I find this thread very interesting since lately I have been creating my own version of a modern day strategy game based on Axis and Allies. I’m using the AA 2nd edition pieces as my base and I’ve been scouring the net for additional pieces. Here is what I’ve discovered.
The pieces by TableTactics are great. They are all to scale with the original AA pieces and come molded in the orignal five colours. You can even get them in some of the new colours (dark grey, creme and burnt orange).
The New world Order set has M1 tanks, M113 APC’s, F16 style jets, attack copters and hovercraft.
Central Powers (a WWI variant) has conventional artillery pieces (which are lacking if you are using AA 2nd edition as a base), and two types of ships; destroyers and cruisers. These ships both look rather modern as opposed to originating in WWI (they have squared off sterns just like modern frigates/destroyers/cruisers). The other pieces in this set are of marginal value; machine guns (too tactical to be considered in a grand strategy game) Mk4 style tanks (too dated looking) and halftracks (once again these look very WWIIish).
Risk 2042 includes more M1 tanks and attack helicopters (these look the same as the ones in New World Order) a slightly different version of a hovercraft, scout cars (look like WWII armoured cars) and most importantly mobile artillery pieces.
A & A accecories is of limited value as it includes a host of WWII themed pieces. Of interest may be the rockets (kinda look like V2’s) and the minefield pieces (I believe minefields are once again too tactical to be included in a grand strategy game however, these small disks could be used to represent ICBM or Anti-missile silo’s).
Link - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/2248
The only pieces I can’t find are modern bombers (B-52’s) and modern subs (Los Angeles, Ohio’s).