Just How Old Are We Axis and Allies Players?

  • '14 '13

    Played A&A for the first time in 8th grade History class for one week.  Found the game that summer and had it all these years.  Just bought the 50th Anniversary Edition this past Monday.  Can’t wait to get it and play with my friends.


  • @ABWorsham:

    It’s good to see that there are a lot of players over the age of thirty. I’m about to leave my twenties behind.

    Hahaha - no need to feel embarassed or ashamed!
    Yes, I’m in my mid :-o 30’s, and I will be playing all kinds of games to my dying day.


  • Since we’re talking about our first exposure to A&A, I’ll share my fond memory.

    I recall being with my Dad on a trip to the Quad Cities (we live in rural Iowa) when I was about 12-14?  So 1987-1989? 
    They didn’t even sell Axis and Allies in many towns in our area.
    I believe it was in a toy/game/hobby shop in Davenport, Iowa where I saw this war game behind the window.  I remember looking at the back of the box and seeing the cool looking ships, planes, men and tanks on the board.  I distinctly remember the units on and around India on the map.  Boy, did I want that game.  I’m trying to remember the pricetag.  I think it was $25-$30, which is like probably about $50 in today’s dollars.

    I knew it was too much for my Dad to buy it - I’m not even sure it was Christmas time.  But his objection wasn’t so much the money.  My Dad absolutely shuns some kinds of games.  Any farming game where it’s easy to get rich (he’s a farmer who’s had his rich days and poor days), any war game, and most games where you accumulate a lot of wealth easily.  So he gave me an absolute “no”, along with some scary story about how horrible WWII was.  <will continue=“” post=“”>  Glitchy scroll bar thing…</will>


  • It was obvious just from looking at the box that this was one cool game.
    However, after that I never saw it for years.  Then my nephews (who aren’t much younger than me) got it.  They had played it a couple times, and I played the younger one (he was probably 12-14 at the time).  I had the Axis, because his brother always took the Axis and so he had only played the Allies.
    What’s funny, is I remember his strategy with the UK.  He spent all of his money on fighters every turn, for defense.  I remember he had about 8-10 fighters on the island, and he was probably flying some to Russia.  Apparently his brother had taken him over on the UK, and he bought fighters because they had the highest defense value.
    I’m embarassed to say I don’t know how many games it took us to realize that infantry was the best defense.
    And this makes me laugh to this day - His aggressive older brother would always take the Axis, buy all tanks with Germany, attack Karelia with everything in round 1, and try to steam-roll Russia.  This always worked against his young brother, but when he came to my place to play (I think I had bought my own by this time), I bought 8 infantry in R1 and then the going wasn’t so easy.


  • I remember like it was yesterday. Me and my friends were playing video games and they were arguing about pieces being moved, money being switched etc. (my friends were two brothers). I asked what the commotion was about and they said, “Axis & Allies.” What a revelation, this was like 1996-97, I was 11 and my friends were 12 & 14 at the time. We played a couple of rounds, (never finished a game) but I absolutely had to have this game. So for my 12th birthday I went down with money from family and bought my own copy of the original at a Toys-R-Us. Man I would spend weeks playing this over the summer with friends and family. Like many other people though I kinda lost interest until I was reading on the internet and found out that there were new versions of the game out. I had to have them! Now I just got AAP40 and me and my dad play when we get some free time, trying to find more friends that will play but most of my friends just don’t have the patience for a game that can last an entire day. I miss those old days when I was in middle school and just played until we passed out in the wee hours of the morning, man those were fun times.


  • @maverick_76:

    I miss those old days when I was in middle school and just played until we passed out in the wee hours of the morning, man those were fun times.

    There was one time that I pulled an all-nighter between workdays.
    Yeah, it was Axis and Allies, circa 1994.
    My little nephew (16?) said, at about 2:00 AM, “Come on, you know if you go to be now you’ll be more tired tomorrow than if you just stay up”.
    Yeah, that’s all it took.  (I started work at about 5 or 5:30 that summer - construction job)


  • I am new to this site. I remember my brother and uncle playing the MB version in the '80s but never was interested in the game until a few years ago. I bought a copy of the MB version off of ebay and have bought all the board games since then except 1942. I do plan on getting 1942 and AAE40. Just picked up AAP 1940 yesterday. I was not sure of getting 1942 since I bought AARevised this year after I heard that AA1942 was coming out. My uncle that used to play in the '80s has played all the others with me as well as my oldest son who is now 13. I do not get enough game time in as I would like. Is there any one on here that lives in Omaha, NE that would be interested in beating a newbie and his son and maybe my uncle? I am 37. We play mostly on the weekends and a game usually carries on for 2 or more weeks at a few hours on a saturday night.


  • Well, skinny, I live just a bit too far from Omaha (SE Iowa), but since you say you are new to this site, did you know that you can play by forum?

