Rather than making new boards/games every few years, I think the franchise should concentrate on making 2 core gameboards, and keeping them in print for a decade.
The first board, titled simply “Axis and Allies”, should be modeled on the 1942.2 map scale and style of more simplified gameplay. Comes in a Red Box! :)
The follow up board, titled “Advanced Axis and Allies”, should be modeled on the Global map scale and style of more complex gameplay. Comes in a Black Box! :)
The Axis and Allies ‘Red Box’, or starter box serves as the introduction map board and ruleset, for shorter session games, but could also be adapted with additional rules or pieces from…
The Advanced Axis and Allies ‘Black Box’, or expansion box, for longer session, wargame-style gameplay.
Red Box: 6 nation board. Variable turn order, roll 1d6 to determine which nation starts.
Black Box: 12 nation board. Variable turn order, roll 1d6 or 1d12 to determine which nation starts.
By making the turn order variable the shelf-life of both boards is increased dramatically, enhancing the replay value and staying power over time. I think this could be done pretty easily, if the unit set up was designed for it.
Each Box should have a core ruleset, and then an optional rules/unit expansion - basically giving you four 4 tiers of complexity: Beginner to Intermediate on the Red Box, Intermediate to Advanced on the Black Box.) You could even do 4 points of sale, 2 starter maps/boxes, and then an expansion set (with just rules or units) for each of them.
Red Box starter “beginer” might play something like Classic/Revised/1941/1942.2 (without tech)
Red Box expansion “intermediate” might play something or AA50 (with NOs, tech, and special sculpts etc.)
Black Box starter “advanced” might play like the Global size map but more on the scale of AA50 in the ruleset/unit roster.
Black Box expansion “expert” would play basically like Global, with all the specialized rules and special unit sculpts.
Red Box:
1 Russia
2 Germany
3 UK
4 Japan
5 USA (and US supported Chinese Forces)
6 Italy
Black Box:
1. China
2. Japan
2. Poland
4. France
5. Germany
6. Great Britain
7. Empire and Dominions (Canada, India, ANZAC)
8. Allied Aligned European powers (Netherlands, Denmark, Norway etc.)
9. Italy
10. Axis Aligned European powers (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary etc.)
11. Russia
12. United States
If a standard turn order, then this Black Box order would roughly describe (albeit somewhat anachronistically) the order of entry into the conflict, while still allowing a pretty easy separation in a 3-6 player match. Players 5 and 6 can be folded into one of the others in a 4 man. Split Allies for a 3 man, without too much disruption in the pace of the game, or players getting too bored from long stretches without playing.
This turn order below gives a natural impression of the historical pattern of entry, starting with the war in China vs Japan, then turning to the Blitz in Europe, and closing out with USA (before going back to China to start the next round for the easy flow.) But even though a standard turn order like that might be novel, the main advantage I see to doing something like this is to allow for a variable turn order, where you roll to see which nation goes first. After all, things might have gone differently, had major powers entered the conflict earlier or later. I think it would be interesting, and would increase the replay.
Player 1. China
Player 2. Japan
Player 1. Poland
France
Player 4. Germany
Player 3. Great Britain
Empire and Dominions (Canada, India, ANZAC)
Allied Aligned European powers (Netherlands, Denmark, Norway etc.)
Player 5. Italy
Axis Aligned European powers (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary etc.)
Player 6. Russia
Player 1. United States
What do you guys think? I feel an approach like that, if the rest of the set up was designed around it, would lead to a game that might hold up for a much longer amount of time. With a lot of ways to adapt and expand, and explore different strategies. A Red Box handles the newcomer and the casual match, but with variable turn order it has the potential for a lot of different games. The Black Box Advanced game, handles the diehards and the desire to collect new sculpts and play on a larger gamemap. I think if you staged it right you could make something that most players would enjoy, even at different levels of experience, and with different preferences in gameplay.
But the whole key is to leave these boxes in print long enough to start getting some traction over time, rather than putting out a new board every other year. Any thoughts?