Epic Strategy Board Games: Conan and WWII
Introduction
Two of the most engaging strategy board games ever created occupy opposite ends of the thematic spectrum while sharing a common thread: epic-scale conflict that demands long-term planning, tactical adaptation, and the willingness to commit an entire afternoon to a single session. Age of Conan: The Strategy Board Game drops players into Robert E. Howard’s Hyborian Age, a world of sorcery, conquest, and political treachery. Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 Revised recreates the vast naval and aerial campaigns of the Pacific Theater in World War II with granular historical detail.
Both games sit firmly in the “event game” category — titles you schedule an evening around rather than pull off the shelf for a quick round. They reward repeated plays, as the strategic depth reveals itself gradually across multiple sessions. This guide covers how each game works, what makes them distinct, and which one suits your group best.
Age of Conan: The Strategy Board Game - Conquer the Hyborian Age
Game Overview
Age of Conan: The Strategy Board Game transports players to Robert E. Howard’s legendary Hyborian Age. Designed by Francesco Nepitello, Marco Maggi, and Roberto Di Meglio, this game was published by Fantasy Flight Games and puts 2-4 players in control of mighty kingdoms vying for dominance.
Historical Context
Robert E. Howard created Conan the Barbarian in 1932, setting his stories in the fictional Hyborian Age occurring after Atlantis fell but before recorded history. The board game captures this rich fantasy setting with remarkable detail.
The Four Kingdoms
Players command one of four distinct civilizations:
Aquilonia - The most civilized kingdom, inspired by medieval Europe
- Strong in diplomacy and politics
- Access to advanced military units
- Powerful late-game potential
Turan - The eastern empire, based on historical Turkic peoples
- Excellent cavalry and mobility
- Strong economic base
- Aggressive expansion capabilities
Stygia - The mysterious southern kingdom, inspired by ancient Egypt
- Powerful sorcery and dark magic
- Unique quest opportunities
- Defensive advantages
Hyperborea - The harsh northern realm
- Resilient warriors and tough units
- Winter survival advantages
- Resource management focus
Core Gameplay Mechanics
Strategy Phase
- Draw and play strategy cards
- Plan diplomatic actions
- Set military objectives
Action Phase
- Move armies across the detailed map
- Engage in tactical combat
- Execute political maneuvers
- Launch economic initiatives
Adventure Phase
- Send heroes on dangerous quests
- Discover ancient artifacts
- Gain magical abilities and treasures
- Influence Conan’s movements across the board
Pro Tip: Master the adventure system early - controlling powerful artifacts can shift the entire balance of power in your favor!
Unique Features
The Conan Factor: The legendary barbarian moves independently across the board, creating opportunities and chaos wherever he goes. Players can influence but never fully control this wild card element.
Quest System: Heroes embark on dangerous missions to gain powerful rewards. Success requires careful resource management and risk assessment.
Political Intrigue: Diplomacy is crucial - temporary alliances can mean survival, but trust is always temporary in the Hyborian Age.
Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 Revised - Naval Warfare at Its Finest
Game Overview
Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 Revised by Avalon Hill focuses specifically on the Pacific Theater of World War II. This game can be played standalone or combined with Axis & Allies Europe 1940 for the complete global conflict experience.
Historical Accuracy
The game accurately represents the Pacific War from 1940-1945, including:
- Pearl Harbor attack (December 7, 1941)
- Doolittle Raid (April 18, 1942)
- Battle of Midway (June 4-7, 1942)
- Island-hopping campaigns
- Strategic bombing of Japan
Major Powers
United States
- Massive industrial capacity
- Powerful Pacific Fleet
- Advanced aircraft technology
- Must balance Atlantic and Pacific commitments
Japan
- Experienced naval forces
- Elite fighter aircraft (Zero fighters)
- Strategic submarine warfare
- Must expand quickly before US fully mobilizes
China
- Large infantry forces
- Guerrilla warfare capabilities
- Limited industrial base
- Defensive advantages in mountainous terrain
ANZAC (Australia & New Zealand)
- Strategic island bases
- Combined operations capability
- Limited but elite forces
- Critical for Pacific supply lines
Strategic Elements
Naval Combat
- Carrier-based aviation warfare
- Submarine attacks on supply lines
- Amphibious assault operations
- Naval base control and logistics
Economic Warfare
- Industrial production capacity (IPCs - Industrial Production Certificates)
- Resource management and supply lines
- Strategic bombing campaigns
- Convoy protection and raiding
Technology Development
- Research breakthrough possibilities
- Advanced weaponry development
- Intelligence gathering capabilities
- Communication improvements
Pro Tip: Control the sea zones around key islands - logistics win Pacific wars, not just heroic battles!
