Axis & Allies: Commanders
Axis & Allies: Commanders Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
24 Double-Sided Commander Tiles
Anatomy of a Commander Tile
- Commander Name
- Power Emblem
- Commander Portrait
- Commander Power
- Ability Tag (Basic or Expert)
- Ability Name
- Ability Text
Choosing Commander Tiles
Each time you break out an Axis & Allies game, ask your fellow players if they wish to use Commander tiles. If anyone at the table has not played this particular game, it might be best to save the Commander tiles for next time. Or you could give that new player a slight edge to make up for their lack of experience by giving them an easy Commander's Basic ability.
Once each player has determined which side/power they are playing, give them the corresponding Commanders. Each WWII power has at least 2 to choose from, and some have as many as 4. Each player should choose 1 Commander, and which side of them to play (Basic or Expert, see next page), for each power they control. If you have other players on your side, you can discuss abilities with each other before deciding.
Keep your pick a secret from the other side until all players have chosen their Commander(s) and which side of them to play. When everyone is ready, reveal them. Each player should read their Commander's ability to the group.
Basic vs Expert
When you choose a Commander, choose which side you'll play. Use only the ability on that side. The other side is not used in this game. The Basic ability is easier to understand, while the Expert ability sometimes requires a little bit of planning, tracking, or higher-level strategy. It is not necessary for all players to use the same side of their Commander, but players may agree in advance to restrict this choice to one side or the other for all players.
Using Commanders to Bid for Sides
Experienced players can use Commanders as bidding material when both players want to play the same side. Examples:
- "I'd like to play the Allies, and I'll let you choose my Commander."
- "I'd like to play the Axis, and I won't use a German Commander. All other powers on both sides will use Commanders."
- "I know we said 'no Commanders,' but I'll let the Italians use one if I can play the Allies."
Note that Commanders are not intended for tournament play.
A Note on Commander Balance
Some Commander abilities will be better or worse than others in some games (some will not be useful at all). The abilities are geared towards the global strategic games by default, and thus use the "language" of those games. This means that they assume 6-sided dice are being used in combat. Some games use a different combat system and/or different dice and need an adjustment. An increase of 1 to your "attack/defense value" means:
- Battle of the Bulge: You score a hit on a die result of 8 or less (instead of a 6). You must roll the dice for the adjusted units separately.
- Guadalcanal: Starting at the tip of the neck of the battle box, on a number of dice equal to the total attack power of the adjusted units, a result of 3 is treated as a result of 2. For example, when attacking with 3 infantry and 2 artillery where the attack value of the infantry is increased by 1, on the first 3 dice (the total attack power of the infantry) a result of 3 is treated as a result of 2. Additionally, to re-roll dice, reshake the battle box after noting casualties, and then check the number of dice equal to the number of re-rolls and add the results to the attack.
- North Africa: "Standard" infantry have their value increased by 1. All other units have their values increased by 2.
Re-rolling a die means that the original result is replaced by the re-rolled result. It is not an additional roll.
Some games also have different turn sequences than the global strategic games. Adjust abilities for this as follows:
- Battle of the Bulge, D-Day, Guadalcanal: References to "rounds" should be read as "turns."
- North Africa: All abilities which apply during the Purchase Units phase apply during the Requisition Reinforcements phase instead, and IPC costs refer to RP costs instead.
If a specific ability needs clarification or modification when playing certain games, that will be noted in "The Commanders," starting on the following page. When a game is not mentioned at all in the entry for an ability, its use in that game is either easily inferred or obviously does not apply. Note that the effects of abilities that refer specifically to "infantry" do not include mechanized infantry, and United Kingdom Commanders cannot be used in Battle of the Bulge.
The Commanders
ANZAC
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey: An Australian in command of the ANZAC forces, he led the defense of the Southwest Pacific against the Japanese. Most of his efforts during the war focused on liberating New Guinea, which was a multi-year process, as the Japanese had many formidable defenses, including their base at Rabaul.
CHINA
Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek: Few thought that the Chinese forces could hold out against the might of the Japanese invasion in 1937, but the Generalissimo brought the Nationalist and Communist forces together to resist it. He was also instrumental in supporting operations in Burma during the war, which brought much needed supplies to his forces, first by road, and then by air.
FRANCE
General Alphonse Juin: He led Free French forces in multiple campaigns, including North Africa, Italy, and Southern France. He played a key role in organizing Free French forces after the fall of the Vichy regime.
Friendly Ports - The normal rules regarding transports still apply. For example, the amphibious units may not cross a sea zone containing Axis surface warships. In Europe 1940 and Global 1940, the amphibious units may cross 2 adjacent sea zones.
GERMANY
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: His dash and daring in North Africa made him famous the world over. "The Desert Fox" nickname was given to him by the British press and the soldiers who faced him. Never receiving enough supplies to complete his missions, he was also known for capturing and using enemy equipment.
