve engagements. Be aware, this game will take a large table space; a folding card table won't cut it. Improvements as a battle. 1) The defining of individual national goals to collect additional IPCs each turn adds historical realism. It also gives the Axis side an improved chance of winning the game, compared to older versions which tended to heavily favor the Allies. Japan can now match the USA battleship for battleship, as long as they can hang onto their conquests. 2) The redesigned map with more specific territories also adds to the historical flavor. 3) The inclusion of Italy as a seperate nation now is awesome. And while it may start out small and slow, if played correctly Italy can become a major contender. China is now also treated semi-seperately, controlled by the US player, but with its own playing pieces and goals, although under restrictions. 4) Research and development. A great concept, but with mixed success. R&D gives a player the option to spend IPCs to buy tokens, which can be used for dice rolls to try to achieve a "scientific breakthrough". The more you spend, the better your odds of getting a breakthrough. Then the player chooses between 2 lists, and rolls to see what advancement was achieved. Great in theory, but very random. Your R&D achievement may be just what you need, or it may be useless to you. And either way, your tokens are removed when you make a breakthrough, and you have to start over and spend more IPCs to try for another random advancement. OK if you have a very large income, but by then you are probably winning anyway. 5) Starting date options. Spring of 1941 or summer of 1942. Completely different setups. Accumulation of awesomeness! The only minor flaw I have found with the anniversary edition was the omission of an optional rule from the revised 2008 edition, that allowed fighters to intercept or escort strategic bombing missions. Without the rule in effect, bombing is only hindered by antiaircraft fire (flak), and becomes far too effective against industrial complexes. Historically, fighters were a bigger menace to bombers than flak, and as a "house rule" I allow the use of the 2008 edition optional rule. In summary, a great improvement over previous editions, very entertaining to play repeatedly, easy enough to learn the rules (though winning still requires at least a little understanding of military strategy and maybe a little history). And the price is very reasonable for a game of this quality. The $80 range (new, through Amazon) is less than I expected as a veteran game collector. I heartily recommend the Axis & Allies anniversary edition for dedicated tabletop gamers, or for beginners.

This is the most fun I have had with a strategy board game. I've been a long time fan of Risk, and this takes Risk to the next level. It takes some time to learn given the nuances of all the units (different attack and defense ratings, abilities, etc.), but the instructions are well written, and you can find some good videos online as well. It does take a while to set up and play, so you'll need to carve out 3-5 hours if you want to finish in one sitting. If you want to "save" the game, just take some pictures of the board with everyone's unit placement and currency visible. All of the game pieces with this version are very high quality, and there are A LOT of them. This was the main reason I went with this version (after reading reviews on the less expensive versions). If you enjoy strategy games, spend the extra money and get this one. It is a very large board once set up (almost takes up my whole 8 person kitchen table with the board and pieces out), so make sure you have some place to play this version!

As a veteran player of Axis & Allies for almost 18 years, and an owner of 4 prior versions (original Europe and Pacific, D-Day, and the 2004 Global revised version), I am excited to say this is now my new favorite of the collection! Surprisingly smooth and playable, with a spacious and well-designed map that means your units never feel crowded into tight territories, and a new power (Italy) to let another friend join in the fun! I actually volunteered to play as Italy on my first run through with this game and let my more novice friends play the more significant powers. The mechanics of the game are exceedingly well designed and improved even over prior versions in my opinion. All that being said, I would not recommend this game to complete beginner's without a veteran to coach them through it, but if you have any experience with smaller versions of A&A, I bet you will really appreciate the fine-tuned elements of this game!

It’s a great game, just have concerns about the quality for the price... I started a game with my daughter, intending to play a few turns a day because it’s a 6-8 hour game... The morning after we started we came down to find the game boards curled up and all the pieces had slid towards the edges... I’m waiting for a response back from the company. I have never had this issue with a board game before, let alone a $75-80 one...

Primero que nada, esperaba que llegara en 6-9 dias como seleccione al momento de comprar, y para mi sorpresa llego en 2 dias, muy rapido, muy bien ahi. Segundo, el juego viene muy bien, la caja no esta golpeada ni nada, todo bien, trae todos los componenetes que dice contener. Y por ultimo, antes de comprar esta edicion aniversario con posibilidad de jugar 1941 y 1942, hice una pequeña investigacion y descartando la edicion global, esta me parece una de las mejores y mas completas, yo la llamaria mi edicion definitiva, ansioso de jugarlo, muy buen producto.

Ho avuto modo di giocare alla vecchia versione di Axis & Allies nel 1990 e ne sono rimasto entusisata. La Anniversary edition e' una vesrione ampliata e migliorata di questo sensazionale gioco, aggiunta dell'Italia nelle fila dell'Asse, scenari 1941 e 1942, miniature differenziate a secobnda della nazione e una mappa enorme fanno di questa versione un capolavoro. Consigliato!

