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Axis & Allies (2004 video game)
Encyclopedia
Axis & Allies also called Axis & Allies RTS, is a real-time strategy
World War II
computer game developed by TimeGate Studios
and published by Atari
. The game was released on November 2, 2004. It is based on the popular board game Axis & Allies from Milton Bradley
and also on TimeGate's Kohan series. It is set in the years just after Japan and the United States had entered into the war.
The game incorporates two gameplay modes: real-time
and turn-based
modes. However, turn-based gameplay is only present in WWII mode, and thus gameplay is mainly focused on the real-time strategy genre.
s of World War II: the United States
, Great Britain
, Germany
, Russia
, and Japan
. The five nations have military units corresponding to that of their nationality, and each general of the five nations have unique special operations, such as carpet bombing
, deploying a secret agent, or using propaganda warfare.
Each nationality also has technology such as snipers for Russia, flamethrower tanks for Great Britain, and king tiger tanks for Germans.
The primary objective of gameplay is to destroy the opposing enemy military forces, although some campaigns and maps will require other objectives to be completed first, such as capturing certain cities or defending a specific area, in order to achieve victory. Axis & Allies also has a "City Control" percentage toggle option that can be enabled, in which the winner of the battle goes to the first side/team to capture a set percentage of cities on the map.
Gameplay supports up to eight players in a single battle in both singleplayer and multiplayer.
If the upkeep of either ammo or oil are not met, a player's monetary income will be reduced. If the upkeep of ammo and oil worsens, a drain of money can occur (a negative income). At this point, if there is no more money to be drained away, unsupplied regiments on the map will slowly receive damage until they are either destroyed or the upkeep is repaired.
s and two bombers for deploying bombing runs and air reconnaissance. In order to deploy an Airfield though, the player must first have unpacked an Engineer Brigade, Motor Pool, and Artillery Brigade on the map. The Airfield is also the most expensive structure that can be purchased in the game, costing up to $400 in in-game money.
are buildings used to boost ammo and oil production as well as to extend supply lines. There are three types of depots: supply depots, ammo depots, and oil depots. Unlike ammo and oil depots, supply depots don't count towards the building limit.
, Airborne, Mechanized
, and Armor. The units that make up the regiments can be of various types (e.g. The Mechanized Infantry Regiment is made up of 1 officer/scout truck, 4 infantry units, 1 machine gunner, 1 light tank, and 2 half-track
s). Also, these units are always in formation, whether in assault mode, aggressive mode, or passive mode. The units in each regiment also have different values and characteristics in their attack, defense, and health.
Regiments gain experience points by participating in battles. Accumulation of experience points can earn a regiment field promotions, which is awarded in three stages: Recruit, Veteran, and Elite. Each promotion strengthens the regiment in offense, defense, health, and morale. In addition, experience points gained by regiments also adds up towards a player's Special Operations experience.
In Axis & Allies, there is a unique characteristic that all regiments have, called 'morale'. During a battle, a regiment's morale slowly drains away, and when the regiment runs low on morale, it would rout back to a nearby area that is clear of enemies all on its own. During a rout, the player cannot control the regiment or its movement until the rout has ended. However, if the regiment's morale is totally depleted, the regiment would have the "exhausted" effect on it and would rout to a complete stop. It would halt in that area to regain its morale back before the regiment can move again. However, If the routing unit is unable to return to safe territory and continues until exhaustion, the regiment will keep fighting until the battle is over or they are destroyed, the latter being more frequent.
After experiencing combat, a regiment might be wounded and be low on health. As long as the regiment is not under enemy fire, in a zone of supply, and is attached to a Division Hq, it will automatically replenish and regain back the units that the regiment had lost in the battle and heal any injured units back to 100% health.
The most powerful units are tanks, which have an increased defensive bonus that makes heavy tanks from all countries (except Japan, which has no heavy tank regiment) practically immune to rifle fire from infantry. The most powerful tank unit in the game comes from Germany, which is the King Tiger
.
Each nation has at least two units that are unique to them. For example, Germany has the King Tiger tanks and the Goliath tracked mine
while Russia has the Katyusha rocket launcher, conscript and sniper infantry.
, and Landing craft
. Battleships and carriers are the two main naval units of Axis & Allies that are sometimes given to the player at the start of a campaign if the mission requires the movement of armies across a body of water. Battleships yield heavy gun turrets and anti-aircraft guns for shore bombardment
and air defense. Aircraft carriers consist of a hangar of fighters and bombers for initiating air strikes and air reconnaissance on the enemy. Landing craft are boat units deployed from a battleship that can transport infantry regiments or a Corps Hq truck to nearby land. There are also special battleships called "Marine battleships" that deploy Marine
regiments instead of regular infantry regiments, which cost more than the normal infantry but do slightly more damage. These special regiments are only available to players using the United States
, and appear in the last two campaign battles, "The Battle of Iwo Jima" and "The Invasion of Okinawa", as well as custom maps.
