Axis & Allies

About this board game

Axis & Allies (2004) is a World War II strategy game for 2–5 players, with an approximate play time of 240 minutes. It simulates the entire scope of the conflict through territory control, dice-based combat, unit development, and technology research.

The game is nominally designed for five players. The Allies are represented by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Russia, while Germany and Japan form the Axis. Although it supports five participants, Axis & Allies is most often played as a two-player game.

Players direct a range of land, air, and naval units in a contest for control of key territories. Its combat system is straightforward and dice-based, while the limited selection of unit types keeps the focus on managing military capabilities across a worldwide conflict.

• Territory control: Compete to seize and hold strategically important areas.
• Combined forces: Use land, air, and naval units in the war effort.
• Technology research: Pursue improvements that enhance unit capabilities.
• Victory conditions: Control the required key territories to win.

This 2004 edition, also known as the Revised Edition, was the first Avalon Hill version of the classic light war game. It introduces new units such as destroyers and artillery, along with revised capabilities including armor defending at 3 and fighters costing 10 IPCs.

Technology research is directed rather than handled as in earlier versions, and the victory conditions are entirely new. With its blend of accessible combat rules, global objectives, and asymmetric Allied and Axis sides, Axis & Allies presents a broad World War II campaign in a single long-form game.