Finally Got a Copy of AA Nova Edition!

So crazy, I was at PacifiCon this past weekend when a friend reminded me that the game auction was about to begin. I was right in the middle of Variable’s giant Midway AA War at Sea Miniature battle when I decided to head on over to see what they had. When I walked into the room, the bidding had begun with about a dozen or so older looking tile games on the auction table. Curiously, I waited around for a while to see what was being auctioned off. Games I’ve never heard of; “The Five Wars,” some magazine’s from the 80’s with unpunched tile games in them, and some giant KS Marvel boxed monstrosity of a game, mostly garbage if you ask me.

Two or three times I tried to leave but something, I don’t know what was keeping me there.  After that big Marvel game was gone, only one game remained. I couldn’t tell what it was until the auctioner held that beutiful box high; the 1981 Nova Edition! I couldn’t believe it, I’ve never been in a live auction and not at all prepaired to bid. Mentally counting the cash in my pocket, I raised my hand and said “One Dollar.” Another guy said $10 so with the juice flowing, right then and there I knew I wasn’t leaving without it so I said $12. The rest was kinda blurry but once the bidding reached $25, my bid of $30 was enough to take her home!

Later, talking to the dude I was bidding against said he had a copy but with a dingy old box so he was looking to replace it. Earlier in the day, I bought an unpunched copy of AA revised 2004 with the celery UK pieces from him at the Con flea market so he knew I was an AA fan. Lucky for me I walked over there or else I would have missed this awesome opportunity to complete my Axis and Allies collection, thanks for letting me rant.

Yea Witt, this game was made my “Lawrence Harris,” haha. Same game engine as the AA game we know today, the money values are $100, $500, and $1000 and the map is just an early genesis of the maps we’ve all been familiar with. The game is played with cardboard tiles instead of plastic pieces. The six original dice were also included. After I inventoried everything, the only piece that’s missing is one of the tiny US markers, pretty good for being 33 years old, I don’t think the previous owner played this game more then once.

One of the Weapons Develpment choices is the atomic bomb. That, along with the swastika’s have since been removed from later editions for obviously tasteful reasons. Other then that, the game is just a skeleton of the MB game, same units with the same attack and defense values.

Your right ME, this game will most likely never see my table, just my AA collection shelf in my shed. I like you just couldn’t stomach the $60 plus asking price on eBay. The way the adrenaline was flowing at the auction however, I may have paid $1000, haha.