. Fighter aircraft and bombers are the two main aircraft of Axis & Allies and are deployed from airfields and carriers. Fighter aircraft are mainly used for reconnaissance flights, air defense, and bomber escorts. Bomber aircraft are mainly used for bombing enemy regiments and structures. Transport planes are used for deploying and carrying paratrooper regiments or supplies purchased from Special Operations. When enemy aircraft pass by an airfield or carrier, the airfield/carrier releases patrol planes to combat the threat even if it is not attacking the structure directly.
An interesting aspect of the aircraft is that they change for each country. The United States has P-51 Mustang
and the F4U Corsair
as their fighter plane, and the B-17 Flying Fortress as a bomber. A C-47 Skytrain
is their transport. Great Britain has Supermarine Spitfire
and an Avro Lancaster
. Great Britain uses a Douglas DC-3
for transport. Russia has a Yakovlev Yak-7
and a Tupolev SB
for bombing. Transport is taken care of by the similar Tupolev SB
. Germany has a Heinkel He 111
for bombing, Messerschmitt Bf109 for fighting, and a Junkers Ju-52 as transport. Japan has a Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter and Nakajima G8N
bomber. Transport is carried out by a Mitsubishi G4M
The most expensive Special Operations to use are called "bombs", which deal splash damage inside an area of effect. There are four unique "bombs" that appear in the game: "Kamikaze", "Carpet Bombing", "V-Weapons", and "Atomic Bomb". The most powerful of these four "bombs" is the "Atomic Bomb", wielded by Admiral Nimitz, as it not only has an immensely destructive blast, it also leaves a health-draining radiation in its wake.
game, but it can also incorporate the RTS
mode into it.
At the start, the player assumes the role of a nation and general. Once the game launches, there will be a brief video and speech given to the player telling about his/her nation's current status in the war. The player is then taken onto a flat, panoramic map of the world. Here, the player can purchase infantry units, mechanized
units, armor
units, and air support from their home country and move them across the map in turns to engage enemy armies and territories. In contrast to the Axis & Allies board game, the player can only attack one territory per turn and does not build naval and air support directly on the board, but rather, during an RTS battle resolution.
In attacking or defending from enemy forces, the player receives an option to either go into an RTS game to try and defeat the opposing enemy in real-time, or to let the computer compute the chances of victory for the player. The outcome of a real-time strategy resolution is entirely based on a player's skill, while computerized battle resolution is a random roll based on a direct comparison between the attacker's and the defender's quantity of forces situated in the territory.
If an attacker defeats an opposing army in a territory, the weakest regiment of the defeated army is destroyed and the rest of the army retreats to a nearby allied country. If the opposing army is completely surrounded, unable to retreat to nearby allied territory, then the army is destroyed. However, if the defender is the victor, then the weakest regiment of the attacker's army is destroyed and the rest of the army retreats back to the territory from which they initiated the battle. If a unit moves into a neutral territory or an abandoned enemy territory, it will automatically capture that territory the next turn.
There are only two major aspects of WWII mode: money and researches. Money is obtained by capturing and holding territories and is used to purchase military units and researches. Each territory generates a different amount of money each turn; thus wealthier territories are more important in value. Researches are also an important factor of gameplay. Purchasing researches increases the chance of victory in computerized battle resolutions, and it also allows the player to have the technology already researched in an RTS battle. In addition, each nation gets a specific army for a cheaper cost. For example, Germany gets cheaper tanks while Japan gets cheaper air units.
(United States, Great Britain, and Russia). There are a total of 24 challenging missions included in Campaign mode: 12 Allied campaigns and 12 Axis campaigns. There are also 8 cinematics shown throughout the campaigns.
sealing Germany's fate and the capture of Iwo Jima
and Okinawa sealing Japan's. The campaigns interchange between the armies of Great Britain, Russia, and the United States of America as time progresses throughout the years of 1939-1945.
Playing as the Axis incorporates an alternate history, basically with what-if scenarios, which begins with a tactical German victory at Crete. Having driven out British forces in the Mediterranean, Rommel and his Afrika Korps
win the Battle of El Alamein, pushing the British all the way back through the Suez Canal
. With the fuel-rich Middle East in German hands, Germany wins the decisive Battle of Stalingrad
and the following year, the endlessly supplied Panzer
units crush the Russians at Kursk, effectively sealing the fate of the Eastern Front. Meanwhile in the Pacific, Japan manages an invasion of Australia, leaving the Americans without a staging area in the Pacific (it is also suggested that the attack on Pearl Harbor was more successful, with the fleet being sunk in deep waters rather than inside the shallow base). The Battle of Normandy still happens; however, the landing beaches have unfavorable terrain and the Germans' counterattack is successful. The failed invasion at Normandy not only prevented the Allies from opening a new front in the war, it also oversaw Germany's plans to invade Great Britain. With Rundstedt invading from the south and Rommel invading from the west, Operation Sea Lion proved to be a success, forcing the British to surrender.
