The newest upcoming installment of Axis & Allies will be Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 and is scheduled to be released sometime in December, with the exact date to be determined. This game promises to be an improvement over the previous version of Axis & Allies Pacific and will also include new units and game mechanics. Furthermore, according to creator Larry Harris, this game will be able to be combined with the upcoming, June 2010, Axis & Allies Europe 1940.

Some exciting highlights of this game are:

  • Tactical bombers
  • Mechanized infantry
  • ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand) forces
  • Kamizaze attacks
  • Air bases

In the remainder of this article we include the official photos as well as some grainy ones from a board game convention. We also have the details from the official announcement as well as information gathered by members of our forums.

The following information has been officially released by Avalon Hill on their product web page for Axis & Allies Pacific 1940:

Axis & Allies celebrates 25 years of strategy war gaming with the release of a deluxe theater-level game in December 2009. Axis & Allies Pacific 1940, designed and developed by Larry Harris, will utilize the updated rules established in A&A Anniversary Edition. Two new combat units will debut in this game, Tactical Bombers and Mechanized Infantry. Australia and New Zealand, joined together as the ANZAC forces, will debut as a new playable ally. China will field more forces than ever before, but will need all the help they can get from their allies the United States, ANZAC and the UK to withstand the might of Imperial Japan.

Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 will feature an oversized board that measures 35” wide by 32” high. With over 450 pieces, deluxe game components and local storage boxes, this game will raise the standard established by A&A Anniversary Edition. All new rules for neutral nations, naval & air bases, kamikaze attacks and convoy disruption will add even more depth and historical accuracy to this giant game.

Pacific 1940 details:

  • Deluxe version of Axis & Allies Pacific originally released in 2001
  • Stand alone game that can also combine with A&A Europe 1940
  • Two new combat units: tactical bombers and mechanized infantry
  • New power: ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand forces)
  • Updated A&A rules as debuted in Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition

Next, we have some photos of the map thanks to Squirecam for taking these photos:

In the forums, we have an ongoing fact sheet for Axis & Allies Europe and Pacific 1940. As part of the fact sheet thread, there are cites to the sources of the information. The following is the most recent incarnation of the fact sheet for Axis & Allies Pacific 1940. Thanks to Imperious Leader for reformating this so that it includes mostly just AAP40 information.

AAE40 Fact Sheet

Components:
Mechanized Infantry: 1-2-2-4 unit represented with half-tracks.

Dive Bomber (Fighter-Bomber):3-3-4-11 unit. A couple of examples of the different aircraft represented… the Japanese Val, the American Avenger, the British Mosquito, and … the Russian IL2.

The revised status is this: Air Superiority… Fighters matched up with Fighter-bombers. Increases the fighter- bomber’s attack number from 3 to 4. This same aircraft can also be matched up with tanks during land battles and attack at 4.

Now you can assume that carriers take 2 hits.
Tanks are now 3-3-2-6 units.

Very large map (something comparable to AA50). Larry says that “when you combine the two maps…” leading the suspicion that the two games are linkable into what latter posts have it as 30 x 70 inches wide! Completely new map lay out with many more territories and many more sea zones are found in these versions.

Unique French infantry pieces (blue color) Infantry will have a unique sculpt, while tanks, and non-infantry will use existing sculpts from other players (mostly using allied sculpts). France has its own national tokens.

Regarding its starting positions, France gets its historical colonies in the AAP game (French Indo-China and New Hebrides) It has its own dedicated colored units.

ANZAC Infantry are represented and can be played an additional allied player.

Canada is represented with its own national tokens

Neutral Armies (may or may not involve more than just infantry). Their standing armies will be listed on the map and appear should they be attacked. Neutral territories will be represented on the map in one of 3 possible colors. The specific color depends on their neutrality status.

Ports are in the game (it is not clear if they are tokens, fixed on the map or pieces) Ships in them can move 3 spaces.

Air bases are in the game (it is not clear if they are tokens, fixed on the map or pieces), An island can launch aircraft (fighters and fighter-bombers to its surrounding sea zone and attack or defend in a battle if the island has an airbase.

The game has 2 types of factories. Factories can no longer be built on small islands. The exceptions are: Australia, England and Japan.

Naval bases, factories and airbases now each have their own air defense.

AA guns are restricted to protecting land units only.

Fighter Escort/Interceptor optional rules from AA50 are included as optional rules in these games.

Neutrals are in this version. They can be swayed to either Axis or Allied minor partners. Some will be aligned toward each side or completely neutral.

As the controlling Japanese player you decide when and how to attack the United States/ UK players.