    I love playing by forum because you can play at your leisure with A&A afficianados from around the world.  Sometimes you can play several turns in one day, if you’re both online.

    There is an “ABattlemap” program that you can download from this site that enables PBF play.  The site has a built in dice roller, and moves in the “Play Boardgames” section of this site cannot be edited or deleted. (so, no cheating)

    I would be happy to play you AA50 on PBF (Play by forum).  It sounds like you are a true blue A&A fan, owning all those games, and buying them in just a couple years time.  I actually only own Classic and AA50.


  • I don’t have time to pbf even though i wouldn’t mind trying it out sometime. My uncle came over last night and we played as the Axis against my boys as the Allies. We played AA50 1941 scenario. Called it a night about 1:30 this morning with the Axis in great shape. We hope to continue/finish on Christmas Eve then start a game of AAP 1940 for our next game. Can’t wait. TTYL.

  • '10

    @skinny1:

    I am new to this site. I remember my brother and uncle playing the MB version in the '80s but never was interested in the game until a few years ago. I bought a copy of the MB version off of ebay and have bought all the board games since then except 1942. I do plan on getting 1942 and AAE40. Just picked up AAP 1940 yesterday. I was not sure of getting 1942 since I bought AARevised this year after I heard that AA1942 was coming out. My uncle that used to play in the '80s has played all the others with me as well as my oldest son who is now 13. I do not get enough game time in as I would like. Is there any one on here that lives in Omaha, NE that would be interested in beating a newbie and his son and maybe my uncle? I am 37. We play mostly on the weekends and a game usually carries on for 2 or more weeks at a few hours on a saturday night.

    I believe “katfishkris” who plays on this site lives in Omaha. You can PM him about a ftf game.


  • @Battlingmaxo:

    I believe “katfishkris” who plays on this site lives in Omaha. You can PM him about a ftf game.

    Yes, he does.  Why didn’t I think of that?


  • Me and katfishkris have been PMing and we are trying to line something up for after the first of the year. Can’t wait to play others and was hoping that there would be some more players in this area. I know that there has to be but maybe they are not on this site.


  • I got my first copy 4 years ago.  And have overplayed half my neighbors and most of my friends and now only have 1 who plays on a regular basis.  I was 13.  I LOVE AXIS AND ALLIES!!!  Can’t wait to get AAPacific 1940.


  • I was 12 or so, back in the late eighties, when I first saw A&A in the big wholesale store where I was with my dad. I immediately thought: wow, cool drawings on this box with Rommel and these battleships and soldiers. I was already interested in WW2 so I knew what I saw.

    I have played the game ever since, right up to A&A 50. Only thing is that I dont really know a lot of people who are willing to play with me. They always complain that the game takes too long or is too complicated to learn (whine whine whine). They also tend to go crazy with all the little figures falling and dropping and such. So I have only one friend that I actually play a lot with. He also ownes a few A&A versions. But a new opponent would be real cool to have one day. I’m 33 and live in the Netherlands.


  • koffie, a lot of folks actually play A&A (right up to AAP40) right here on axisandallies.org.  There is a “Play Boardgames” forum toward the bottom after you click “forums”.
    You will need to download a small set of computer files (called ABattlemap) to use as a map with pieces on it.

    Anyway, many of us A&A fans have the same problem you do.  You’re lucky, because you have one friend who plays with you.  I have zero.  However, I play several games of AA50 at a time online using this site, with nice people from all over the world, who have varying levels of skill.  Most of them are really good, because they’re dedicated enough to learn how to play A&A this way!

    I didn’t explain it very well, but I just wanted to make sure you realize that you could play A&A to your heart’s content if you delve into this site a little bit.  Also, there are plenty of people who frequent this site who would be happy to help you get to playing A&A this way.


  • Thank you Gamerman, for your kind words. I will try to find people on these forums to play with. I am also quite experienced and I am really looking forward to a good game.  :-)


  • @koffiekroft:

    Thank you Gamerman, for your kind words. I will try to find people on these forums to play with. I am also quite experienced and I am really looking forward to a good game.  :-)

    I could be that person (to play with).

    Start by looking at the thread just above this one (modules for ABattlemap).  There are short instructions for it and everything.


  • Well I just downloaded the Battlemap etc, but I couldnt find AA50 map. Do you know whether I am missing something. Perhaps we can do a game indeed, I look forward to it.


  • Koffie, I will start PM’g you so we’re not spamming the thread.

    Forgot to tell you, the AA50 module is separate.  I will PM you when I find it.


  • I started playing in 1986 while in the air force,  I lived off base because i had a family.  so friends would come over some weekends and we would play from friday night to sunday night with very little sleep  I just started playing again and love it…… cant believe i didnt play for some 8 years  glad to be back war gaming and dropping the dice, oh ya  I am new to the site and find it very useful

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