While Germany deals with partisan resistance, Japan invades India to crush the last of the British forces under the command of Wingate. With Great Britain defeated, Germany is able to turn its attention back to Stalin and the Soviet Union. Japanese advance units under General Kuribayashi and German Panzer divisions under Field Marshal Manstein surround Moscow, but the battle for control of the city turns into a three way brawl with German and Japanese units each vying for control of the city. The battle ends in a German victory. By now, the United States of America is the only Allied nation left to challenge the Axis. With the defeat of British and Australian forces, Japan quickly eliminates the last remaining ships of the American fleet and captures Midway
, and later Hawaii
. With American naval forces crippled beyond repair, the Allies lose their chances of defeating the Axis Powers and America settles into a new Cold War
with Japan in the Pacific and Nazi Germany in Europe.
There is a simple ranking system for Axis & Allies multiplayer gameplay, based on the number of games played:
Player statistics are recorded and shown in their profiles.
Many online players use more strategic and tactical levels of gameplay than those used only in singleplayer against the AI. Online gameplay can be played through a local area network
(LAN) connection or through the Internet. Online gameplay requires an account to be made via GameSpy
. Online play is supported by GameSpy.
, the average score received from its users comes in at a 7.4, while the average score received from gaming critics is a 6.7. Reviewers were varied in their personal opinions on the game, with some saying that the game was fantastic and exciting, and others saying that the game was not to their expectations.
Forums
Other
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
computer game developed by TimeGate Studios
TimeGate Studios
TimeGate Studios is an American video game developer based in Sugar Land, Texas . The company, which was founded in 1998, has released eight titles to this date.-Company history:...
and published by Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
. The game was released on November 2, 2004. It is based on the popular board game Axis & Allies from Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley , an American game pioneer, was credited by many with launching the board game industry in North America with Milton Bradley Company....
and also on TimeGate's Kohan series. It is set in the years just after Japan and the United States had entered into the war.
The game incorporates two gameplay modes: real-time
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
and turn-based
Turn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
modes. However, turn-based gameplay is only present in WWII mode, and thus gameplay is mainly focused on the real-time strategy genre.
Versions
| RELEASE DATE | VIDEO GAME TITLE | FORMAT | DEVELOPER | PUBLISHER | REFERENCES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2, 1994 | Axis & Allies | CD-i | Hasbro Interactive | Philips / CapDisc | #1 |
| August 20, 1998 | Axis & Allies | CD | Hasbro Interactive | Hasbro Interactive | #2 |
| November 19, 1999 | Axis & Allies: Iron Blitz | CD | MicroProse | MicroProse | #3 |
| April 2, 2004 | Axis & Allies: RTS | CD | TimeGate Studios | Atari | #4 |
| June 23, 2004 | Axis & Allies: RTS 1939-1945 | CD | TimeGate Studios | Atari | #5 |
| May 23, 2006 | Axis & Allies: RTS Collector's Edition | CD | TimeGate Studios | Encore | #6 |
Gameplay
Axis & Allies allows the player to assume the role of a military general of one of the five superpowerSuperpower
A superpower is a state with a dominant position in the international system which has the ability to influence events and its own interests and project power on a worldwide scale to protect those interests...
s of World War II: the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, Russia
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
. The five nations have military units corresponding to that of their nationality, and each general of the five nations have unique special operations, such as carpet bombing
Carpet bombing
Carpet bombing is a large aerial bombing done in a progressive manner to inflict damage in every part of a selected area of land. The phrase invokes the image of explosions completely covering an area, in the same way that a carpet covers a floor. Carpet bombing is usually achieved by dropping many...
, deploying a secret agent, or using propaganda warfare.
Each nationality also has technology such as snipers for Russia, flamethrower tanks for Great Britain, and king tiger tanks for Germans.
The primary objective of gameplay is to destroy the opposing enemy military forces, although some campaigns and maps will require other objectives to be completed first, such as capturing certain cities or defending a specific area, in order to achieve victory. Axis & Allies also has a "City Control" percentage toggle option that can be enabled, in which the winner of the battle goes to the first side/team to capture a set percentage of cities on the map.
Gameplay supports up to eight players in a single battle in both singleplayer and multiplayer.
