As I mentioned in my previous post, one of the titles that revolutionized my view of boardgames and transformed me into a life-long wargamer was Milton Bradley's "Gamemaster Edition" of Axis & Allies, released back in 1984.
So what inspired that fourteen-year-old kid to buy this thing in the first place? Well, given my budding interest in both chess and World War II, a compelling case could be made that it was already well within my wheelhouse. But these vague predilections soon blossomed into full-fledged mania after I encountered the following book at the local library:
The Complete Book of Wargames chronicled the history and biggest titles of the war-gaming fad, which hit the apex of its popularity back in the 60's and 70's. Even though the book was a tad late to the party when it was published in 1980, it was still a bonafide revelation to me and the hobby was far from dead. After discovering that there were games out there which simulated famous historical battles, well, that just blew my fragile eggshell mind!
But my immediate obsession quickly turned to crashing disappointment. Sure, it was great to read about all of these cool games, but, as a kid growing up in small town in Newfoundland in the 80's, I no place to buy them! We were decades away from online shopping and even researching possible mail order options was a non-starter! So, unless the Sears catalog started carrying Panzer Leader, I was shit outta luck!
I sought out Risk as a consolation prize but, even as a kid, that venerable "classic" really failed to impress me. It was unrealistic, abstract and players could turtle down in Australia. Where were my amphibious landing craft and columns of marauding tanks, dammit?!
And that's when I saw an ad for this delectable snack in Dragon magazine:
Oh, Milton Bradley...why do you torture me so? These Gamemaster titles looked tailor-made for me: they were historic, deeper than Risk and had a toy factor that my prepubescent brain still found very appealing. Unfortunately, I had no way to get it into my hot l'il mitts.
Mercifully, I soon discovered that a hobby and craft store in Corner Brook called Leisure World carried a host of cool games, including some that were actually featured in The Complete Book of Wargames! As it turned out, they also carried Axis & Allies, so, after saving up every last penny of my meager allowance, I decided to splurge on this extravagant beast.
In hindsight, taking the lid offa Axis & Allies for the first time was akin to cracking the cellophane on the "Red Box" Mentzer D&D set. It immediately set the fire the tinderbox of my imagination aflame. The unprecedented quality of the production design was all the incentive I needed to diligently digest the innovative rule-set.
Via some crusty ol' Geeklist entries from back in 2005 and 2007, here are my recollections about that first version of Axis & Allies:
Finally I had my columns of tanks! We played the hell out of this one. Some games would get really heated. In fact, two of my oil n' water best friends often came close to blows over this one, even when they were supposed to be allies!
Also:
Ah, the game that ruined me for all other wargames!
As a kid with a surplus of time to spend on the complete consumption of a single game, this ruled my life for a few years. At the age of 14, I thought this game had everything: distinct economies and resources for each individual nation, mind-blowing components, co-operative game play, technology development and characteristic unit combat.
Then we played it to death. In doing so, the game continued to reveal it's flaws. Where were paratroops? Artillery? Why didn't the game start in 1939? Where were the Free French and the Italians? Why were the all of the unit's combat values generic? Why did the strategies seem so scripted?
I think I've been looking for Advanced Axis & Allies ever since.
After I went to university, Axis & Allies pretty much fell off my radar. For me, the 90's were all about livin' life large...that is until Magic: The Gathering and The Settlers of Catan pulled me, Michael Corleone-style, back into my beloved hobby.
Around that same time, I became aware of the trials and tribulations of Avalon Hill, a venerable wargame publishing company that I'd learned about in The Complete Book of Wargames. CCG's and computer games were really eating into Avalon Hill's sales and, in 1998, they were bought out by Hasborg, er...Hasbro. It immediately became apparent that their new corporate overlords had zero interest in crusty, grognard-y, hex n' chit wargames...so they promptly laid off the entire development staff. Gross.
Granted, the lion's share of Avalon Hill's titles were too complex for my pea-brain, but I always had a deep respect, appreciation and genuine interest in what they did. I even bought lighter fare like Diplomacy, Blackbeard and Hitler's War at one point. Unfortunately, as soon as Hasbro bought them out, their entire catalog went out of print.
I can only imagine what the post-acquisition convo sounded like behind those Hasbro board room doors...
HASBRO EXEC: "Awrite, it sez here that we just bought something called 'Avalon Hill'? What the hell is that...some sorta retirement community?"
DRONE #1: "No, sir, they make wargames."
HASBRO EXEC: "What, they made Wargames? Like, the Matthew Broderick movie?"
DRONE #1: "No, sir, wargames. You, know, like...Risk and stuff..." (looks pleadingly around the room for help)
DRONE #2: (takes opportunity to pile onto vulnerable rival for promotion) "Well, I'd say more complicated games than that, sir."
HASBRO EXEC: "Complicated? Whaddaya mean 'complicated'? What games have they published?"
(spate of nervous chatter and uneasy shuffling in chairs)
DRONE #3: (locates a specific piece of paper and starts reading) "Um, let's see here...we've got Advanced Squad Leader, Titan, Hannibal: Rome versus Carthage...
HASBRO EXEC: (muttering) "Jesus Christ..."
