Axis & Allies Rules Comparison
This page compares the rules for the different versions of Axis & Allies (excluding Axis & Allies: Miniatures, as it is a completely different game). The Classic rules are for the unpublished 3rd edition, which were widely used for tournaments. The first & second editions of the Classic rules are not covered. The Iron Blitz computer game used the 3rd edition rules. The original Nova Games editions is not covered. This also reflects the second edition of A&A: Europe.
AA Guns
| Revised | Can fire at the enemy whenever overflown. Can stack AA guns but only 1 can fire. AA guns target specific aircraft. |
| Classic | Can fire during enemy combat movement. Can't stack AA. |
| Europe | Can fire during enemy combat movement. Can stack AA guns but only 1 can fire. |
| Pacific | Can fire during enemy combat movement. Can stack AA guns but only 1 can fire. |
| D-Day | Not used. Artillery fires at planes |
Air Bases
| Pacific | Air bases are marked on certain islands. Planes flying off bases receive 1 area bonus. It does not apply to aircraft flying to the island, regardless of side. |
Aircraft Carriers
| Revised | Costs 16. Fighters can be built directly on carriers. |
Classic Europe Pacific |
Costs 18. Fighters can't be built directly on carriers. |
Artillery
Revised Europe Pacific |
2-2-1. Costs 4. May pair with 1 infantry on attack, raising its attack to 2. |
| D-Day | 2-2-1. Costs 4. May pair with 1 infantry on attack, raising its attack to 2. Can shoot down air units on a 1. |
Battleships
| Revised | 2 hits to sink, repair immediately for free at end of battle. Bombardments take place before regular combat |
| Classic | 1 hit to sink. Bombardment occurs during first round. |
Europe Pacific |
2 hits to sink, repair immediately for free at end of battle. Bombardments take place before regular combat |
Blockhouses
| D-Day | Attack 3, Defend 1. No movement. May attack land units in adajcent sea zones. Chooses losses when attacking. |
Bomber
| D-Day | Attacks at 3. Chooses target. Unlimited movement. Can't end in an area with friendly units. |
| Others | 4-1-6. Can strategically bomb. |
Convoys
| Europe | They are captured like land areas. Only the original owner can draw income from them. |
| Pacific | They are captured like land areas. Only the original owner can draw income from them. If the convoy has no income, it controls the income of the named area. Income can only be drawn if the area and the convoy are controlled by the same side. |
Destroyers
| Revised | 3-3-2. Costs 12. Blocks all enemy submarine special abilities. No bombardment. |
Europe Pacific |
Costs 12. Blocks enemy submarine special abilities. Allows air units to attack submarines. Bombards at 2. |
Fighters
| Revised | 3-4-4. Cost 10. Not involved in strategic bombing. Can be built on adjacent carriers. |
| Classic | 3-4-4. Cost 12. Not involved in strategic bombing. Can't be build on adjacent carriers. |
| Europe | 3-4-4. Cost 12. Can escort & attack strategic bombers. (Escorts fire at 1, interceptors at 2). Can't be built on adjacent carriers. |
| Pacific | 3-4-4. Cost 12. Can escort & attack strategic bombers. (Escorts fire at 1, interceptors at 2). May make a non-combat move to an adjacent sea zone if no other movement made that turn. Will land at beginning of your next turn. Can't be built on adjacent carriers. |
| D-Day | Do not attack during your combat phase. Instead moving it to an area. An enemy unit that moves in or out is attacked at a 1. Each fighter gets a shot at each enemy. Can only be attacked by artillery (at a 1). |
First Turn Rules
| Classic | The Russians can't attack on the first turn. |
| Pacific | Allied forces defend at 1 (except Chinese) |
Industrial Complex
| Revised | Can only build a number of units equal to its income. Can't be built in 0 value areas. |
| Classic | Original industrial complexes can build any number of units. IC's built during the game can only build a number of units equal to its income. Can build 1 unit in 0 value areas. |
Europe Pacific D-Day |
Unlimited builds. No new complexes. |
Lend-lease
| Europe | During the Soviet non-combat move phase, he may convert Allied units in his territories with Industrial Complexes to Soviet. |
Marines
| Pacific | Costs 4. Receives a +1 on amphibious attacks. Cumulative with artillery bonus. |
Middle East
| Europe | Germans collect income from captured Middle East areas directly from an Allied Player. The Allied player chooses who. |
Naval Bases
| Pacfic | Naval units can move 3 during non-combat movement, if naval bases are in both the starting and ending areas. The island must be controlled for each base. Newly captured areas are fine |
Neutrals
| Classic | Can be invaded for 3 IPC's. |
Revised Europe Pacific |
Impassable |
Order of Player
Revised Classic |
USSR-Germany-UK-Japan-USA |
| Europe | Germany-USSR-UK-USA |
| Pacific | Japan-UK-USA |
| D-Day | Germany-UK-US |
Retreat
Revised Europe Pacific |
Attackers can retreat after any combat round, except for land units in an amphibious invasion. Defending subs can retreat after any combat round. |
| Classic | Attackers can retreat after any combat round, except for units in an amphibious invasion. Defending subs can retreat after any combat round. |
| D-Day | 1 round of combat per turn. No retreats. Land units in contested areas can't move. |
Stacking
Revised Classic Europe Pacific |
Unlimited |
| D-Day | 8 land units per side per area. 4 fighters per area. No limit on bombers or blockhouses. |
Submarine
| Revised | Submarines fire during opening fire, on attack or defense. May submerge after round of combat. Can move through enemy sea zones without fighting. An enemy destroyer negates all these abilities (it fires in regular combat). |
| Classic | First fire on attack. Can retreat after any round of combat. |
| Europe | First fire on attack. Can retreat or submerge after any round of combat. Destroyers negate submarine first fire. Air units can only attack subs if destroyers are present. |
| Pacific | First fire on attack. Can retreat or submerge after any round of combat. |
Tank Defense
| Revised | Defend at 3 |
Classic Europe Pacific |
Defend at 2 |
| D-Day | Axis defend at 3, Allied Defend at 2 |
Transports
| Revised | Can carry 1 infantry + 1 other land unit. Can load if submerged sub present. |
| Classic | Can carry 2 infantry or 1 other land unit. (Subs can't submerge) |
Europe Pacific |
Can carry 1 armor or 2 other land units. Can't load load if submerged sub present. |
Victory Conditions
| Revised | Hold 9 victory cities at the end a complete turn. (The number can be varied). |
| Classic | Take 2 enemy capitals. In addition, the Axis can win by holding 84 points of income at the end of a turn. |
| Europe | Take any enemy capital. |
| Pacific | Japan scores 1 VP for every 10 points of income (less strategic bombing losses). Bid for VP level for victory. |
| D-Day | Allies win by having an uncontested control of all 3 objective cities for an entire turn by turn 10. |