Resources
Axis & Allies focuses on the production of three major resources: money, ammo, and oil. Money is obtained from a constant flow of revenue received from a Corps HQ', Division HQ's, and cities. Unlike money, both the resources of ammo and oil can be obtained from just about any building. Money is used to purchase units and technologies, while ammo and oil are used for unit upkeep.If the upkeep of either ammo or oil are not met, a player's monetary income will be reduced. If the upkeep of ammo and oil worsens, a drain of money can occur (a negative income). At this point, if there is no more money to be drained away, unsupplied regiments on the map will slowly receive damage until they are either destroyed or the upkeep is repaired.
Structures
There are various types of structures in the game. Each nation has the same types of structures as each other, but they have their own unique decorations and abilities corresponding to that nation.Corps HQ
In any battle, the player usually starts out with a Corps HQ building. The Corps HQ is the backbone to the player's military and economy, as it is the only building where all of the player's building trucks will be deployed from. Sometimes however, only battleships and/or carriers will be given to the player at the start of the game. In this situation, the player would first need to launch and unpack a Corps HQ truck from a battleship onto nearby land, and then continue deploying other trucks from the Corps HQ. These trucks can then be unpacked into makeshift buildings and structures to create a military base.Division HQs
Division HQs are perhaps the most important buildings in the game. Almost all military regiments are deployed from Division HQs, and they are the only buildings that can generate income aside from the Corps HQ and cities. There are four types of Division HQs: Infantry, Airborne, Mechanized, and Armor.Support buildings
Support buildings are the buildings that allow further technologies to be researched, aside from the Corps Hq and the Airfield, and one of the three is required to be unpacked before specific regiments are able to be deployed. There are only three support buildings: the Engineer Brigade, the Motor Pool, and the Artillery Brigade.Airfields
Airfields are structures that produce two types of aircraft: fighters and bombers. They consist of one hangar that can hold up to four fighterFighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
s and two bombers for deploying bombing runs and air reconnaissance. In order to deploy an Airfield though, the player must first have unpacked an Engineer Brigade, Motor Pool, and Artillery Brigade on the map. The Airfield is also the most expensive structure that can be purchased in the game, costing up to $400 in in-game money.
Depots
DepotsMain Operating Base
Main Operating Base is a term used by the United States military defined as "an overseas, permanently manned, well protected base, used to support permanently deployed forces, and with robust sea and/or air access." This term was used to differentiate major strategic overseas military facilities...
are buildings used to boost ammo and oil production as well as to extend supply lines. There are three types of depots: supply depots, ammo depots, and oil depots. Unlike ammo and oil depots, supply depots don't count towards the building limit.
Bunkers
Bunkers are a type of base defense against enemy opposition. They are immobile defensive structures that can only be constructed by Engineer Regiments. There are three types of bunkers: machine gun bunkers, anti-aircraft bunkers, and artillery bunker. Bunkers play a valuable role in defensive battles.Miscellaneous structures
Some structures can only appear in the campaign battles of the game and in player-made maps. One of these structures include the unique D-Day bunkers that are present in the "Invasion of Normandy" campaign battle and its counterpart in the axis campaign. These D-Day bunkers have health points but cannot be destroyed; they are like cities and can be captured by a player, but only when its health points are reduced down to 'one'. Other "special structures" in the game include searchlights seen in the "Fall of Berlin" battle and special Japanese anti-aircraft, artillery, and machine gun bunkers seen in the "Battle of Iwo Jima".Units
All military units in the game are controlled by the player or an AI computer player. There are several categories of military units: regiments, naval units, and aircraft.Regiments
Regiments are the main fighting forces in Axis & Allies. These regiments are composed of separate individual fighting units, ranging from 4-9 units in one regiment, and are produced from Infantry Hqs, Airborne HQ s, Mechanized HQ s, and Armor HQ s. They require different amounts of ammo and/or oil to maintain. Regiments are categorized into four different categories: InfantryInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, Airborne, Mechanized
Half-track
A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling...
, and Armor. The units that make up the regiments can be of various types (e.g. The Mechanized Infantry Regiment is made up of 1 officer/scout truck, 4 infantry units, 1 machine gunner, 1 light tank, and 2 half-track
Half-track
A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling...
s). Also, these units are always in formation, whether in assault mode, aggressive mode, or passive mode. The units in each regiment also have different values and characteristics in their attack, defense, and health.
Regiments gain experience points by participating in battles. Accumulation of experience points can earn a regiment field promotions, which is awarded in three stages: Recruit, Veteran, and Elite. Each promotion strengthens the regiment in offense, defense, health, and morale. In addition, experience points gained by regiments also adds up towards a player's Special Operations experience.
In Axis & Allies, there is a unique characteristic that all regiments have, called 'morale'. During a battle, a regiment's morale slowly drains away, and when the regiment runs low on morale, it would rout back to a nearby area that is clear of enemies all on its own. During a rout, the player cannot control the regiment or its movement until the rout has ended. However, if the regiment's morale is totally depleted, the regiment would have the "exhausted" effect on it and would rout to a complete stop. It would halt in that area to regain its morale back before the regiment can move again. However, If the routing unit is unable to return to safe territory and continues until exhaustion, the regiment will keep fighting until the battle is over or they are destroyed, the latter being more frequent.
