The rules comparison charts do not cover the operational games as they are too divergent from the main system. Check the abbreviations page for the abbreviations.
| Version | AA Fire Timing |
| AAC,AAE,AAP,IB | During enemy combat movement |
| AAR | During enemy movement |
| AA50,AA42 | At the start of combat, not when flying over |
| AAD | In Artillery Shoots at Planes phase |
| Version | AA Guns |
| AAC | Can only fire during enemy combat movement. Can't stack AA. Costs 5. |
| AAR,AAP,AAE | Can fire whenever overflown. Can stack AA, but only 1 can fire. Costs 5. |
| AAD | Not used. Artillery fires at planes. |
| AA50,AA42 |
Can only fire during combat movement. Costs 6. Can stack but only 1 can fire. |
| AA41 | Not Used |
| Version | Air Bases |
| AAP,,AA50 | Certain islands are designated as airbases. Air units flying from airbases add 1 to their movement allowance. |
| AAG40 | Air bases may be built in any area, giving a bonus of 1 to air movement from. In addition, fighters and tactical bombers at air bases on islands can scramble defend neighboring ships. |
| Others | Not used |
| Version | Aircraft Carriers |
| AAC,AAE,AAP,IB | Costs 18. Fighters can't be build on carriers. Defends at 3 |
| AAR | Costs 16. Fighters can be built on carriers. Defends at 3 |
| AA50,AA42 | Costs 14. Fighters can be built on carriers or simultaneously with carriers. Defends at 2. |
| Version | Armor Defense |
| AAC,AAE,AAP,IB | Defend at 2 |
| AAD | Germans defend at 3, Allies defend at 2 |
| AAR,AA50,AA42 | Defend at 3 |
| Version | Artillery |
| AAC | Not used |
| AAD | Can shoot down air units on a 1 |
| Version | Battleship |
| AAC | 1 hit to sink. Bombardment during first round. Cost 24 |
| AAR | 2 hits to sink (repairs after battle). Cost 24 |
| AA50,AA42 | 2 hits to sink (repairs after battle). Cost 20 |
| AA40 | 2 hits to sink. Repairs at start of turn at friendly base. Cost 20. |
| Version | Blockhouses |
| AAD | Attack 3, Defend 1 don't move. May also attack land units in adjacent sea zones. Attacker chooses losses.} |
| Version | Bombardment |
| AAC,AAE,AAP | Occurs during first round. Any enemy ship spoils |
| AAR | Occurs before first round. Any enemy ship spoils |
| AA50,AA42 | Occurs during first round. Number of bombarding ships can't exceed number of invading units. Any enemy surface warship spoils. |
| Version | Bomber |
| AAR,AAC,AAP | Costs 15. Can engage in strategic bombing |
| AA50,AA42 | Costs 12. Can engage in strategic bombing |
| AAD | Attacks at 3. Chooses target. Unlimited movement. Can't attack contested areas |
| Version | China |
| AA50 | China receives no IPC’s but builds 1 infantry per 2 areas held at the end of the turn. Chinese may only be in areas with a Chinese flag and Kwangtung. Chinese may not build in areas with 3+ Chinese units. |
| AAP40 | Chinese may only be in areas with a Chinese flag, Kwangtung & Burma. Can only build infantry (and artillery) if Burma Road is open. Can build in any Chinese territory, even if just captured. No capital. |
| Version | Convoys |
| AAE | They captured like land areas. Only the original owner can draw income form them |
| AAE | They captured like land areas. Only the original owner can draw income form them. The original owner must own the land area and convoy. |
| Version | Cruisers |
| AA50,AA42 | Fights at 3. Costs 12. Can bombard |
| Version | Destroyers |
| AAR | 3-3-2. Cost 12. Blocks all enemy sub special abilities. No bombardment. |
| AAE | 3-3-2. Cost 12. Blocks all enemy sub special abilities. No bombardment. Bombards at 3. Allows air units to attack submarines. |
| AAP | 3-3-2. Cost 12. Blocks all enemy sub special abilities. No bombardment. Bombards at 2. Allows air units to attack submarines. |
| AA50 | 2-2-2. Cost 8. Blocks all enemy sub special abilities. No bombardment. Bombards at 2. Allows air units to fight against submarines. |
| Version | Fighters |
| AAR | 3-4-4. Cost 10. Not involved in strategic bombing. Can be built on adjacent carriers. |
| AAC | 3-4-4. Cost 12. Not involved in strategic bombing. Can't be build on adjacent carriers. |
| AAE | 3-4-4. Cost 12. Can escort & attack strategic bombers. (Escorts fire at 1, interceptors at 2).
Can't be built on adjacent carriers. |
| Pacific | 3-4-4. Cost 12. Can escort & attack strategic bombers. (Escorts fire at 1, interceptors at 2).
