Axis & Allies: 1942 Second Edition review

Axis & Allies: 1942 Second Edition is the classic multiplayer World War II board game, now sold by Renegade Game Studios at $75. It is set in spring 1942, the high-water mark of Axis expansion, with Germany and Japan facing the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States. Each player commands both an army and a wartime economy, buying units and resolving battles across a 40 x 26 inch board. The box has 410 plastic pieces, 100 national control markers, 12 industrial complex markers and six dice, and Renegade says the rulebook and reference cards were updated from the errata and FAQs. It takes 2 to 5 players aged 12 and up and runs 3 to 4 hours. That length, and combat decided by dice, make it a heavier evening than Memoir '44. Players who want a bigger map can step up to the Anniversary Edition at $130 for 2 to 6 players.

Who it is for

Groups of up to five who want a classic world war

Price

$75 direct from Renegade Game Studios.

Axis & Allies: 1942 Second Edition Axis & Allies MSRP: Was: Now: $75.00
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Five powers: Germany and Japan against the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States
• 410 plastic pieces
• 40 x 26 inch game board
• Command both military forces and a wartime economy
• Updated rulebook and reference cards based on errata and FAQs

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Seats 2 to 5 players
• Strength: Sold direct by Renegade Game Studios at $75
• Strength: Rulebook can be downloaded from the Renegade product page
• Weakness: Listed at 3 to 4 hours
• Weakness: More dice-driven than GMT's card-driven games
• Weakness: Bigger editions such as the Anniversary Edition cost $130

Key facts

• Publisher: Renegade Game Studios
• Setting: Spring 1942
• Playing time: 3 to 4 hours
• Age: 12+
• Board: 40 x 26 inches

Where it ranks

Axis & Allies: 1942 Second Edition is No. 6 in our Best Military Board Games verdict.