I may be late to the party… I wasn’t playing A&A in 2008… but if A&A 50th Anniversary Edition came out in 2008… what 50 years anniversary was it celebrating? What Axis and Allies event took place in 1958? I always thought the original A&A game (well the first appearance of it’s current format with plastic miniatures and stuff) was 1984. I guess 50th Anniversary Edition sounds better than 24th Anniversary Edition?
If it’s being reprinted this year with errata data included, maybe they should reprint it as the “Axis and Allies 33rd Anniversary Edition”.
EDIT: Yeah ^^^ what he said.
Pretty sure it was to celebrate Avalon Hill’s 50th anniversary. Not Axis & Allies. Though calling it AA50 is a little confusing in that regard.
Yeah, well that’s a really weak link there… you assume an anniversary edition of a game relates TO THAT GAME not the company that didn’t even invent the game (they bought it from Milton Bradley who bought it from someone else).
If in 2008 they launched a game called “Avalon Hill The Game: 50th Anniversary Edition”, then that would be better marketing… but 1958 has nothing to do with the game, WWII, the Axis, the Allies or anything relating to A&A at all. Talk about reaching for a marketing gimmick out of a hat…
I say 33rd Anniversary Edition for the reprint (*with errata)
And here’s the announcement on the Avalon Hill website:
http://avalonhill.wizards.com/games/axis-and-allies/anniversary-edition
THE MOST CELEBRATED AXIS & ALLIES EDITION IS BACK!
Upon its release nearly a decade ago, the Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition became an instant classic! Now this deluxe board game designed by Larry Harris, returns with rulebook updates and streamlined gameplay.With over 650 playing pieces including the largest board ever created for an A&A game, this beloved board game is a must have for the strategy gamer enthusiast.
@CWO:
And here’s the announcement on the Avalon Hill website:
http://avalonhill.wizards.com/games/axis-and-allies/anniversary-edition
THE MOST CELEBRATED AXIS & ALLIES EDITION IS BACK!
Upon its release nearly a decade ago, the Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition became an instant classic! Now this deluxe board game designed by Larry Harris, returns with rulebook updates and streamlined gameplay.With over 650 playing pieces including the largest board ever created for an A&A game, this beloved board game is a must have for the strategy gamer enthusiast.
Thank you for digging this up for us
And here’s a comparison of the original and new boxes. Note that the original one included the number “50”, in reference to the actual anniversary in question, whereas the new one (appropriately) does not, in order to distinguish the two versions.
The info released by Avalon Hill also confirms that, sculpt-wise, the reprint has either exactly the same number or almost the same number as the original one. The reprint box says “600+” playing pieces. The text on the AH webpage for the reprint is a little higher (“With over 650 playing pieces”). Page 5 of the original rulebook (http://www.axisandallies.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Axis-Allies-50th-Anniversary.pdf) gives the precise figure for the original game as “Plastic Miniatures: 672 Total”.
Also note from the box comparison: the original version was dated Spring 1942 but the new version is dated Spring 1941.
Marc, my original version says: 1941.
@wittmann:
Marc, my original version says: 1941.
Interesting. The Anniversary box in the top picture I posted above says Spring 1942.
Do you not own one? Maybe Avalon Hill, themselves, got mixed up.
@wittmann:
Do you not own one? Maybe Avalon Hill, themselves, got mixed up.
I own one, but it’s at home and I’m at the office at the moment. But I’ve noticed that this picture says 1941…
http://www.axisandallies.org/resources-downloads/box-50th/
…so I’m puzzled about the box differences for the original.
It is the mistake of whomever made up the page. I cannot imagine they will change the start date , as there are two set ups. As you said, it will be the Anniversary mention that will have to be amended, somehow.
My box says “1941”, too. There have been both - “1941” and “1942” - box-versions sold.
Also, on BGG you can see images of as well 1941 as 1942 boxes of the Anniversary Edition.
@P@nther:
My box says “1941”, too. There have been both - “1941” and “1942” - box-versions sold.
Also, on BGG you can see images of as well 1941 as 1942 boxes.
Thanks for the info, which clears up the mystery. Much appreciated.
@wittmann:
Marc, my original version says: 1941.
Mine also says 1941
Here’s an updated version of the box comparison picture that includes both versions of the original box.
There actually are not two different versions of the original box floating around. The “1942” image was released as an advance announcement and is of a prototype. All of the production boxes say “1941”. BGG has the prototype version of the box as its main image, which is very confusing. It has led more than one person to question whether a copy of AA50 being sold online is authentic. I have asked them several times to change it to the production version, and they have done so every time, but then someone else (presumably the person that uploaded the prototype image) asks them to change it back again.
Brilliant. Thank you, Krieghund.
Yes, it was fascinating to learn this bit of behind-the-scenes information. The situation Krieghund describes sounds a bit like what happens in the movie industry when an upcoming film’s trailer – assembled while the film is still in post-production – includes a scene that was shot during production but which ultimately ends up on the cutting room during the editing process before the actual release. This can create confusion and disappointment for people who first saw the trailer and then see the released film and react by thinking, “Hey, wait a minute…wasn’t there supposed to be a scene where such-and-such happens?”
Wow! I just came across this news today. I have always wanted a “real” copy of this game, and now it seems that I will be able to get one!