Comparative Analysis: Ancient vs Modern Warfare
Complexity Comparison
| Aspect | Age of Conan | Axis & Allies Pacific |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Curve | Moderate | Steep |
| Game Length | 2-3 hours | 4-6 hours |
| Player Count | 2-4 players | 2-6 players |
| Historical Accuracy | Fantasy setting | High historical detail |
| Replayability | High (quest variety) | Very High (multiple strategies) |
Strategic Depth
Age of Conan emphasizes:
- Multi-faceted victory conditions
- Dynamic quest system
- Political maneuvering
- Resource diversification
Axis & Allies Pacific focuses on:
- Industrial production management
- Multi-theater coordination
- Technological advancement
- Long-term strategic planning
Advanced Strategies & Tactics
Age of Conan Mastery
Early Game:
- Secure your borders quickly
- Invest in hero development
- Monitor Conan’s position for opportunities
- Build diplomatic relationships
Mid Game:
- Focus on quest completion
- Expand strategically, not randomly
- Utilize kingdom special abilities
- Prepare for late-game dominance
Late Game:
- Leverage accumulated artifacts
- Break unstable alliances at optimal moments
- Control key victory point locations
- Force opponents into difficult choices
Axis & Allies Pacific Excellence
As Japan:
- Strike hard and fast in first 2 turns
- Prioritize US fleet destruction
- Secure resource-rich territories
- Build defensive island chains
As United States:
- Survive the initial assault
- Build massive naval production
- Coordinate with ANZAC forces
- Plan systematic island liberation
As China:
- Trade space for time
- Preserve elite units
- Disrupt Japanese supply lines
- Coordinate with US Pacific strategy
As ANZAC:
- Secure home territories first
- Support US operations
- Control strategic islands
- Maintain fleet in being
Component Quality & Production Values
Age of Conan
- Miniatures: Highly detailed plastic figures
- Board: Beautifully illustrated Hyborian world map
- Cards: High-quality card stock with evocative artwork
- Tokens: Thick cardboard with clear iconography
- Overall: Premium production values worthy of the license
Axis & Allies Pacific 1940
- Miniatures: Accurate scale representations of WWII units
- Map: Geographically accurate Pacific theater
- Components: Durable materials for extended play
- Reference Materials: Comprehensive historical notes
- Overall: Excellent educational and entertainment value
Learning Resources & Community
Age of Conan
- Official FAQ and errata available
- Active BoardGameGeek community
- Video tutorials cover complex interactions
- Expansion content adds replay value
Axis & Allies Pacific
- Extensive online strategy guides
- Tournament play communities
- Historical unit performance data
- Integration with global 1940 variant
Pro Tip: Join online communities for both games - strategy sharing and variant rules can dramatically extend the lifespan of these complex games!
Final Verdict: Which Strategy Epic Suits You?
Choose Age of Conan if:
- You love fantasy settings and rich lore
- You enjoy quest-driven gameplay
- You prefer moderate complexity with high interaction
- You want games that finish in 2-3 hours
- You enjoy political maneuvering and shifting alliances
Choose Axis & Allies Pacific if:
- You’re fascinated by World War II history
- You enjoy complex logistical challenges
- You want deep strategic planning opportunities
- You have time for longer gaming sessions
- You appreciate historically accurate simulations
Why Not Both?
These games complement each other perfectly:
- Age of Conan for fantasy strategy nights
- Axis & Allies Pacific for historical warfare sessions
- Both offer incredible replay value
- Different complexity levels suit various gaming moods
- Both games reward long-term strategic thinking
Conclusion: Epic Strategy Gaming Awaits
Whether you’re commanding ancient kingdoms in the Hyborian Age or directing naval fleets across the Pacific, these strategy board games offer unparalleled depth and excitement. Age of Conan brings fantasy adventure and political intrigue, while Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 delivers historical accuracy and logistical complexity.
Both games reward careful planning, tactical flexibility, and strategic vision. They’re investments in premium gaming experiences that will provide countless hours of challenging entertainment.
The investment in learning either game pays dividends across dozens of sessions. Age of Conan rewards players who enjoy narrative emergence — the stories that develop organically through quests, betrayals, and Conan’s unpredictable wandering. Axis and Allies Pacific rewards players who enjoy mastering a complex system and finding efficient paths through logistical constraints.