Resourceful - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- Battle of the Bulge: It applies to the first hex captured in each turn.
- D-Day: It applies during the Axis Attacks phase.
- Stalingrad: It applies during the Axis Attack phase.
The Desert Fox - Units that may move again may even attack a territory where you have already lost a battle that same turn. Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- Battle of the Bulge: It does not apply.
- Stalingrad: It applies during the Axis Attack phase. As the Allies Reaction phase has already occurred, there is no Allied reaction to this movement.
Field Marshal Walther Model: He gained the nickname "The Fireman," as he consistently and skillfully maneuvered troops to plug gaps and stop enemy offensives. His defensive expertise bought Germany months of time and routinely stabilized fronts that seemed all but lost.
The Fireman - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- Battle of the Bulge: It applies during the Movement & Reinforcement phase, and only to Infantry not moving by Truck.
- D-Day: It applies during the Axis Moves phase.
- Stalingrad: It applies during the Axis Movement phase.
Fortress Defense - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- Battle of the Bulge: It does not apply.
- D-Day, Stalingrad: It applies during the Allies Attack phase.
Field Marshal Erich von Manstein: He made his name on the Eastern Front, and his successful siege of Sevastopol earned him the rank of Field Marshal. Known for his military genius, he maintained respect after the war for standing up to the German High Command.
Strategic Genius - In 1941, as there are no artillery units, a set must contain 1 tank and 2 infantry.
Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz: He was the architect of Germany's devastating U-boat campaign in the Atlantic, using massed submarine "wolfpack" attacks. When he became a Grand Admiral in January of 1943, he also became the Commander-in-Chief of the entire Kriegsmarine. At the end of the war, he signed Germany's surrender.
ITALY
Marshal of Italy Ettore Bastico: He led the Axis forces in North Africa, and frequently clashed with Rommel. Even though he was technically Rommel's superior, his by-the-book methodology did not blend well with Rommel's improvisational style.
Admiral Angelo Iachino: He battled the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean in 1941-43, fighting valiantly despite being outmatched in virtually every aspect of naval warfare. He made it difficult for the British to keep Malta supplied, but was ultimately unsuccessful in bringing the tiny island to its knees.
Cautious - In North Africa, this ability may be used twice.
JAPAN
General Harukichi Hyakutake: Known for commanding the ground forces in the Solomon Islands, he was a formidable foe on Guadalcanal. He organized multiple counterattacks against the Americans at Henderson Field, and casualties were very high when Banzai charges were made.
Throw Them Back - In Guadalcanal, this ability applies on an island if any Allied land units were unloaded onto it in the same turn and none were already there.
Sacrifice - In Guadalcanal, to resolve the automatic hit, read from left to right on the neck of the battle box to find the first relevant result that would be a miss, and treat that result as a result of 1.
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto: As the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy, he planned the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. He frequently used diversionary attacks to split the American naval forces, but with Japan's codes broken, they rarely worked.
Surprise Attack - In Pacific 1940 and Global 1940, this ability applies in the first 2 rounds that Japan is at war with the United Kingdom-ANZAC and/or the United States.
Vice Admiral Chūichi Nagumo: Known for being Commander-in-Chief of the Kido Butai (Japan's carrier strike force), he led the strike at Pearl Harbor and subsequently at Midway. He later fought in the Solomon Islands. His methodical approach was blamed for failures, which found him reassigned to Saipan late in the war.
Honor the Fallen - In Guadalcanal, the free units are kept off-board and deployed in the Regroup phase.
SOVIET UNION
General of the Army Vasily Chuikov: He is most famous for leading the 62nd Army at Stalingrad, where he was given the nickname "The Stone" for his miraculous defense of that city. He insisted on constant counterattacks and getting as close to the enemy as possible, which led to catastrophic losses on both sides.
The Stone - In Stalingrad, this ability applies to all zones.
Iron Will - In Stalingrad, this ability applies at the end of the Allies Attack phase.
General of the Army Georgy Zhukov: He was one of the most successful Soviet generals, having organized the defense of Moscow in 1941. In late 1942, he organized Operation Uranus, which led to the German surrender at Stalingrad.
Scorched Earth - Axis powers add up the IPCs from all such Soviet territories they control, and then divide that total in half (rounding up, e.g., 7 becomes 4). In Stalingrad, this ability applies to RPC income from the Region Board only.
Note: the printed text reads "RPC income" here; transcribed as printed.
Operational Planner - For example, if you moved land units in from 2 territories, you'll get 2 re-rolls during each round of the battle, regardless of whether or not units from both territories survive until that round. In Stalingrad, only land units that moved into the zone in the current round qualify.
