Hey kids, gather round. Before video games took over every spare minute of free time, there was a board game that let you command entire nations during World War II. Axis and Allies put players in charge of global strategy, resource management, and military planning. It could feel a little strange to step into the shoes of real world powers for a few hours, but the game itself was a harmless and surprisingly educational experience. No more dangerous to your imagination than pretending to be a medieval knight swinging a foam sword and shouting old timey phrases.
Set in the spring of 1942, Axis and Allies allowed two to five players to take control of the major powers of the war. Germany, Japan, Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union were all represented on a large, detailed map. The box was packed with hundreds of molded plastic pieces that included tanks, infantry, fighters, bombers, freighters, carriers, submarines and battleships. It was the kind of game that took an hour to set up before you even rolled a single die. Once the pieces were finally in place, the real work began. Commanding the land, sea and air forces of five military giants was never going to be a quick job.
Players did more than move units around the board. They also had to manage the economic and technological sides of the conflict. Factories could be built to increase production, and research could unlock new weapons such as long range rockets. The game reflected real world conditions as well. The Soviet Union had a massive infantry force ready for a long and brutal defense. Germany and Japan had early advantages thanks to their large armies and ability to strike quickly. The Allied powers had the resources to win a long war, but only if they survived the early rounds.
Combat was resolved with handfuls of dice, and battles erupted across the globe. It could feel overwhelming at first, but that was part of the appeal. War is complicated, and Axis and Allies embraced that complexity. Milton Bradley included charts and visual aids to help players learn the ropes, but the game still inspired many late night strategy sessions and more than a few homemade plans for world domination.
Axis and Allies became the flagship title in Milton Bradley’s Gamemaster series of strategy games. Fortress America, Broadsides and Boarding Parties, Samurai Swords and Conquest of the Empire followed, but none matched the popularity of the original. A CD ROM version arrived later, along with the board game sequel Axis and Allies Europe, which focused on the European theater along with the Middle East and North Africa. Fans and third party creators eventually developed new pieces, house rules and unofficial variants that kept the game alive for years.
Today, Axis and Allies remains a favorite among dedicated strategy gamers. It offers all the mental challenge of planning a global conflict without the real world consequences. It is a reminder of a time when a table full of plastic tanks and a long night of dice rolling could make you feel like the fate of the world was in your hands.
Did you ever play Axis & Allies? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
