Axis & Allies: Pacific 1940

The deluxe Pacific War from 1940: Japan against the Allies, dice, bombers and a very big board.

Designer: Larry Harris, Jr.
Published by: Avalon Hill
Editions by: Hasbro, Renegade Game Studios, Game Harbor, Wizards of the Coast

A giant, six-hour slab of the Pacific War in 1940. Japan has expansion on its mind, the United States and Britain have to hold the line, and China fields more forces than ever but needs allied help to survive. Newcomers include the ANZAC forces of Australia and New Zealand, plus tactical bombers and mechanized infantry. You buy units, move them, fight with dice, move again, mobilize new forces and collect income. It is the deluxe 25th-anniversary take on the Axis & Allies theater system, played on an oversized board you will need a big table for. Rules are manageable, the length is the real commitment. Two to four players, aged twelve and up.

Oversized Pacific mapNew ANZAC faction, tactical bombers, mechanized infantryCombinable with Europe 1940

Who it's for

You and two or three friends like grand historical wargames and are happy to clear a day for a Pacific campaign.

Not for you if…

You want a short evening or little table space. It takes about six hours and a very large board.

Vibe's take

Long, grand and dramatic. Early turns are about building up and positioning, then the dice start deciding battles and the whole table leans over the map.