General Konstantin Rokossovsky: He was known for his brilliant maneuvering to delay defeat long enough to counterattack deeply and decisively into the enemy. He led forces in the defense of Moscow and Stalingrad, and later orchestrated Operation Bagration, which destroyed the German Army Group Center.
Tactical Withdrawal - In Stalingrad, immediately after the Axis Attack phase, in each zone in which combat occurred and Axis land units remain, you may move 1 of your infantry in that zone to an adjacent zone that is friendly and uncontested.
Deep Strike - In Stalingrad, this ability applies during the Allies Attack phase, and the surviving units may move only into a zone that is controlled by Germany and does not already contain Soviet units. As the Axis Reaction phase has already occurred, there is no Axis reaction to this movement.
UNITED KINGDOM
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery: Known to everyone as "Monty," he was also known for taking his time to build up supply and forces for months before attacking. Set-piece battles where nothing could go wrong were his forte. So when he devised the reckless and daring Operation Market Garden, it was rather uncharacteristic of him.
Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks: He personified the British stiff upper lip, but was a popular and charismatic general who is mostly known for his exploits in North Africa and Market Garden. His calm composure belied his aggressive nature when leading the British XXX Corps, which featured a large number of tanks.
Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham: He made a name for himself early in the war against the Italian navy, where he raided their ports and sought fights at night, as the Italian ships did not have radar until late 1941. In 1945, he was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet, the highest rank in the Royal Navy.
UNITED STATES
General George S. Patton, Jr.: Known for his bold and aggressive strategies in North Africa, Sicily, and Western Europe, he was the most feared Allied general in the war. His brash nature got him into trouble with his superiors.
Hard-Drivin' - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- Battle of the Bulge: All of your tanks that are destroyed in each Axis attack may immediately attack 1 hex from which the Axis attacked that hex.
- D-Day: Each of your tanks that you take as a casualty during the Allies Attack phase may fire again during the Axis Attacks phase of the same turn.
Old Blood and Guts - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- Battle of the Bulge, Guadalcanal: It does not apply.
- D-Day: In each zone in which you take 4 or more units as casualties during the Allies Attack phase, the defense values of your units in that zone are increased by 1 during the Axis Attacks phase of the same turn.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower: After the successful invasions of Northwest Africa and Sicily, he was named Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. He was often more of a diplomat, keeping the multinational prima donna generals in line.
Supreme Commander - This ability starts on round 1 and applies on rounds 3, 5, etc. In Guadalcanal, this ability applies during the Regroup phase.
Organizational Master - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- Battle of the Bulge: It applies at the end of phase 3 each turn to 2 adjacent hexes.
- D-Day: It applies at the end of the Allies Attack phase each turn to 2 adjacent zones.
- Guadalcanal: It does not apply.
General Douglas MacArthur: As the Commander of U.S. Army Forces in the Far East, he led the defense of the Philippines against the Japanese invaders, but soon had to evacuate to Australia. He famously vowed to return, and successfully did so in late 1944. He then led the reconstruction of Japan after the war.
Determined - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- D-Day: It applies during the Axis Attacks phase. As there is only 1 round of combat, this ability applies in that round.
- Guadalcanal: As there is only 1 round of combat, this ability applies in that round to attacking infantry.
I Shall Return - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- 1941: As there is no naval bombardment, your infantry in amphibious assaults have their attack value increased by 1 during the first round of combat instead.
- D-Day: During the Naval Bombardment phase, 12 dice are rolled.
- Guadalcanal: In the Attack Land Units and/or Airfields step of the Combat phase, the attack power of sea units attacking land units (not airfields) is doubled.
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz: He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet soon after Pearl Harbor. His mastery of carrier warfare (and some help from the codebreakers) led to a crushing blow delivered to the Japanese carrier fleet at Midway.
Carrier-Focused - In Guadalcanal, the cost in reinforcement points is reduced by 1.
Island Hopping - Adjust this ability as indicated for the following games:
- Pacific 1940, Global 1940: You may not choose a sea zone containing an operative friendly naval base.
- Guadalcanal: Your sea units must stop moving when they enter a sea zone containing enemy sea units.
WWI 1914
There are 2 Commanders available, and each player on that side shares their respective Commander at all times simultaneously.
THE ALLIES
Supreme Commander Ferdinand Foch: As the Supreme Allied Commander, he had to hold together several countries to hold back and eventually defeat the Central Powers. Early in the war, he was instrumental in stopping the German advance on Paris. His famous quote from the Battle of the Marne: "My center is yielding. My right is retreating. Situation excellent. I am attacking."
I Am Attacking - Unlike in pre-emptive strikes against amphibious assaults, tanks still cancel hits.
THE CENTRAL POWERS
Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg: After early victories against the Russians in 1914-16, he became Chief of the German General Staff. His massive offensive on the Western Front intended to end the war before the Americans arrived, but an Allied counteroffensive forced them onto the defense.