Kamikazes are in the game.

These games will not feature techs, but when the games are linked into what Larry calls “the global game” he will allow these rules and provide for them.

NO’s are in these games however.

Victory conditions will be based on Victory Cities and capturing of capitals.

The following nations are considered ‘full nations’ in terms that they have an income and a national economy of which can build units in the traditional manner. These are:

US
Russia
China
Australia/New Zealand (ANZAC)
Japan

Damaged Battleships and Carriers must return to a friendly naval base when damaged in order to repair, (if they want to be repaired). Damaged carrier’s can’t land or launch aircraft when in a damaged state…

All the Canadian Provinces are represented. They are controlled by the British player, however the ANZAC forces in AAP40 have a different status due to its relative power and influence in the region. Canada would probably prove to be too small a power and there really is no need to have another Allied player represented in the Europe game.

China:

1)There are now 12 territories that China starts with and potentially there are 18 territories that China can control. Each generating 2 IPCs (exception (there always is one)) Manchuria is worth 3 IPCs.

2) Flying Tigers air unit must stay within China. They are starting in a spot with 4 Chinese infantry…so they won’t get destroyed on Japans first turn.

3) While Burma Road is open, the Chinese can purchase artillery.

4) In AAP40 China has its own economy, makes it own purchases, moves it own units. Being exactly like the other powers, in turn sequence, it will place its new units, purchased with IPCs generated by territories controlled by China. These new units can be placed on any Chinese territory that is free of Japanese forces.

5) China collects a bonus of 6 IPCs each turn the Burma Road is open.

6) Chinese units are placed, during China’s Mobilize New Units phase 5 and collects income during phase 6

Starting IPC count

Austrailia: 9
Canada: 2
China: 12 (+6 burma road)
French: 2
Japan: 26
Netherlands: 11
Soviet Union: 9
United Kingdom: 18
United States: 17/57

AAP40 is coming out this Christmas 2009.

Multiple victory conditions – Nope, not VPs only. This must be one of those misunderstanding that everyone is always talking about. I never said that.
The fact is, Japan loses the game only by be occupied. Japan wins the game by acquiring 6 of the 8 VCs on the board.

No VP per round…

Sub stalling… As in Anniversary you can either pass through a sub or attack it if you have a DD.

There are convoy zones. They are a bit different from any prior system. I’ll be talking about them in time.

There are fighter escorts and interceptors during bombing raids.

Surprise… there is no surprise. The game starts 19 months before the historical Pearl Harbor date. The Japanese would have to sneak up really slow for that to happen. With the game starting in 1940 there is not even a fleet based at Pearl yet. That didn’t happen until I think some time in May ’41. Nonetheless, at some point there probably will be an attack on Pear Harbor. The US has to, for strategical and logical reasons, move their fleet to Hawaii. Now all you have to do is find somebody to play with that has no knowledge of the fact that there was a Pearl Harbor attack. Boy, will they be surprised!

As for Tech… Weapon technology will only occur in the uber game (combined Europe and Pacific.

Of course there will be kamikazes – how could you have any fun if there weren’t any kamikazes… It’s a laugh a minute…

Cruisers and Battleships can bombard… The number of ships capable of bombarding cannot exceed the number of ground units attacking. I guess you want unlimited bombardment, right?

American Split IPCs in the combined game – this will be the case.

There will be limited builds per factory… Actually there will be two types (or sizes) of factories. Major – can produce 10 units per turn minus any damage they have received. Minor – can build 3 units per turn minus damage. Factories (Industrial Complexes) cannot be built on islands (Japan and Australian exceptions). You will not be building many Major factories – they cost 30 IPCs each. Minor ICs cost 12. They each have their own AA gun defense systems built in. A minor IC can only be build on a territory with an IPC offering of 2 or more… a major requires 3 or more.

Two types of factories. Major and minor.
Major produces up to 10 units. Can only be built on a territory with an IPC value of 3 or higher (not too many of these out there – especially in AAP – With the exception of Manchuria there are no none in fact).
Minor factories can only be built on territories with an IPC income of 2 or higher. No factory can be built on an island – Exceptions – Japan and Australia (Which are not really considered islands and already have factories anyway). In a nutshell… There will not be a lot of new factories popping up in AAP40. As for bombers appearing in Sydney… it can happen, but in a (somewhat) limited manner.

Naval bases, factories and airbases now each have their own air defense. AA guns are restricted to protecting land units only.

An island can launch aircraft (fighters and Tactical bombers) to its surrounding sea zone and attack or defend in a battle if the island has an airbase. They also allow air units taking off from them to move one extra space.