DRONE #3: "Republic of Rome, We the People, Advanced Third Reich, 1830..."
HASBRO EXEC: "Okay, hold up, hold up, hold up...lemme just stop you right there. Why the fuck did we buy these guys?!?"
DRONE #1: (nervously) "Well, you see, sir, studies show that the library of games we recently acquired through our purchase of Parker Brothers has very limited appeal to the um...thirty to sixty-year-old demographic."
HASBRO EXEC: (massaging brow) "Good gawd. Okay, so, forget about all of that other crap. What can we crap out under this banner to tric..er, I mean entice, these basement dwellers into opening their wallets?"
(dead silence for a beat)
DRONE #2: "Well, we also own Milton Bradley, and they've got Axis & Allies. We could do something with that!"
HASBRO EXEC: "Finally, somethin' I actually recognize! Quick, get Larry Harris on the horn! DRONE # 2, you're promoted! Now, walk along behind me for awhile..."
Even though I was still a year shy of that key demographic back in 1999, I'm ashamed to admit that I fell for this fictional, exaggerated, cynical, and yet likely-100%-accurate business plan, hook, line and sinker. I bought the very first thing that this new, definitely-not-improved Avalon Hill cranked out with the words Axis & Allies stamped on the box: I.E. Axis & Allies Europe.
As someone who desperately wanted to have the brain power to decipher complicated grand strategic games like Rise and Fall of the Third Reich or the unnecessarily-convoluted rules of Hitler's War, Axis & Allies: Europe seemed to strike a middle ground. Not only was the focus on the European theater appealing to me, the fresh new rule-set also promised some evolutionary thought.
I came across this old play-through for A&A:E the other day. It's not very long or detailed, but it does convey the game's thematic flavor:
AXIS AND ALLIES: EUROPE
Current IPC’s:
United States 40 Germany 41 United Kingdom 26 Russia 22
Turn One
Looking to wipe out all sea-borne opposition before challenging the Allied shipping lanes, the Germans manage to eliminate all but one American transport and destroyer, one Canadian transport and destroyer and one Russian sub. It's a costly operation that results in the loss of six out of their ten subs!
After making some effort to reinforce North Africa, the Germans then turn their attention to the Russian Front, where things initially go in their favor. A pincer move isolates East Poland and they capture the Ukraine, Bessarabia, the Baltic States and Karelia all in one fell swoop. After witnessing this startling success, the German High Command decides to divert all armor to the Eastern Front and then heavily invest in offensive hardware like tanks, artillery and fighter aircraft.
Turn Two
The Germans lose another two U-boats in the Atlantic. The Russian counterattack in Karelia is brutal and doubly-so in the Baltic States, which is left virtually unoccupied after the battle of attrition there. Once again, the Germans opt for a powerful offense, producing four armored units, one bomber and one transport; a wise move after losing a bomber and fighter squadron while sinking a Canadian destroyer and transport! At sea, a U-boat attempts to snare a Russian sub, but it narrowly escapes.
After German troops successfully land on Malta, the buildup in the east is finally unleashed, leading to a massive assault of armor and aircraft in East Poland. The Russians are completely overrun in the first wave, leaving a whopping ten German armored divisions behind to garrison East Poland. Army Group North, consisting of four infantry and two artillery units, moves into the Baltic States, while two more artillery shift from Germany to Poland.
In a few more key strategic moves, infantry in Hungry and Bulgaria move to defend the southern flank, while two infantry units are diverted to bolster the defense of Finland. There’s more offence on the way at the end of Germany's turn, with four armor and one bomber produced in the homeland and a transport launched into the Adriatic Sea.
Turn Three
The Germans put up a stout defense on the Eastern Front. After enduring a massive Russian offensive, Army Group Center still has three armored divisions remaining. Meanwhile, the escaped Russian sub attempts to double-back on its pursuer, but the German U-boat turns the tables and sinks them! There's more bad news for the USSR as the Finns drive the Russians back even further.
Not long after, the remaining British destroyer in the Mediterranean wrecks the new German transport. The British press in North Africa, routing the nominal German garrison in Tunisia. A significant American force makes landfall in Morocco and promptly digs in. Both the Americans and the Brits have virtually re-constituted their navies, which means that the next turn will feature some critically-important offensives for Germany. This is further underscored when the British engage in a risky, but very punishing, air raid on Axis production.
Current IPC’s:
Germany 43 Russia 15 United Kingdom 26 United States 41
Turn Three, continued
While unopposed German U-boats help themselves to a Soviet convoy route, a destroyer-supported invasion of Tunisia from Malta is proposed. Two Wehrmacht battalions storm Tunisia with scarcely any resistance and the British presence in North Africa is completely eliminated. A battleship and a U-boat pack engage the same British destroyer (and its accompanying transport) that eliminated Germany’s newly-minted transport on the previous turn. The battleship is heavily damaged in the action, but all of the enemy units are destroyed.
