Top 10 Games - #2 AXIS AND ALLIES

As with Risk, Axis and Allies was a game I got into at a young age. I always saw this as a more advanced version of Risk with more options and more to do and was an amazing simulation of the entire scope of World War II. It got me interested in WWII, and because of this game, it is one of my favorite war time periods to learn and read about. It made me happy that this game also got my oldest son Brandon to show an interest in the history of our country and the world as well.

Like Risk, Axis and Allies also has many different versions that have been released over the last few years. The original (photo shown above) will always hold a place in my gaming memories and be considered a classic, but the revised version, and now the updated Anniversary edition take the original classic and expand upon it.

The original Axis and Allies was released in 1981, I probably didn't play it until around '84 or '85... It was a game for between two and five players representing the Allies: United States of America, United Kingdom and Russia vs. the Axis: Germany and Japan. 

As they did with Risk, Hasbro decided to start releasing many other games with the Axis and Allies name. However, unlike Risk, some of the Axis and Allies games differ in game mechanics and not just a refreshed look or theme. Axis and Allies: Europe was the next version to be released in 2000 and was very similar to the original, with some minor rule changes and the addition of new units (destroyers and artillery), however, the focus of this game is in the European theater.

Axis and Allies Pacific was next in line, being released in 2001. Again, the game play was quite similar with three main powers (Britain, Japan and the United States of America) joining forces to do battle against Japan who is trying to expand it's empire through either military might or by holding off the Allies long enough to win a victory.

The game adds a few new rules and a few new twists to the previous system. Naval bases and air bases turn small, meaningless islands into vital strategic holdings. Convoy zones allow a single submarine pack to cripple an economy. The Chinese forces, while limited, are hard to crush. Japan gets her kamikazes, but will it be enough to hold off the vast economic power of the USA?

With the success of Europe and Pacific, the original Axis and Allies was due for an update and in 2004 the revised edition was released. There were some minor updates to map territories as well as the addition of the two new unit that were introduced in the European version as well as a few other minor differences such as new victory conditions and unit statistics.

Also in 2004 we saw the release of Axis and Allies: D-Day, in honor of the upcoming 60th Anniversary of D-Day. This game featured a similar feel to the previous releases of the game, but rather than deal with the entire war or theater of war, this focused on a specific battle in an effort to let players recreate the largest amphibious invasion in the history of the world!

The game featured new rules and components (such as blockhouse pieces) an extra-large game board and new elements of play, such as the card deck with Orders, Tactics and Fortune. This was no longer the Axis and Allies game we remembered as kids, this was a whole new game with a familiar feeling.

Axis & Allies D-Day is designed for two or three players and is quite fast compared to the other versions of the game. It can easily be played in 2-3 hours, or even as quickly as 90 minutes if all of the players are familiar with the game.

D-Day is probably my favorite version of Axis and Allies to play with my oldest son Brandon. There is minimal down time between turns and the games are fast paced and fun. When gaming with my adult group of gaming buddies and WWII strategy is what we are going for, I'd probably pick the revised edition as the game to go with.

2006 saw the release of Axis and Allies: Battle of the Bulge, which completely reworked the game from the ground up. There are similarities, but the new hex-bases game board system and the addition of the new truck pieces, really make this game stand out as a different game rather than another game in the Axis and Allies series. A friend of mine commented not to long after getting this by saying it was a great game, but he felt like the Axis and Allies name was 'slapped' on the box to give it some instant sales.

Axis and Allies: Guadalcanal was the next game in the series, and was released in 2007. This game gets you deep into the conflict in the South Pacific where naval might leads to air superiority. You must control islands and sea zones while managing your troops and supplies.

This game, in keeping with tradition, also introduces a new game unit (the cruiser) as well as some new game mechanics for land, sea and air combat in the South Pacific and introduces a randomized casualties system. This game gives you a historical counterpoint to the WWII experience offered by Axis and Allies: Battle of the Bulge.

Last year, in 2008, we were given a special treat in the form of Axis and Allies Anniversary Edition. It was a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Avalon Hill, not Axis and Allies specifically. This revised version added Italy as a player controlled Axis nation and introduced the cruiser unit to the naval lineup. It also has the largest Axis and Allies game board to date, measuring approx. 2' x 4' in size! There are over 600 pieces and players are able to get deep into the outcome of WWII like never before.

With all of the games summarized, it is easy to see why Axis and Allies falls into my top 10 list of games, there are so many options and replaying the game over and over again doesn't 'get old'. The classic edition holds a fond place in my gaming memories, but the new 50th Anniversary version will be the most used one for games with my gaming group buddies, however, the D-Day version is probably my favorite as far as fast and fun gaming with my 14-year-old son.