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World War Board Games

World War board games constitute any board game depicting a global conflict̵2;typically centered around World War II, but not always. They utilize strategy and tactics skills, as player attempt to outmaneuver each other and claim total victory. Two of the most famous board games ever designed are world war board games, but many others exist, some known only to small groups of board game enthusiasts.

Risk
- The great-granddaddy of world war board games is "Risk," first created in 1957 as "Conquest of the World." It divides the globe into a series of territories controlled by a player. Each territory holds a certain number of armies, and players gain additional armies based on the number of territories they hold. They can move armies into enemy territories on their turn, with battles resolved by rolling dice. The winner is the player who seizes control of every territory on the board. Strategy in "Risk" is simple and luck is often involved. The publishers of "Risk" have produced numerous variants, including versions based on the "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings" movies.
Axis & Allies
- While "Risk" retains a Napoleonic feel, "Axis & Allies" is specifically based on World War II. Players take control of one of the five great powers of the war̵2;Germany, Great Britain, Japan, the United States and the Soviet Union̵2;struggling for dominance and survival. The game first appears in 1981, and has since become as much of a classic as "Risk." Players attack and maneuver with different pieces̵2;representing tanks, infantry, naval vessels and war planes̵2;which each have different costs and abilities. Like the real World War II, the players must work in conjunction with their allies̵2;Germany with Japan and the U.S., the Soviet Union and Great Britain together̵2;to achieve final victory. Expansion sets and variants focus on different aspects of the war, such as the Pacific or the European front.
A World at War
- Less well known than games such as "Risk" or "Axis & Allies," "A World at War" constitutes a fairly complicated take on World War II. First published in 2003, it combines two earlier games̵2;"Advanced Third Reich" and "Empire of the Sun"̵2;to create a comprehensive World War II simulation. While other games focus largely on the military aspects of the conflict, "A World at War" also brings in elements of diplomacy, espionage, technological research and economic might. Every major power has distinct victory conditions and while players are usually expected to adhere to real-world allegiances, individual winners can be determined depending on how well they play.

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