Fact or Fiction: Axis & Allies

Nations whose armies you can control in Axis & Allies include Finland, Brazil and Egypt.

Fact

Fiction

The primary nations depicted in Axis & Allies are Germany, Japan, Russia, Britain and the U.S. Some versions of the game allow players to control French, Chinese, Italian and ANZAC forces as well.

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Because they're so weak, there's no point in building infantry units.

Fact

Fiction

Infantry units are relatively weak, but they're also very inexpensive and effective at defending territories. It's impossible to win without them.

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Aircraft have the longest range of all the units in the game.

Fact

Their long ranges make aircraft powerful, but very expensive. Their primary benefit is their ability to strike territories behind enemy lines, or make attacks from protected territories far from the dangerous front.

Fiction

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You win a game of Axis & Allies by destroying every unit owned by your opponents, wiping them off the board utterly.

Fact

Fiction

Victory in Axis & Allies is determined by control of a certain number of victory cities, depending on the length of game you want to play.

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Axis & Allies was created by a German game designer.

Fact

Fiction

Axis & Allies was designed by American Larry Harris, although he was living in France when he first developed the game.

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Axis & Allies is a classic game because the rules are exactly the same today as when the game was first designed, more than 30 years ago.

Fact

Fiction

The rules have been updated and revised numerous times over the games' publication history, using information from thousands of play sessions to fix rules that weren't working or made the game less fun.

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Axis & Allies begins in 1942, almost halfway through the war.

Fact

At the game's start in 1942, the Axis was at the height of its power; this allows the player controlling Japan and the U.S. to immediately jump into the action. Some variants, such as 1940 Europe and 1940 Pacific, start the game earlier and restrict hostilities for several turns.

Fiction

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Axis & Allies was originally released by a small, independent game publisher.

Fact

Milton Bradley purchased Axis & Allies several years after the original release.

Fiction

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Units in the game are purchased with play money, in the form of U.S. dollars.

Fact

Fiction

The in-game currency is the IPC, or International Production Certificate, which represents economic and industrial power.

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Every territory in the world belongs to either the Axis ot the Allies at the start of the game.

Fact

Fiction

There are many neutral territories on the map. They don't belong to any faction, and cannot be conquered.

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Allied nations can stage joint attacks.

Fact

Fiction

You can only attack on your own turn, so two nations can never join their units together for a single attack.

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Battles last until one side is wiped out, or until the attacker calls off the attack.

Fact

Defenders can't retreat, but if things are going badly the attacker can withdraw units into friendly territories.

Fiction

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Unit attack and defense values can change depending on what other units are present.

Fact

Infantry, for example, are stronger when attacking with artillery.

Fiction

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There's no way to change your units' abilities.

Fact

Fiction

Weapons research gives players the ability to spend IPCs and possibly develop advanced military technologies like increased aircraft range or more powerful submarines.

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In terms of their abilities, all the units in the game are the same from nation to nation.

Fact

German infantry units have the same statistics as American, Russian and British infantry (even though the miniatures might look different). There are optional rules that give the nations functional differences, however.

Fiction

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The best strategy is reactive, producing new units when they're needed and moving units from place to place as the war shifts.

Fact

Fiction

While you do need to be flexible, building and moving units can take several turns, so you need to plan ahead and have units prepared and in place ahead of time.

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Different territories generate different amounts of IPCs, making some worth more than others.

Fact

High-value territories can provide a boost to your economy -- if you can hold them. They're usually so hotly contested that you end up losing more IPC in casualties than you gain.

Fiction

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Axis & Allies is a historically accurate representation of World War II.

Fact

Fiction

There are many historically accurate aspects to Axis & Allies, but many things have to be simplified or abstracted to keep the game understandable (and playable within a few hours). Some historical inaccuracies are also needed to keep the different nations balanced.

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In recent editions, the miniatures that represent U.S. bombers are B-17s, made famous by movies like "Memphis Belle."

Fact

The distinctive four-engine B-17 is easily recognizable, even at such a small scale. The British bomber depicted is the Handley Page Halifax, while the German bomber is the Junkers Ju-88.

Fiction

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Units in Axis & Allies represent specific historical units.

Fact

Fiction

Tank and infantry units in the game represent thousands or even tens of thousands of individual soldiers. Naval units come close by representing a certain class of vessel, but the miniatures aren't specific.

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Fact or Fiction: Axis & Allies

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