Anniversary edition reprint announced at Origins?

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!

Well at least there wasn’t a prototype version that says “Spring 1941: and there is peace in our time! 50th Anniversary Chamberlain Edition”

@Wolfshanze:

Well at least there wasn’t a prototype version that says “Spring 1941: and there is peace in our time! 50th Anniversary Chamberlain Edition”

That would probably have been called the “Munich 1938 Edition.”  One interesting feature of such a game would have been the inclusion of Spain as a player nation fighting against itself.