Axis and Allies Pacific 1940 2nd Edition

The best way to play axis and allies in my opinion. Large board (appears to be 6 feet when combined with the European 2nd edition) that is very nice when compared to some of the more cramped versions. The mechanized infantry and tactical bomber are well suited additions.The game is different from other versions I've played in that not all countries are immediately at war, which allows for some more interesting strategies. In addition to that, the national objectives add more value to maintaining certain areas that would have been ignored in other versions. The ability to attack or call neutral countries into the war is another interesting addition that can allow some interesting strategies as well, such as taking over Spain and invading Germany from there. The Dutch territories in the Pacific give a nice bonus to the ANZAC and Brits if they can maintain a presence, but also draw the eyes of Japan. I feel that the British, ANZAC, and China are put in an unfortunate position against Japan, which can make play frustrating as ANZAC has very few IPCs to work with and must hope that Japan ignores them until they can present a threat.Overall I think the game is pretty well balanced but the Axis, particularly Japan might be too powerful as they can easily claim all of China and sweep through Russian from there and above, which puts the US player in a terrible position where they must fully commit to one side of the board. This is only really applicable when you're playing against an experienced Axis player. My experience was basically limping along beating a fighting retreat as the allies aside from the US and ANZAC. Also France is a nice feature but may not get a chance the whole game unless the US focuses on Germany and Italy before Japan.

If you love playing Axis & Allies 1942 second edition, you will enjoy this product even more. The board itself is larger than the 1942 second edition and the pieces are slightly larger. Also the political setting at the start of the game is a lot more complex with only Japan and China at war with each other at the start. Japan starts the game off with a large military advantage and can use that to muscle China and the UK around in the early rounds of the game. The Australian-New Zealand forces can help delay Japan's navy but due to the limited amount they can produce each turn, are not too big a factor. The variety of pieces and added complexity makes the game feel brand new. There are also new rules such as convey disruption zones and KamiKaze zones near the Japanese mainland. New pairings for pieces also changes the strategy that you might employ when buying pieces. The turn order is a lot different too. In previous version you would alternate between allied and axis forces. In this version Japan goes first, followed by the US, China, UK, and finally Australia-New Zealand forces. With Japan having the most military might and production credits at the start you may want to consider not having the strongest player using Japan. This version of the game also introduces national objectives in where you will receive additional IPC for completing/maintaining those objectives.Game play length when compared to the 1942 version will generally be about the same due to more nations now being involved in the turn order.I would highly recommend purchasing this game together with Axis & Allies 1940 Europe. Bear in mind that you will probably want to have a large enough table/floor space as the combined game board will most likely not fit on your living room table.

To fans of the Axis & Allies game board series but don't have the 2nd editions:I've been play A&A since 1986; I have 4 previous versions of A&A that I thoroughly enjoyed. But, this game combined with Axis & Allies Europe 1940 Second Edition is superior to the other games. The positives about this game:* Set in 1940 for the "Political Situations" of that time period.* United Kingdom is split into two different powers, UK and ANZAC.* China still represented and now with the ability to buy artillery.* Bonus IPCs for meeting objectives.* Larger game board with additional territories / sea zones.* Technology advancements / break through for game pieces are backNew Game Pieces:* Naval bases & Air bases* AAA guns* 2-hit Battleships and now the same for the Air Craft Carries.* Mechanized Infantry* Tactical Bombers* Minor & Major ComplexesNew / Updated Rules* Scrambled Fighters* Amphibious Assaults* Bombing Raids* Surprise Attack Submarines* Neutral Countries as Pro-Axis Power or Pro-Allied Power or Strict Neutrals* When / How to declare War if a Neutral Power (U.S.) & for countries at war in European theater but not yet in Pacific (UK, ANZAC)* Battleship / Air Craft Carrier repairsNegatives:* Fewer dice come with the game compared to older versions* No IPC certificates (Paper Money)I have enjoyed adapting / plotting strategy while playing this game. It really makes you think about what you are doing if you want to be successful against your opponents. It plays well with several people involved. Overall I give it two thumbs up!

Great Product