May make a non-combat move to an adjacent sea zone if no other movement made that turn. {C Will land at beginning of your next turn. Can't be built on adjacent carriers. |
| AAD | Do not attack during your combat phase. Instead moving it to an area. An enemy unit that
moves in or out is attacked at a 1. Each fighter gets a shot at each enemy. Can only be attacked by artillery (at a 1). |
| Version | First Turn Rules |
| AAC | No Russian first turn attack |
| AAP | Allied force except Chinese, defend at 1 on first turn |
| Version | Heavy Bombers' |
| AAC | Roll 3 dice on attack |
| AAR,AA50 | Roll 2 dice on attack |
| Version | Industrial Complex |
| AAR | Can't build more units than the income value of area, each turn |
| AAC | Unlimited builds for original industrial complexes by the original owner. Otherwise, limited to income value |
| AAE | Unlimited builds for original industrial complexes by the original owner. Otherwise, limited to income value. No new complexes |
| AAP |
Unlimited builds for original industrial complexes by the original owner. Otherwise, limited to income value. Only US can build new complexes. |
| Version | Jet Fighters |
| AAC,AAR | Defends at 5 |
| AA50 | Attacks at 4 |
| Version | Lend-Lease |
| AAE | During the Soviet non-combat move phase, he may convert Allied units in his territory to Soviet |
| Version | Marines |
| AAP | Cost 4. +1 on amphibious attacks |
| Version | Middle East |
| AAE | Germans collect income from captured Middle East areas directly from an Allied Player of their choice |
| Version | Naval Bases |
| AAP | Naval units can move 3 during non-combat movement, if naval bases are in both the starting and ending areas. The island must be controlled for each base. Newly captured areas are fine. |
| Version | Neutrals |
| AAC | Can be invaded for 3 IPC's |
| AAR,AA50 | Impassable |
| AAG40 | Some neutrals favor 1 side. They can be attacked by the other side freely and recruited by their allies by sending ground units in. True neutrals fight against both sides, and if any true neutral is attacked, all true neutrals will favor the other side. |
| Version | Order of Play |
| Others | USSR-Germany-UK-Japan-USA |
| AAE | Germany-USSR-UK-USA |
| AAP | Japan-UK-USA |
| AAD | Germany-UK-US |
| Version | Retreat-Attacker |
| AAC | Retreat after any combat round, except for amphibious invasion |
| AAR,AAE,AAP | Retreat after any combat round, except for land units in an amphibious invasion |
| AAD | 1 round of combat per turn. No retreats. Land units in contested areas can't move. |
| Version | Retreat-Defender |
| AAR,AAC,AAP | Defending subs can retreat after any combat round |
| Version | Stacking |
| AAD | 8 land units, 4 fighters per side per area. Bombers & blockhouse unlimited |
| Others | Unlimited |
| Version | Strategic Bombing |
| AAC | Inflicts d6 IPC losses to the foe |
| AAE,AAP,AAR | Inflicts d6 IPC losses to the foe, up to the value of the territory. |
| AA50 | Inflicts D6 damage to the complex, up to twice the value of the territory. Each hit reduces production capacity by 1. Hits are repaired for 1 IPC during the buy phase. |
| AA42 | Inflicts D6 damage to the complex, up to twice the value of the territory. Each hit reduces production capacity by 1. Hits are repaired for 1 IPC during the buy phase. Defending fighters may defend at 2, escorting fighters attack at 1. Fighter combat before AA fire. |
| Version | Submarine |
| AAR | Submarines fire during opening fire, on attack or defense. May submerge after round of combat. Can move through enemy sea zones without fighting. An enemy destroyer negates all these abilities (it fires in regular combat). |
| AAC | First fire on attack. Can retreat after any round of combat. |
| AAE | First fire on attack. Can retreat or submerge after any round of combat. Destroyers negate
submarine first fire. Air units can only attack subs if destroyers are present. |
| AAP | First fire on attack. Can retreat or submerge after any round of combat. |
| AA50,AAG40 | May ignore enemy naval forces without destroyers. May end non-combat movement with enemy naval force without destroyers. First strike on attack or defense unless enemy destroyer present. Can't be hit by aircraft unless enemy destroyer present. Costs 6. Defends at 1. May submerge, even before battle if no enemy destroyer present. |
| Version | Tank Defense |
| AAC | Defends at 2 |
| AAD | Axis defends at 3, allies at 2 |
| Others | Defends at 3 |
| Version | Technology |
| AAC | Pay 5 per tech roll. On a 6, you receive a random tech |
| AAR | Pay 5 per tech roll. On a 6, you received tech of your choice |
| AA50 | Pay 5 to receive a researcher. Each researcher succeeds on a 6. All researchers are removed on success. Technology is rolled on the player’s choice of 2 tables. |
| AA42 | Not used |
| Version | Transports |
| AAR | Can carry 1 infantry + 1 other land unit. Can load if submerged sub present. |
| AAC | Can carry 2 infantry or 1 other land unit. |
| AAE | Can carry 1 armor or 2 other land units. Can't load load if submerged sub present. |
| AAP | Can carry 1 armor or 2 other land units. Can't load load if submerged sub present. |
| AA50 | Always taken as a loss last. Defends at 0. Costs 7. |
| Version | Turkish Straits" |
| AAC,AAR | Sea movement allowed between Mediterranean and Black Sea |
| AAE,AA50,AA42 | Sea movement not allowed between Mediterranean and Black Sea |
| Version | Victory Conditions |
| AAR,AA42 | Hold 9 victory cities at the end of a complete turn |
| AAC | Take 2 enemy capitals. Axis can win by holding 84 points of income at turn end. |
| AAE | Take any enemy capital |
| AAP | Japan scores 1 VP for every 10 points of income (less strategic bombing losses). Bid for VP level for victory. |
| AAD | Allies win by having an uncontested control of all 3 objective cities for an entire turn by turn 10. |
| AA50 | Hold 15 victory cities at the end of a turn |
| AA41 | Take 2 enemy capitals |