<s>
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
is	O
a	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
World	O
War	O
II	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
TimeGate	O
Studios	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Atari	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
board	O
game	O
series	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
from	O
Milton	O
Bradley	O
and	O
also	O
on	O
TimeGate	O
's	O
Kohan	B-Application
series	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
met	O
with	O
positive	O
reception	O
,	O
although	O
some	O
reviewers	O
claimed	O
the	O
game	O
fell	O
short	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
AI	B-Application
mechanics	I-Application
and	O
in	O
an	O
overemphasis	O
on	O
base	O
management	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
:	I-Application
Collector	I-Application
's	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
new	O
name	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
on	O
August	O
28	O
,	O
2006	O
by	O
Encore	O
Software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
assumes	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
military	O
general	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
five	O
superpowers	B-Application
of	O
World	O
War	O
II	O
:	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
Great	O
Britain	O
,	O
Germany	O
,	O
Soviet	O
Union	O
,	O
and	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
nation	O
has	O
access	O
to	O
its	O
own	O
unique	O
military	O
units	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
snipers	B-Protocol
for	O
the	O
Soviets	O
,	O
flamethrower	O
tanks	O
for	O
the	O
British	O
,	O
and	O
King	O
Tiger	O
tanks	O
for	O
the	O
Germans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Particularly	O
noteworthy	O
are	O
the	O
most	O
expensive	O
Special	O
Operations	O
,	O
which	O
include	O
large	O
damaging	O
area	O
of	O
effect	O
abilities	O
such	O
as	O
carpet	O
bombing	O
,	O
kamikazes	B-Application
,	O
V-weapons	O
,	O
and	O
nuclear	O
bombs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
primary	O
objective	O
of	O
gameplay	O
is	O
to	O
destroy	O
all	O
opposing	O
enemy	O
military	O
forces	O
,	O
though	O
some	O
campaigns	O
and	O
maps	O
require	O
other	O
objectives	O
to	O
be	O
completed	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
capturing	O
certain	O
cities	O
,	O
escorting	O
a	O
caravan	B-Application
,	O
or	O
defending	O
a	O
specific	O
area	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
in	O
other	B-Application
RTS	I-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
expend	O
resources	O
to	O
construct	O
buildings	O
and	O
recruit	O
units	O
to	O
fight	O
the	O
enemy	O
,	O
while	O
maintaining	O
an	O
economy	O
,	O
progressing	O
through	O
a	O
build	O
tree	O
,	O
and	O
researching	O
upgrades	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combat	O
units	O
of	O
their	O
corresponding	O
types	O
are	O
deployed	O
from	O
four	O
classes	O
of	O
buildings	O
:	O
Infantry	B-Protocol
,	O
Airborne	O
,	O
Mechanized	O
,	O
and	O
Armor	O
Division	O
HQs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
also	O
includes	O
special	O
gameplay	O
features	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
regimental	O
control	O
,	O
chained	O
supply	O
,	O
and	O
morale	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
regiment	O
is	O
composed	O
of	O
a	O
certain	O
squad	O
of	O
units	O
,	O
where	O
a	O
unit	O
can	O
be	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
an	O
Anti-Tank	O
Infantry	B-Protocol
,	O
a	O
Halftrack	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
Light	O
Tank	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
regiments	O
are	O
made	O
up	O
of	O
ground	O
units	O
;	O
they	O
are	O
blocked	O
by	O
mountains	O
and	O
slowed	O
by	O
forests	O
,	O
sand	O
,	O
and	O
cities	O
,	O
though	O
infantry	B-Protocol
units	O
gain	O
a	O
defensive	O
bonus	O
while	O
in	O
forests	O
or	O
cities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
resembles	O
a	O
turn-based	O
computer	O
variant	O
of	O
the	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
board	O
games	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
fight	O
battles	O
in	O
RTS	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
start	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
chooses	O
a	O
nation	O
and	O
a	O
general	O
to	O
play	O
as	O
,	O
then	O
the	O
game	O
displays	O
a	O
game	O
board	O
showing	O
a	O
panoramic	O
map	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
with	O
territory	O
tiles	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
and	O
computer	B-Application
players	I-Application
take	O
turns	O
purchasing	O
infantry	B-Protocol
,	O
mechanized	O
,	O
armor	O
,	O
and	O
air	O
support	O
pieces	O
from	O
their	O
home	O
country	O
and	O
move	O
them	O
across	O
the	O
map	O
to	O
engage	O
enemy	O
armies	O
and	O
territories	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
nation	O
has	O
reduced	O
recruitment	O
cost	O
for	O
a	O
specific	O
military	O
piece	O
;	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
Germany	O
recruits	O
cheaper	O
armor	O
pieces	O
,	O
Russia	O
has	O
cheaper	O
infantry	B-Protocol
pieces	O
,	O
and	O
Japan	O
has	O
cheaper	O
air	O
support	O
pieces	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
infantry	B-Protocol
,	O
mechanized	O
,	O
armor	O
,	O
air	O
)	O
that	O
each	O
player	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
deploy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
contrast	O
to	O
the	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
board	O
games	O
,	O
each	O
player	O
can	O
only	O
attack	O
one	O
territory	O
per	O
turn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
desert	O
,	O
jungle	B-Device
,	O
grassland	O
)	O
,	O
what	O
land	O
features	O
are	O
present	O
on	O
the	O
map	O
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
Map	O
Editor	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
make	O
their	O
