There are few new details about the rules in Axis & Allies Europe 1940 as compared to Axis & Allies Pacific 1940. Particularly interesting are the rule regarding neutrality. In this preview I will list out the pertinent rules that will give you a flavor of the new game. When the rules are the same I will reference the preview article for Pacific 1940.

 

Order of Play

  1. Germany
  2. Soviet Union
  3. United Kingdom
  4. Italy
  5. United States
  6. France

Victory Conditions

The victory conditions in Axis & Allies Europe 1940 are different for the Allies versus the Axis. The Axis win the game if the control 8 victory cities for a full round as long as they control Rome and Berlin. The Allies win by controlling Berlin and Rome as long as they control at least one of the four Allied capitals (Washington, Paris, London, or Moscow).

Game Board Rules

The Sahara Desert and the Pripet Marshes are impassable by all units.

Sardinia and Sicily are in the same sea zone but are considered different territories.

The rules for the western hemisphere regarding canals and straights have changed in important ways over other versions of the game. It reamins the same that you must control the territory at the start of your turn to pass through. The ability to pass through particular straights and canals is defined as follows:

Suez Canal: must control Egypt and Trans-Jordan
Panama Canal: must control Central America
Turkish Straights: must control Turkey
Straight of Gibraltar: must control Gibraltar
Danish Straights: must control Denmark

The Political Situation

The political situation in Axis & Allies Europe 1940 is a little more complicated than Pacific 1940.

Before a power that starts the game “neutral,” like the United States and the Soviet Union, there are a few special rules.

  • Cannot move into or fly over neutral territories.
  • Cannot move into territories controlled by any other power.
  • May not use aircraft carriers, transports, naval bases, nor air bases that belong to another power
  • Does not block naval movements of other powers and may occupy the same sea zones as another power. USA can be in the same sea zone as UK or even Germany while not at war./li>
  • Cannot attack a territory of a power with which it is not at war.
  • If a power attacks a sea zone that contains both units from a power with which it is at war and from a power with which it is not at war, the units not at war to not participate in the battle and war will not result.
  • Declarations of war must happen at the beginning of the combat move phase before any combat movements are made.

Germany:

  • At war with France and UK
  • May declare war on the United States or the Soviet Union at the begining of the Combat Move phase of any of its turns.
  • Declaring war on the Soviet Union does not cause Germany to go to war with USA and vice versa.

Soviet Union:

  • Does not start the game at war.
  • May not declare war until its 4th turn. On the 4th turn the Soviet Union may or may not decide to declare war.
  • While the Soviet Union is at war, place 2 infantry units in Novosibirsk during every Deploy Units phase as long as other units are deployed during that phase.
  • Before turn 4, may declare war on any Axis power if an Axis power declares war on it first. If Germany declares war on the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union can declare war on Italy.

United Kingdom:

  • At war with Germany and Italy

Italy:

  • At war with France and UK
  • May declare war on the United States or the Soviet Union at the begining of the Combat Move phase of any of its turns.
  • Declaring war on the Soviet Union does not cause Germany to go to war with USA and vice versa.

United States:

  • Does not start the game at war.
  • Before the 3rd turn may not declare war on an Axis power unless an Axis power declares war on it first.
  • May declare war on any Axis power at the beginning of the Collect Income phase of turn 3 or anytime after.
  • When the United States is at war, it collects an extra 30 IPCs per turn. This happens at the end of turn 3 or earlier if an Axis power declares war on it.

France:

  • Starts at war with Germany and Italy
  • If the France territory is liberated, place 4 French infantry units, for free, in that territory. This can only be done once per game.

Neutrality Rules

There are three types of neutrality: friendly, unfriendly, and strict.

Friendly Neutrals
These territories are listed as either Pro-Axis or Pro-Allies. A Pro-Axis neutral is friendly to Axis powers and a Pro-Allies neutral is friendly to Allied powers. You may not attack, move through, or fly over a friendly neutral. During the non-combat movement phase, a power may move into a friendly neutral. This action places control with the friendly power that moved in, production moves up the amount of the territory, and the army is activated by placing the number of units specified on the territory in the territory using the friendly powers pieces.

Unfriendly Neutrals
A power may only move into an unfriendly neutral territory to attack it so it is considered a combat movement. By moving into the territory the army is activated and and a battle ensues. In order to capture the unfriendly neutral territory, the army must be defeated. If the invader wins, their gain control of the territory, and their production goes up by the amount on the territory. If the attack fails, the territory becomes allied with the side with which they are friendly. The territory must still be claimed by a friendly in the same manner as if it were a friendly neutral.

Strict Neutrals
These territories can only be controlled by either the Axis or Allied powers attacking them. When attacked, the number of units defending the neutral is listed on the territory. This is important: initiating an attack on a strict neutral by any side will result in all other strict neutrals to become Pro-Axis (if attacked by an Allied power) or Pro-Allies (if attacked by an Axis power).

Collect Income Phase

If you purchased to many units and cannot place them all, then place what you can and return the others. You will receive a refund for all units returned.

And the Rest …

The remaining rules regarding units, combat, movement, naval bases, air bases, industrial complexes, strategic bombing, scramble, and convoys are the same as Axis & Allies Pacific 1940.