After experiencing combat, a regiment might be wounded and be low on health. As long as the regiment is not under enemy fire, in a zone of supply, and is attached to a Division Hq, it will automatically replenish and regain back the units that the regiment had lost in the battle and heal any injured units back to 100% health.
The most powerful units are tanks, which have an increased defensive bonus that makes heavy tanks from all countries (except Japan, which has no heavy tank regiment) practically immune to rifle fire from infantry. The most powerful tank unit in the game comes from Germany, which is the King Tiger
Tiger II
Tiger II is the common name of a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B,Panzerkampfwagen – abbr: Pz. or Pz.Kfw. Ausführung – abbr: Ausf. .The full titles Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf...
.
Each nation has at least two units that are unique to them. For example, Germany has the King Tiger tanks and the Goliath tracked mine
Goliath tracked mine
The Goliath tracked mine - complete German name: Leichter Ladungsträger Goliath - was a remote controlled German-engineered demolition vehicle, also known as the beetle tank to Allies....
while Russia has the Katyusha rocket launcher, conscript and sniper infantry.
Naval units
The naval units in Axis & Allies include: Battleships, CarriersAircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, and Landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
. Battleships and carriers are the two main naval units of Axis & Allies that are sometimes given to the player at the start of a campaign if the mission requires the movement of armies across a body of water. Battleships yield heavy gun turrets and anti-aircraft guns for shore bombardment
Bombardment
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings.Prior to World War I the term term was only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, it was only loosely employed to describe artillery...
and air defense. Aircraft carriers consist of a hangar of fighters and bombers for initiating air strikes and air reconnaissance on the enemy. Landing craft are boat units deployed from a battleship that can transport infantry regiments or a Corps Hq truck to nearby land. There are also special battleships called "Marine battleships" that deploy Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
regiments instead of regular infantry regiments, which cost more than the normal infantry but do slightly more damage. These special regiments are only available to players using the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and appear in the last two campaign battles, "The Battle of Iwo Jima" and "The Invasion of Okinawa", as well as custom maps.
Aircraft
The aircraft of Axis & Allies include: Fighter aircraft, Bombers, and Transport planesCargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
. Fighter aircraft and bombers are the two main aircraft of Axis & Allies and are deployed from airfields and carriers. Fighter aircraft are mainly used for reconnaissance flights, air defense, and bomber escorts. Bomber aircraft are mainly used for bombing enemy regiments and structures. Transport planes are used for deploying and carrying paratrooper regiments or supplies purchased from Special Operations. When enemy aircraft pass by an airfield or carrier, the airfield/carrier releases patrol planes to combat the threat even if it is not attacking the structure directly.
An interesting aspect of the aircraft is that they change for each country. The United States has P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
and the F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
as their fighter plane, and the B-17 Flying Fortress as a bomber. A C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
is their transport. Great Britain has Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
and an Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
. Great Britain uses a Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
for transport. Russia has a Yakovlev Yak-7
Yakovlev Yak-7
The Soviet Yakovlev Yak-7 was developed from the earlier Yak-1 fighter, initially as a trainer but converted into a "heavy" fighter. As both a fighter and later reverting to its original training role, the Yak-7 proved to be a capable aircraft and was well liked by air crews. The Yak-7 was simpler,...
and a Tupolev SB
Tupolev SB
The Tupolev ANT-40, also known by its service name Tupolev SB , and development co-name TsAGI-40, was a high speed twin-engined three-seat monoplane bomber, first flown in 1934....
for bombing. Transport is taken care of by the similar Tupolev SB
Tupolev SB
The Tupolev ANT-40, also known by its service name Tupolev SB , and development co-name TsAGI-40, was a high speed twin-engined three-seat monoplane bomber, first flown in 1934....
. Germany has a Heinkel He 111
Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
for bombing, Messerschmitt Bf109 for fighting, and a Junkers Ju-52 as transport. Japan has a Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter and Nakajima G8N
Nakajima G8N
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Collier, Basil. Japanese Aircraft of World War II. New York: Mayflower Books, 1979. ISBN 0-8317-5137-1....
bomber. Transport is carried out by a Mitsubishi G4M
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...