Setting Up for Long Sessions
Both Age of Conan and Axis and Allies Pacific 1940 qualify as “event games” — titles that demand logistical preparation beyond simply opening the box. The physical requirements and social coordination for these games differ substantially from lighter titles, and acknowledging these demands upfront prevents frustration.
Table and Space Requirements
Age of Conan’s board measures approximately 60 x 90 cm, and the surrounding card area, token pools, and player boards extend the total footprint to roughly 100 x 140 cm. A standard dining table accommodates the game comfortably. Axis and Allies Pacific 1940 demands significantly more space — the map is one of the largest in the hobby at approximately 90 x 120 cm, and the unit pools, reference sheets, and battle boards extend the total area to 120 x 180 cm or more. A dedicated gaming table or a folding banquet table is strongly recommended.
Both games benefit from auxiliary surfaces: a small side table for rulebooks and reference charts, individual player trays for unit reserves, and a dice tray to prevent stray rolls from disturbing the board state. These are not mandatory but reduce the risk of accidentally knocking units out of position — a genuine concern during multi-hour sessions where tired hands become clumsy.
Snacks, Breaks, and Pacing
A three-hour session of Age of Conan or a six-hour marathon of Axis and Allies Pacific demands physical sustenance and mental breaks. Scheduling a formal 10-15 minute break every 90 minutes prevents fatigue-driven mistakes and maintains social cohesion. Finger foods that do not generate grease (pretzels, fruit, popcorn) protect components better than pizza or chips.
For Axis and Allies Pacific specifically, bathroom and snack breaks can be timed to coincide with the Japanese player’s lengthy combat resolution phase, when other players have minimal immediate decisions. This natural pacing allows biological needs without disrupting the game flow.
Component Maintenance and Longevity
Card Sleeving
Both games include cards that see heavy handling. Age of Conan’s strategy and adventure cards are shuffled and drawn repeatedly throughout each session. Axis and Allies Pacific’s technology cards and national advantage cards receive less handling but are referenced frequently. Sleeving these cards extends their lifespan significantly.
For Age of Conan, standard 63.5 x 88 mm card sleeves fit the strategy cards, while the adventure cards may require mini-euro (44 x 68 mm) sleeves depending on the edition. Budget approximately 5-8 euros for a full sleeving job. For Axis and Allies Pacific, the smaller card count makes sleeving a minimal investment.
Miniature Storage
Both games include plastic miniatures that benefit from organized storage. Age of Conan’s detailed miniatures are susceptible to bending or breaking when loose in the box. Plano-style compartment boxes (available at hardware stores for 5-10 euros) provide individual slots for each miniature type, preventing damage during transport and storage.
Axis and Allies Pacific’s unit pieces are smaller and more numerous (over 400 pieces across all nations). Sorting units by nation into labeled zip-lock bags reduces setup time dramatically — without pre-sorting, the process of finding specific units among hundreds of identical-looking pieces can add 30-45 minutes to the start of a session.
Board Preservation
Age of Conan’s board is a standard folding game board that withstands normal use without issues. Axis and Allies Pacific’s larger board requires more care — folding stress lines can become visible over time, and the paper surface is susceptible to moisture damage. Storing the board flat (rather than standing upright) and keeping it away from humid environments preserves its condition.
Teaching New Players
Age of Conan: The Learning Path
Teaching Age of Conan to new players works best as a guided first game rather than a rules lecture. The strategy phase, action phase, and adventure phase each introduce a distinct skill set, and explaining all three phases theoretically before the first turn creates information overload.
A more effective approach: explain only the strategy phase before the first turn, play through the strategy phase, then explain the action phase before the first action, and so on. This “learn-as-you-go” method keeps new players engaged and reduces the pre-game explanation time from 30+ minutes to approximately 10 minutes. A full understanding of the game typically develops by the end of the second era (roughly 90 minutes into the first session).
Axis and Allies Pacific: Managing Complexity
Axis and Allies Pacific has a steeper learning curve, and the most effective teaching method involves assigning experienced players to Japan (the most complex position) and ANZAC (the simplest position) while new players take China or the United States. China’s limited unit types and straightforward objectives provide a gentle introduction to the combat system. The United States’ massive production capacity forgives inefficient purchases during the learning phase.
The full rulebook should be available to all players during the first session, and periodic “rules breaks” — moments where play pauses to clarify a specific rule — are expected and acceptable. Attempting to teach every rule before play begins results in a 45-60 minute lecture that leaves new players overwhelmed. The rules are best absorbed through application rather than presentation.