Four infantry units, supported by bombers, then surge into the Ukraine. Again, there is negligible resistance. Karelia, on the other hand, is soundly defended, leading to a long, drawn-out battle and the loss of two Luftwaffe squadrons. Because of this, the German land units in that region are forced to retreat, leaving High Command worried that something similar might happen in Leningrad. Sure enough, they’re met with heavy anti-aircraft fire and two more squadrons are lost. The region is captured, but at a very high cost. Only two armored divisions are left to defend from the inevitable Russian counter-attack.
The Germans intend to keep pounding away on the Russians and hope that the U.S. and the U.K. don't produce an insurmountable fleet in short order. Unsure as to how long they’ll be able to keep supplying their forces in North Africa, the Germans opt to invest heavily in armor and aircraft during their build phase.
Turn Four
Things look fairly promising in the Atlantic for the Allies. The Americans have landed in North Africa with a diverse invasion force of armor, infantry and bombers. The British continue to rebuild their Navy, choosing Canada as their base of operation for this.
The Russians try to strike back, but they’re essentially a house of cards. German forces defend well in Leningrad, leaving only a single armored division left to hold the city. Their victory in the Baltic States is considerably more decisive, with two armor and one artillery unit left to hold the newly-captured ground there.
Again, the Germans invest heavily in new armor and aircraft, hoping to deal the knockout blow to Russia. This leads to a three-pronged assault, with Army Group South (consisting of two armor and three infantry divisions) poised to strike at Stalingrad, which is currently defended by four infantry corps. After they were badly stung by anti-aircraft fire last time out, a risky decision is made to eschew air cover for this attack.
Army Group Center, consisting of one infantry, one artillery and one fighter division, attacks Belarus, which has just a single infantry brigade defending. Army Group North, boasting four armored divisions and a flight of bombers, assaults the Baltic States, defended by two armor and one artillery.
In the resulting battles, Army Group South scores a decisive victory, with the infantry fighting particularly well. This results in two infantry and two armor left to garrison the freshly-conquered territory. Army Group Center experiences a blitz victory with no major losses. Army Group North, on the other hand, is completely routed by the wily Russian defenders in the Baltic States. Despite this, the fall of Russia now looks like a foregone conclusion.
In an effort to lean heavier into this strategy, the Germans decide to withdraw troops from North Africa, at least for the time being.
***
Confession time: Axis & Allies: Europe wasn't my only dalliance with this "new" Avalon Hill. I also bought Star Wars: Queen's Gambit (2000), Axis & Allies Pacific (2001), History of the World (a 2001 reprint of an original Avalon Hill title), the revised Axis & Allies (2003), Axis & Allies D-Day (2004), Betrayal at House on the Hill (2004), Axis & Allies Miniatures (2005), Monsters Menace America (2005), Nexus Ops (2005) and RoboRally (2005). For the record, the games in bold are still in my game library.
If anything, this list is proof positive that the company should be abbreviated as AHINO, or "Avalon Hill In Name Only." It's pretty obvious that the current incarnation of Avalon Hill is scarcely interested in wargames, they don't publish anything particularly deep and they have zero interest in reprinting their classic games. They even released this Scooby-Doo themed Betrayal game, fer Chrissakes!
So, what do I think of Axis & Allies: Europe? Honestly, if I had my time back, and more space, I probably wouldn't have sold it. Sure, it's since been completely eclipsed by its deeper, sexier, younger brother, but there's something to be said for the simplicity of this first incarnation.
It should be noted that Europe was the first A&A game to feature the following changes and innovations, which I've divvied up down below:
PROS
- Artillery, which augments infantry, and destroyers, which target subs, are both wonderful new additions.
- Battleships can take two hits and be repaired. Finally!
- Submarines can't even be targeted unless an enemy destroyer is in their space. Smart!
- German ships can occupy Allied shipping zones to reduce their IPC's, elegantly simulating the Battle of the Atlantic.
- Each nation has a variable amount of IPCs at the beginning the game. This is actually a really good idea, since it makes the game feel less scripted right off the jump.
- Germany goes first, followed by the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and then the United States. In the 1984 game, Russia went first, so I think this change makes sense given Europe's start time and setting.
- Fighter can escort bombing runs and defenders can scramble enemy fighters to attack bombers! Awesome!
- There's something resembling an Allied / Soviet Lend Lease program!
- To simulate the economic impact of the Axis controlling the oil-rich Middle East, the Allies must pay IPCs to Germany if they control those regions.
CONS
- Players can't build any new Industrial Complexes. Lame. You should be able to build minor Complexes over the course of several turns with reduced production.
- There are no tech advances. Really?!? I really wish Larry Harris would have come up with something, since the game's unit feel very same-y and never evolve at all.
- Neutral countries are completely impassible, even by air units. I've always hated this rule and I'm glad the 1940 version of the game finally addressed it.
I'm partial to this game despite the cries of it being scripted and heavily-weighted towards the Germans.
I want to take this thing and cross-breed it with Hitler's War. I'd like to add hexes, weapon development, re-set the clock to 1939, customize national units and add a bit more chrome.
All told, let's give her four pips outta six with a tilt down with that depth charge!
Axis & Allies 1984 Game Box Cover: Wikipedia
Axis and Allies: Europe 1999 Game Box Cover: Board Game Geek
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