Axis and Allies (1941) - Anniversary Edition ist definitiv ein Spiel, dass man wärmstens empfehlen kann. Es ist meiner Meinung nach jeden Euro wert. Wer überlegt, sich dieses Spiel zuzulegen sollte allerdings bedenken, dass man für ein Spiel viel Zeit aufbringen muss. Bisher konnte ich mit Freunden nur ein einziges Spiel spielen, dies dauerte etwa 14 Stunden (reine Spielzeit). Davor hatten wir noch 2 mal für je 2 Stunden ein Spiel angefangen um ein Gefühl für die Regeln zu bekommen. Letzten Endes haben wir uns zwei ganze Tage freigehalten, weil wir schon ahnten, dass das ganze etwas länger dauern könnte. Tatsächlich ging am Ende ein ganzes Wochenende drauf, da wir nicht nur spielten sondern eben auch mal Zeit zum Essen und Trinken aufbringen mussten und auch mal Pausen eingelegt haben. Wie gesagt- die reine Spielzeit bei uns betrug etwa 14 Stunden, ich muss dabei hinzufügen, dass irgendwann eine Seite das Spiel aufgab, es wurde also nicht komplett zu Ende gespielt. Wer es also lieber schnell mag, sollte hiervon die Finger lassen. Das ganze Regelbuch ist außerdem auf Englisch, eine deutsche Version gibt es nicht. Man sollte also mindestens einen Spieler haben, der des englischen mächtig ist. Die Regeln sind sehr umfangreich und teilweise sehr kompliziert, stellenweise lässt das Regelbuch leider auch Fragen offen und man muss sich dann in Internetforen nach Antworten suchen. Dies kam aber nur zwei mal vor bei uns. Ich finde es sehr schön, dass in dem Spiel die drei Teilstreitkräfte vertreten sind. Man erhält sowohl die Kontrolle über Landstreitkräfte (Panzer, Infanterie und Artillerie) als auch über die Luftwaffe (Jäger/Kampfflieger und Bomber) und die Marine (Transportschiffe, U- Boote, Zerstörer, Kreuzer, Schlachtschiffe und Flugzeugträger). Jede dieser Einheiten hat ihre eigenen Werte. Es ist festgelegt, wie viel sie kostet, wie weit sie sich bewegen kann und wie stark sie in der Offensive und Defensive ist. Eine Infanterieeinheit kostet Beispielsweise 3 ICP, hat einen Offensivwert von 1, einen Defensivwert von 2 und kann sich ein Feld weit bewegen. Dazu haben manche Einheiten spezielle Fähigkeiten, kämpft eine Infanterieeinheit an der Seite von einer Artillerieeinheit, so steigt der Offensivwert auf 2. U- Boote können einfach untertauchen um Konflikten zu entgehen und Zerstörer sind enorm Wirkungsvoll im Kampf gegen U- Boote. Hier gibt es also einiges zu beachten. Das ganze sorgt aber dafür, dass A&A wirklich wie ein Strategiespiel wirkt. Anders als bei Risiko kommt es hier nicht nur auf Würfelglück an, sondern auf den richtigen Einsatz von Einheiten an den richtigen Stellen. Wir mussten mehrmals das Spiel pausieren, damit beide Seiten sich kurz zurückziehen konnten um die weitere Verfahrensweise zu besprechen. Das Spiel ist außerdem enorm spannend, noch nie hatte ich bei einem Brettspiel wirklich Adrenalin. Die Kämpfe sind sehr packend und es macht ungeheueren Spaß sich Strategien auszudenken wie man den Feind vernichten kann. Auch gibt einem das Spiel die Möglichkeit Seelandungen durchzuführen, was mir sehr gefällt, einzig und allein die Möglichkeit der Luftlandung hat mir hier gefehlt. Auf der Seite der Achse können Italien, Deutschland und Japan gespielt werden, bei den Alliierten die Briten, Sowjets und U.S Amerikaner. Von vorne herein stehen bereits die Teams fest, was uns sehr gut gefallen hat. So entstehen keine lästigen Psychospielchen wie bei Risiko und am Ende ist niemand verärgert oder sauer auf irgendwen weil er hintergangen wurde. Wer so etwas mag, wird mit A&A also nicht sonderlich glücklich. Als sehr störend emfpanden wir jedoch das Design der Italiener als spielbare Nation. Italien ist zu Beginn des Spiels sehr klein. Man bekommt kaum Ressourcen, hat kaum Einheiten und kann zu Beginn fast nirgends wirklich mitkämpfen. Es dauert wirklich merhere Stunden, wirklich ewig bis Italien so stark ist, dass es als ernstzunehmde Nation gilt. Daher mein Tipp: A&A mit 5 Spielern und nicht mit 6 spielen. Der Spieler der nämlich Italien übernimmt, wird keinen Spaß haben. Bei uns haben die Spieler welche Deutschland und Japan spielten sich gemeinsam um Italien gekümmert. Man sollte für das Spiel auch viel Platz haben. Wir haben zwei ganze Tische benötigt um genug Platz für das enorme Spielbrett und allem was dazu gehört zu haben. Sehr schön ist es auch, dass man sich in gewisser Weise um die Wirtschaft kümmern muss. Die Währung trägt den Namen IPC. Wie viele IPCs man pro Runde erhält hängt davon welche Gebiete man besitzt. Jedes Gebiet bringt eine bestimmte Anzahl IPC. Die meisten Gebiete in Afrika bringen beispielsweise nur 1 IPC, während die Gebiete mit den Hauptstädten sehr viele bringen. Man benötigt die IPC zum Bau von Einheiten aber auch von Flakgeschützen, welche gegen Bombenangriffe eingesetzt werden um seine Fabriken zu schützen. Man kann nämlich auch Fabriken bauen, welche von Bombern angegriffen werden können um die Einheitenproduktion eines Landes zu mindern. Die Einheiten müssen nämlich in einem Gebiet mit einer Fabrik gebaut werden und könnnen nicht beliebig aufgestellt werden. Wer also an vielen Orten der Welt kämpft braucht viele Fabriken. Auch ist es möglich zu Forschen (diese Möglichkeit ist optional) um die eigenen Einheiten zu verbessern, eine sehr schöne Mechanik. Alles in allem also ein wunderbares Spiel, dass sehr viel Spaß bringt. Leider extrem zeitintensiv, ich hab das Spiel Ende Dezember 2018 gekauft. Zu dem Zeitpunkt der Rezension (Januar 2020) konnten wir das Spiel nur einmal in voller Länge spielen. "Trotzdem" gibt es von mir 5 Sterne.