Technology
In Axis & Allies, technologies are upgrades that can only be purchased and researched in five buildings: the Corps Hq, the Engineer Brigade, the Motor Pool, the Artillery Brigade, and the Airfield. Technologies can improve and upgrade particular type(s) of units with a better value in attack, defense, health, speed, attack speed, morale, cost, and/or line of sight. Other technologies give a resource or income boost to the economy, while some are required to be researched to enable the deployment of the most advanced regiments in the game, such as the flame tanks from the motor pool.Special Operations
Each general in Axis & Allies has his own unique set of four Special Operations that the player can use to employ to the battlefield (each general has the Corps Reorganization ability, so they really only have just three unique Special Operations). Special Operations are the special abilities of each general, and they have a tremendous impact on a battle if used correctly. Some Special Operations provide bonuses to the attack, defense, health, and/or speed of specific types of units, i.e. "Assembly Line" increases the health of vehicles by 20%. Other Special Operations help reduce unit costs, while some provide additional resources to the player, i.e. "Economic Aid" provides additional Ammo and Oil resources. Special Operations are purchased with Special Operations experience points, which are accumulated at a constant rate, but the rate temporarily increases when a player's military forces are attacking the enemy. Special Operations are 1-use purchases. Experience points are used to purchase themThe most expensive Special Operations to use are called "bombs", which deal splash damage inside an area of effect. There are four unique "bombs" that appear in the game: "Kamikaze", "Carpet Bombing", "V-Weapons", and "Atomic Bomb". The most powerful of these four "bombs" is the "Atomic Bomb", wielded by Admiral Nimitz, as it not only has an immensely destructive blast, it also leaves a health-draining radiation in its wake.
Operations
- Carpet Bombing - The most common Special Operation, it calls in a massive air raid on a target, causing widespread destruction to the surrounding buildings and regiments alike.
- Supply Drop - Drops provisions which create a temporary zone of supply.
- Mechanized Advance - Unique to the American Generals Eisenhower and Patton, it causes a temporary boost in combat effectiveness and movement speed.
- Propaganda War - Drops leaflets on enemies to lower their morale.
- Secret Agent - Drops a secret agent into the targeted location that is invisible to enemies, but for some reason, enemy AI regiments seem to follow it around...
- Lend Lease - Causes a temporary increase in monetary income, usually about 200 dollars worth.
- Mechanized Resupply - Provides all mechanized units in the range of effect to have temporary supply.
- Atomic Bomb - Unique to Admiral Nimitz, it causes the most devastating blast that the game can offer+radiation damage to those who are unlucky enough to wander into the fallout.
- Economic Aid - Summons fuel and ammo to increase your fuel and ammo reserves.
- Fighting Spirit - Increases the morale of your soldiers and makes them immune to fear.
- Code Breaker - Breaks enemy codes in one area of the map that allows for temporary visibility in that area.
- British Sabotage - Unique to Britain (for obvious reasons), it parachutes a saboteur into enemy territory; however, he can be targeted and destroyed by enemy fire.
- Smoke Barrage - Causes a smokescreen to appear on screen to limit enemy regiments' speed and combat effectiveness.
- Radar Scan - Reveals the entire minimap for a few seconds.
- Sandbagging - Increases the defensive value of a certain structure for a few seconds.
- Infantry Resupply - Similar to Mechanized Resupply, it summons supplies for Infantry to raise their health.
- Maskirovka - Unique to General Chuikov, this summons fake medium tanks that can confuse the enemy.
- Communist Zeal - Russian-only Operation that increases combat effectiveness in affected regiments and also gives immunity to fear.
- Military Gear Up - Increases Health of Infantry.
- Double the Guard - Has the same effects as Sandbagging.
- Rapid Deployment - Temporarily reduces unit costs.
- Russian Sabotage - Same thing as British Sabotage (except it is Russian).
- Communist Purge - Purges Infantry of their commanders so they gain attack.
- Blitzkrieg - German-only Operation that increases speed and attack effectiveness of all targeted armored units.
- V-Weapons - German Operation that sends V-1 Rockets at the targeted destination.
- Espionage - Reports enemy economy and steals a portion of their money.
- Panzer Hohe - Same effects as Maskirovka
- Forced March - Operation unique to Field Marshal Rommel that increases regiment speed, but taxes their health.
- Demoralization - Instills fear on the enemy to send them into rout mode.
- Banzai Charge - Unique Japanese Operation which frenzies selected units to cause them to speed up and raise their attack values, as well as give them immunity from fear.
- Kamikaze - Japan's Unique bombing technique-sends a Japanese A6M ZeroA6M ZeroThe Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
fighter to crash into a target, causing massive destruction. - Industrial Sabotage - Unique to Nagumo, causes one building that generates resources to be destroyed.
- Corps Reorganization - summons new Corps HQ truck if the first is destroyed.
Generals
There are 20 playable generals in the game, 4 for each nation:- United States: Henry H. ArnoldHenry H. ArnoldHenry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
, Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, Chester W. Nimitz, George S. PattonGeorge S. PattonGeorge Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from... - Great Britain: Bernard MontgomeryBernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of AlameinField Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
, Louis MountbattenLouis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of BurmaAdmiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, Archibald WavellArchibald Wavell, 1st Earl WavellField Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during the Second World War. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army...