own	O
custom	O
battle	O
maps	O
to	O
play	O
in	O
both	O
singleplayer	O
and	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Online	O
service	O
was	O
supported	O
by	O
GameSpy	B-Protocol
Arcade	I-Protocol
,	O
a	O
free	O
online	O
player-matching	O
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
Pacific	O
War	O
,	O
Japan	O
manages	O
an	O
invasion	O
of	O
Australia	O
,	O
leaving	O
the	O
Americans	O
without	O
a	O
staging	O
area	O
in	O
the	O
Pacific	O
(	O
it	O
is	O
also	O
suggested	O
that	O
the	O
attack	B-Application
on	I-Application
Pearl	I-Application
Harbor	I-Application
was	O
more	O
successful	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
fleet	O
being	O
sunk	O
in	O
deep	O
waters	O
rather	O
than	O
in	O
the	O
shallow	O
waters	O
of	O
the	O
base	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
DevelopmentAxis	O
&	O
Allies	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
TimeGate	O
Studios	O
and	O
built	O
using	O
the	O
Kohan	B-Application
II	I-Application
game	O
engine	O
,	O
which	O
laid	O
out	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
framework	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
was	O
released	O
about	O
a	O
month	O
later	O
than	O
Kohan	B-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
said	O
that	O
"[they]	O
have	O
been	O
fans	O
and	O
players	O
of	O
the	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
franchise	O
for	O
years	O
,	O
and	O
 [ their ] 	O
commitment	O
to	O
innovation	O
combined	O
with	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
the	O
brand	O
is	O
a	O
definite	O
recipe	O
for	O
a	O
killer	O
title.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
design	O
process	O
of	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
largely	O
entailed	O
three	O
things	O
:	O
research	O
,	O
visual	O
design	O
,	O
and	O
game	O
triggers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
terrain	O
design	O
,	O
the	O
designer	O
or	O
artist	O
working	O
on	O
the	O
map	O
would	O
usually	O
keep	O
an	O
atlas	B-Device
of	O
the	O
region	O
by	O
his	O
desk	O
for	O
reference	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
early	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
Battle	B-Device
of	I-Device
the	I-Device
Bulge	I-Device
mission	O
focused	O
on	O
the	O
defense	O
of	O
Bastogne	O
by	O
the	O
101st	O
Airborne	O
Division	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
turn-based	O
WWII	O
mode	O
in	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
was	O
chiefly	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
board	O
game	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
rated	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
8.4	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
"	O
Axis	B-Application
and	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
RTS	I-Application
stands	O
on	O
its	O
own	O
merits	O
as	O
a	O
great	O
strategy	O
game.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GamePlanet	O
rated	O
the	O
game	O
4	O
out	O
of	O
5	O
stars	O
,	O
marking	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
marriage	O
of	O
the	O
original	B-Application
board	I-Application
game	I-Application
and	O
the	O
recent	O
award-winning	O
RTS	O
fantasy	O
title	O
Kohan	B-Application
II	I-Application
"	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
has	O
certainly	O
taken	O
on	O
the	O
best	O
of	O
both	O
and	O
delivered	O
a	O
great	O
little	O
game.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
XGPGaming	O
tooted	O
an	O
8.7/10	O
rating	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
"[they]	O
did	O
a	O
great	O
job	O
on	O
this	O
game	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
genre	O
that	O
has	O
been	O
watered	O
down	O
by	O
the	O
numerous	O
attempts	O
by	O
various	O
companies	O
 [ ... ] 	O
I	O
recommend	O
everyone	O
who	O
likes	O
real-time	B-Application
strategy	I-Application
games	I-Application
to	O
give	O
this	O
one	O
a	O
try.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
gave	O
a	O
rating	O
of	O
80%	O
,	O
writing	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
"	O
worthy	O
to	O
carry	O
the	O
[	O
Axis	O
&	O
Allies ]	O
name	O
proudly	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
a	O
tremendously	O
entertaining	O
game	O
in	O
its	O
own	O
right	O
 [ ... ] 	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
delivers	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
pure	O
excitement	O
and	O
plain	O
and	O
simple	O
fun	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpy	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
low	O
2	O
out	O
of	O
5	O
stars	O
,	O
detailing	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
,	O
"	O
Timegate	O
's	O
Kohan	B-Application
goes	O
to	O
World	O
War	O
II	O
and	O
shoots	O
itself	O
in	O
the	O
foot.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
has	O
also	O
been	O
criticized	O
for	O
its	O
weak	O
AI	B-Application
mechanics	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
stated	O
by	O
its	O
developers	O
to	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
"	O
learn	B-Algorithm
and	I-Algorithm
adapt	I-Algorithm
to	I-Algorithm
player	I-Algorithm
strategies	I-Algorithm
as	O
they	O
play	O
the	O
game.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
remarks	O
that	O
,	O
artistically	O
,	O
the	O
visuals	O
of	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
look	O
good	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Larry	O
Harris	O
,	O
the	O
founder	O
of	O
the	O
acclaimed	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
board	O
game	O
series	O
,	O
was	O
proud	O
to	O
expand	O
the	O
Axis	B-Application
&	I-Application
Allies	I-Application
franchise	O
into	O
the	O
realm	O
of	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
gaming:Axis	O
&	O
Allies''	O
is	O
TimeGate	O
's	O
best-selling	O
game	O
release	O
,	O
upon	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
closure	O
in	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