Practical Buying Advice
Before purchasing either game, consider your group’s commitment level and session length tolerance. Age of Conan is the easier entry point: shorter playtime, fewer rules to internalize, and a theme that appeals even to players with no specific historical interest. If your group already plays medium-weight games like Scythe or Eclipse, Age of Conan will feel natural.
Axis and Allies Pacific 1940 demands more. The rulebook is dense, the first game will take significantly longer than subsequent sessions, and at least one player needs to internalize the combat resolution tables before teaching others. However, for groups that enjoy historical wargaming, the depth is unmatched in the consumer board game market.
Both games are available from major board game retailers and online stores. Age of Conan occasionally goes out of print, so if you find a copy at retail price, act quickly. Axis and Allies Pacific 1940 Revised remains consistently available through Avalon Hill’s production runs. Consider purchasing card sleeves for either game — the strategy and event cards see heavy use and will show wear after ten or more sessions. Sleeving both games costs roughly ten to fifteen euros and dramatically extends component lifespan.
Diplomacy and Alliance Management in Age of Conan
Age of Conan’s political dimension separates it from most fantasy wargames, which focus exclusively on military conquest. The diplomacy system forces players to evaluate alliances not just in terms of immediate military advantage but as long-term strategic investments that shape the entire arc of the game.
Formal alliances in Age of Conan prevent two kingdoms from attacking each other and sometimes provide shared resource benefits. The strategic value of an alliance depends heavily on geography — two kingdoms that share a long border benefit from an alliance because it frees up military units for expansion elsewhere. Two kingdoms separated by a third gain less defensive value from an alliance but may use it to diplomatically isolate the kingdom between them, creating a vulnerable target.
The timing of alliance formation matters as much as the choice of partner. Early alliances allow aggressive expansion because a secured border reduces the number of fronts to defend. However, early alliances also signal intent to other players and can trigger counter-alliances that balance the advantage. Delaying alliances until the mid-game preserves diplomatic flexibility but risks early military pressure from neighbors who interpret your independence as hostility.
Breaking alliances carries a reputation cost within the game’s systems, penalizing the betrayer with diplomatic consequences that make future alliances harder to form. This mechanical consequence reflects the political reality of the Hyborian Age — trust is expensive to build and cheap to destroy. Skilled players use the threat of betrayal as leverage without actually executing it, extracting concessions from alliance partners who fear being abandoned at a critical moment.
The Conan figure adds another layer of diplomatic complexity. When Conan enters a kingdom’s territory, that kingdom faces both a threat and an opportunity. Players can attempt to recruit Conan for their quests, gaining powerful advantages, but Conan’s movements are influenced by all players, creating a shared variable that no single player fully controls. Negotiations about Conan’s direction often reveal player intentions and priorities, providing information that savvy diplomats exploit in subsequent turns.
Naval Strategy in Axis and Allies Pacific 1940
The Pacific Theater was fundamentally a naval war, and Axis and Allies Pacific 1940 captures this reality through a naval combat system that rewards careful fleet composition and strategic positioning.
Aircraft carriers represent the most cost-efficient offensive platform in the game. Each carrier can hold two fighter aircraft, creating a mobile strike platform that projects power across multiple sea zones without requiring land bases. The historical accuracy is notable — carrier-based aviation dominated the Pacific War from Midway onward, and the game’s combat mechanics reflect this dominance by giving carrier groups significant advantages in naval engagements.
Submarine warfare offers Japan an asymmetric tool against American surface fleets. Submarines in the game can submerge to avoid destruction and target transport ships carrying reinforcements to distant islands. A Japanese submarine blockade of key sea lanes forces the American player to divert naval escorts from offensive operations, slowing the island-hopping campaign that represents the Allied path to victory.
The convoy system adds an economic dimension to naval warfare. Certain sea zones generate income for the controlling power, and convoy disruption (through submarine attacks or naval dominance) reduces enemy production capacity. This mechanic rewards sustained naval presence rather than single decisive battles — controlling sea lanes consistently is more valuable than winning one spectacular fleet engagement that leaves your navy too damaged to maintain control afterward.
Amphibious assaults are the most complex operations in the game, requiring coordination between transport ships, naval escort forces, air support, and ground troops. Each island invasion risks significant losses if the defender has positioned forces effectively. The attacker must balance the strategic value of each island against the cost of capturing it, creating a prioritization puzzle that mirrors the historical dilemmas faced by American commanders planning the island-hopping campaign.
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