, Orde Wingate - Soviet Union: Vasily ChuikovVasily ChuikovVasily Ivanovich Chuikov was a Russian lieutenant general in the Red Army during World War II, twice Hero of the Soviet Union , who after the war became a Marshal of the Soviet Union.-Early life and career:Born into a peasant family in the village of Serebryanye Prudy, he joined the Red Army during...
, Ivan KonevIvan KonevIvan Stepanovich Konev , was a Soviet military commander, who led Red Army forces on the Eastern Front during World War II, retook much of Eastern Europe from occupation by the Axis Powers, and helped in the capture of Germany's capital, Berlin....
, Konstantin RokossovskyKonstantin RokossovskyKonstantin Rokossovskiy was a Polish-origin Soviet career officer who was a Marshal of the Soviet Union, as well as Marshal of Poland and Polish Defence Minister, who was famously known for his service in the Eastern Front, where he received high esteem for his outstanding military skill...
, Georgy ZhukovGeorgy ZhukovMarshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov , was a Russian career officer in the Red Army who, in the course of World War II, played a pivotal role in leading the Red Army through much of Eastern Europe to liberate the Soviet Union and other nations from the Axis Powers' occupation... - Germany: Albert KesselringAlbert KesselringAlbert Kesselring was a German Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. In a military career that spanned both World Wars, Kesselring became one of Nazi Germany's most skilful commanders, being one of 27 soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords...
, Erich von MansteinErich von MansteinErich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
, Erwin RommelErwin RommelErwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
, Gerd von RundstedtGerd von RundstedtKarl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war.... - Japan: Tadamichi KuribayashiTadamichi KuribayashiGeneral was a haiku poet, diplomat, and General of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff. He is best known for being overall commander of the Japanese garrison during the Battle of Iwo Jima....
, Isoroku YamamotoIsoroku Yamamotowas a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
, Gunichi MikawaGunichi Mikawawas a Vice-Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.Mikawa was the commander of a heavy cruiser force that carried out spectacular I.J.N. victory over the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Navy at the Battle of Savo Island in Ironbottom Sound on the night of August 1942. In...
, Chuichi NagumoChuichi Nagumowas a Japanese admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II and one time commander of the Kido Butai . He committed suicide during the Battle of Saipan.-Early life:...
Singleplayer
There are three modes for singleplayer gameplay: Custom Battle, Campaign, and World War II.Custom battle
Custom battles are basically normal real-time strategy battles played with the computer. In a custom battle, the player will always start out with a single Corps Hq building, some bunker defenses, and a supply depot truck. In the staging room before the battle, the player can choose what type of map to play on, what and how many land features will be present on the map, how much money and experience points each player will start out with, along with other options.WWII mode
WWII mode resembles a computer variant of the Axis & Allies board game. It is played mainly as a turn-basedTurn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
game, but it can also incorporate the RTS
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
mode into it.
At the start, the player assumes the role of a nation and general. Once the game launches, there will be a brief video and speech given to the player telling about his/her nation's current status in the war. The player is then taken onto a flat, panoramic map of the world. Here, the player can purchase infantry units, mechanized
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
units, armor
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
units, and air support from their home country and move them across the map in turns to engage enemy armies and territories. In contrast to the Axis & Allies board game, the player can only attack one territory per turn and does not build naval and air support directly on the board, but rather, during an RTS battle resolution.
In attacking or defending from enemy forces, the player receives an option to either go into an RTS game to try and defeat the opposing enemy in real-time, or to let the computer compute the chances of victory for the player. The outcome of a real-time strategy resolution is entirely based on a player's skill, while computerized battle resolution is a random roll based on a direct comparison between the attacker's and the defender's quantity of forces situated in the territory.
If an attacker defeats an opposing army in a territory, the weakest regiment of the defeated army is destroyed and the rest of the army retreats to a nearby allied country. If the opposing army is completely surrounded, unable to retreat to nearby allied territory, then the army is destroyed. However, if the defender is the victor, then the weakest regiment of the attacker's army is destroyed and the rest of the army retreats back to the territory from which they initiated the battle. If a unit moves into a neutral territory or an abandoned enemy territory, it will automatically capture that territory the next turn.
There are only two major aspects of WWII mode: money and researches. Money is obtained by capturing and holding territories and is used to purchase military units and researches. Each territory generates a different amount of money each turn; thus wealthier territories are more important in value. Researches are also an important factor of gameplay. Purchasing researches increases the chance of victory in computerized battle resolutions, and it also allows the player to have the technology already researched in an RTS battle. In addition, each nation gets a specific army for a cheaper cost. For example, Germany gets cheaper tanks while Japan gets cheaper air units.
