Axis & Allies (1981)

Axis and Allies is the most successful of Milton Bradley's Gamemaster series.

It depicts WWII on a grand scale, full global level. Up to five players can play on two different teams. The Axis which has Germany and Japan, and the Allies which has the USA, the United Kingdom, and the USSR. A full map of the world is provided, broken up in various chunks similar to Risk. The game comes with gobs of plastic miniatures that represent various military units during WWII. Players have at their disposal infantry, armor, fighters, bombers, battleships, aircraft carriers, submarines, troop transports, anti-air guns, and factories. All of the units perform differently and many have special functions. Players have to work together with their teammates in order to coordinate offenses and decide how best to utilize their production points. Players also have the option of risking production resources on the possibility of developing a super technology that might turn the tide of war.

Axis and Allies was originally published by Nova Games in 1981.

Re-implemented by:

• Axis & Allies (2004 Revised edition)
• Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition
• Axis & Allies: Spring 1942, The World is at War!

• Axis & Allies: Europe
• Axis & Allies: Pacific
• Axis & Allies: D-Day
• Axis & Allies: Battle of the Bulge
• Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal

• Axis & Allies Miniatures
• Axis & Allies Naval Miniatures: War at Sea
• Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 which combines with Axis & Allies Europe 1940

Expanded by:

• Enemy on the Horizon - Axis & Allies Expansion
• Honor and Infamy: Commanders (Axis and Allies Variant)
• Central Powers, Axis & Allies Variant
• Max's Advanced Rules for Axis and Allies
• Totally Untested Volume 2 of Max's Advanced Rules for Axis & Allies
• New World Order, Axis & Allies Variant
• War to End All Wars, The - WWI Axis & Allies Variant
• The World at War
• Axis & Allies: A & A Accessories
• Axis & Allies Enhanced Realism Rules
• World War II The Expansion
• World War II Expansion 2
• World War II Expansion 3: The Battle of Midway
• Dateline: World War II
• Conquest of the Pacific
• Midway (Unofficial expansion)
• The Arab Israeli Wars (Unofficial expansion)
• Middle East Combat (Unofficial expansion)

Magazine References:

BattlePlan Index Article List:

• Battleplan,No.3 July-August 1987
  • Axis & Allies cards insert
  • "Axis & Allies: A Brief History of the Game", Alan Emrich
  • "The World at War - House rules for Axis & Allies", Vance von Borries
  • "My Two Cents for Axis & Allies", Alan Emrich
  • "Amplifying Axis & Allies", Roger Vivrete
  • "A Season for War (Late Summer 1939)", Perrin Tong
  • "Fightin' Movin' And Tokyo Rose", Perrin Tong
  • "Eighteen Ideas For A More Enjoyable, Or At Least Different, Axis & Allies", Pete Flahive
  • "Rules Update - What's New...What's Changed In The Second Edition?"
  • "Optional Rules"
  • "Hints and Strategies of Play"
  • "Killed by Someone I Don't Even Know ... or playing Axis & Allies by mail", Bill Salvatore
• Battleplan,No.8 January-February 1989
  • Axis & Allies – "Axis & Allies 1941 Scenario" - Historical set-up of a year earlier, Armando Simon
• Battleplan,No.9 1989
  • Axis & Allies – "Axis & Allies variants", Norm Zinkhan, by Courtesy of Canadian Wargaming Journal

Awards

• 1991 Games 100 War/Adventure Game Nominee.
• 1992 Games 100 Real-life Strategy Nominee.
• Games Magazine Hall of Fame Inductee.

Microbadges

- I play Axis&Allies - Australia
- I play Axis&Allies - Britain
- I play Axis&Allies - China
- I play Axis&Allies - France
- I play Axis&Allies - Germany
- I play Axis&Allies - Italy
- I play Axis&Allies - Japan
- I play Axis&Allies - Netherlands
- I play Axis&Allies - Poland
- I play Axis&Allies - Romania
- I play Axis&Allies - Soviet Union
- I play Axis&Allies - USA

Milton-Bradley Components:

• 1 Gameboard
• 299 Plastic Playing Pieces
• Production Certificates
• 7 Charts
• Control Markers (100)
• 12 Dice
• 6 Game Trays
• Plastic Chips
• Instruction Booklet