J'ai longtemps hésité avant d'acheter cette édition d'Axis et Allies. Tout d'abord se pose le problème de la langue puisque ce jeu n'existe qu'en anglais mais une recherche rapide sur internet permet de trouver des traductions en français de la règle. Mais attention, lors de la réimpression l'année dernière, l'éditeur a tenu compte de quelques modifications de la règle. Et les traductions datent du début des années 2010. Il peut donc y avoir quelques différences. Ensuite, certains commentaires d'acheteurs américains évoquaient des problèmes de détérioration du matériel à l'intérieur de la boîte à cause de morceaux de carton placés en renfort du couvercle. En ce qui me concerne, je n'ai que le cahier de règles qui était un peu plié (quelques nuits sous une pile de livres ont permis de résoudre le problème). Ces remarques préalables faites, il faut bien reconnaître que l'acheteur en a pour son argent avec cette "Anniversary Edition". C'est en fait une super édition de luxe ! La boîte pèse son poids ( pas loin de 4 kgs). On y retrouve une superbe carte du monde en guerre divisée en 3 morceaux. Prévoyez une grande table pour l'installer ! L'intérêt de cette grande carte est de pouvoir manipuler relativement facilement les forces armées. Il y a aussi 8 magnifiques boîtes contenant les 6 armées principales (E-U,URSS,R-U pour les Alliés. Allemagne, Japon et Italie pur l'Axe). les 2 autres boîtes contiennent l'armée chinoise et beaucoup d'autres matériels (dont les fameux jetons pour empiler les troupes). Les règles sont relativement faciles à comprendre. D'ailleurs, il vaut mieux utiliser la règle en français en parallèle avec la règle en anglais en cas de problème. La 1° partie est relativement longue car il est nécessaire de se référer régulièrement à la règle. Mais en ce qui nous concerne, dès la 2° partie, le jeu a été plus fluide et les retours à la règle beaucoup moins nombreux. Il est prévu 6 joueurs ( un par nation) mais il me semble que ce n'est pas idéal vu le temps d'attente entre chaque joueur. De plus le joueur qui joue l'Italien risque d'avoir un rôle secondaire et donc un peu ennuyeux. Il semble que le jeu est plus intéressant avec 2 à 4 joueurs maximum à condition de se répartir les nations bélligérantes. Je ne regrette donc pas mon achat et je recommande vivement ce jeu à tous les amateurs de "risk like"

Ordered this as I already own several other A & A games, & I received it at 13.50 today (08/02/18). Upon opening the large box I was very pleasantly surprised . The playing pieces were excellent (broadly similar to A & A Europe/Pacific 1940, with 1 or 2 exceptions) and I like the way the boxes are divided into 3 sections, making it easier for each player to keep their land, naval & air forces separated. Also, unlike the other A & A games I own, you actually get paper money and the industrial complexes are actual miniatures rather than counters/printed on the board. The fact that the Italian territorial marker is inaccurate is understandable - in A & A Europe: 1940 France is included, & if the Italian territorial marker was correct, they would be difficult to distinguish from each other, especially in electric light. All in all I am really pleased with my purchase - excellent value for money!