Campaigns
In Campaign mode, the player is thrust into a series of World War II campaign battles for either the Axis Powers (Germany and Japan) or the Allied NationsAllies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
(United States, Great Britain, and Russia). There are a total of 24 challenging missions included in Campaign mode: 12 Allied campaigns and 12 Axis campaigns. There are also 8 cinematics shown throughout the campaigns.
| Allied Campaigns | Axis Campaigns |
|---|---|
Cinematic: Moscow Counteroffensive
Cinematic: Operation Overlord: D-Day
Cinematic: Bombing of Berlin
Cinematic: Victory in Japan |
Cinematic: Invasion of France
Cinematic: Fall of London
Cinematic: Collapse of Russia
Cinematic: Cold War in the Pacific |
Synopsis
Playing as the Allies, the course of history goes the way it actually did with the Battle of NormandyOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
sealing Germany's fate and the capture of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
and Okinawa sealing Japan's. The campaigns interchange between the armies of Great Britain, Russia, and the United States of America as time progresses throughout the years of 1939-1945.
Playing as the Axis incorporates an alternate history, basically with what-if scenarios, which begins with a tactical German victory at Crete. Having driven out British forces in the Mediterranean, Rommel and his Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
win the Battle of El Alamein, pushing the British all the way back through the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. With the fuel-rich Middle East in German hands, Germany wins the decisive Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
and the following year, the endlessly supplied Panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
units crush the Russians at Kursk, effectively sealing the fate of the Eastern Front. Meanwhile in the Pacific, Japan manages an invasion of Australia, leaving the Americans without a staging area in the Pacific (it is also suggested that the attack on Pearl Harbor was more successful, with the fleet being sunk in deep waters rather than inside the shallow base). The Battle of Normandy still happens; however, the landing beaches have unfavorable terrain and the Germans' counterattack is successful. The failed invasion at Normandy not only prevented the Allies from opening a new front in the war, it also oversaw Germany's plans to invade Great Britain. With Rundstedt invading from the south and Rommel invading from the west, Operation Sea Lion proved to be a success, forcing the British to surrender.
While Germany deals with partisan resistance, Japan invades India to crush the last of the British forces under the command of Wingate. With Great Britain defeated, Germany is able to turn its attention back to Stalin and the Soviet Union. Japanese advance units under General Kuribayashi and German Panzer divisions under Field Marshal Manstein surround Moscow, but the battle for control of the city turns into a three way brawl with German and Japanese units each vying for control of the city. The battle ends in a German victory. By now, the United States of America is the only Allied nation left to challenge the Axis. With the defeat of British and Australian forces, Japan quickly eliminates the last remaining ships of the American fleet and captures Midway
Midway Atoll
Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
, and later Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. With American naval forces crippled beyond repair, the Allies lose their chances of defeating the Axis Powers and America settles into a new Cold War
Cold war (general term)
A cold war or cold warfare is a state of conflict between nations that does not involve direct military action but is pursued primarily through economic and political actions, propaganda, acts of espionage or proxy wars waged by surrogates...
with Japan in the Pacific and Nazi Germany in Europe.
Multiplayer
Players online either play in custom team battles or on official/player-created maps. A maximum of 12 players is allowed to join a single game, but only a maximum of 8 players is allowed to actually play. A fast computer with a fast Internet connection is greatly recommended for a smooth gameplay experience online. Additionally, players online can observe games, save multiplayer films, host rooms and games, and make friends and add them to their buddy lists.There is a simple ranking system for Axis & Allies multiplayer gameplay, based on the number of games played:
- 0 games - No rank
- 1-49 games - Rank of LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
- 50-249 games - Rank of Captain
- 250-499 games - Rank of MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
- 500-999 games - Rank of ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
- 1000+ games - Rank of GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Player statistics are recorded and shown in their profiles.
Many online players use more strategic and tactical levels of gameplay than those used only in singleplayer against the AI. Online gameplay can be played through a local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
(LAN) connection or through the Internet. Online gameplay requires an account to be made via GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
. Online play is supported by GameSpy.
Map editor
The Axis & Allies map editor lets players create their own maps to play in both singleplayer and multiplayer mode. Players are able to create their own military maps, including choice of scenery, choice of gameplay, cutscenes, storylines, and military objectives.Reception
According to GamespotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
, the average score received from its users comes in at a 7.4, while the average score received from gaming critics is a 6.7. Reviewers were varied in their personal opinions on the game, with some saying that the game was fantastic and exciting, and others saying that the game was not to their expectations.
Demo
There is a free playable demo for Axis & Allies that features the two tutorial missions, the Battle of Stalingrad single-player mission, and the random map generator for single-player and multiplayer games for up to four players.External links
OfficialForums
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