The new version of Axis & Allies was created under the direction of Larry Harris, the game's original designer. Scheduled for release in March 2004, the game will feature more detailed game pieces, a "beautifully charted, full-color world map" and updated rules, according to a press release.
"The redesigned edition of Axis & Allies emphasizes the game's dedication to historical detail, including the revamping of play pieces to reflect real-life military vehicles," according to the release. "Now German tanks are shaped like Panther tanks, while the U.S. and the U.K. tanks resemble Sherman tanks. Changes to the fighter planes include transforming the U.K. fighters into Spitfires, the U.S. fighters into P-38 Lightnings, and the German fighters into Ju-87 Stukas [which actually are dive-bombers]."
Updates to the game's rules were designed to help streamline and improve game balance. They will include new guidelines for weapons development research, new sea zone configurations, and new territories, according to the release. The game box size has been reduced by half.
It has been noted by some on the newsgroup rec.games.board that the new pieces appear to be borrowed from the Axis & Allies: Europe and Axis & Allies: Pacific games published by Avalon Hill in 2000 and 2001, respectively.
First produced in 1984 by Milton Bradley, Axis & Allies is a game of war, economics, and strategy. The game is set in spring 1942, with five world powers struggling for supremacy: Germany and Japan are aligned against England, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Each player controls the military and economic destiny of one of these countries.
Here's part of the game's description from BoardGameGeek.com: "It depicts World War II on a grand scale. ... 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 & Allies is now part of Wizards of the Coast's Avalon Hill line of games, which also includes Axis & Allies: Europe, Axis & Allies: Pacific, Risk 2210 AD, Diplomacy and other games.
