From: goudswaa@fraser.sfu.ca (Peter Goudswaard)
Subject: A&A PRE-PRODUCTION VERSION!!!
Summary: A&A
Keywords: A&A
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 06:47:28 GMT

While taking a closer look at the bottom of my Axis & Allies box, I
noticed that a few things were different in the pictures of the
game.  I assume they are photographs of pre-production (alpha- or
beta-testing?) Axis & Allies.  The differences:

NATIONAL PRODUCTION CARD
In the picture, the points go from 6 to 50 (mine goes from 1 to 45).
On the same card, in the Weapons Development column, the 6th and last
development is called "Saturation Bombing" instead of "Heavy Bombers".
The fine print for each of the developments are worded differently, 
but retain the same meaning.  (For example, under Long Range Aircraft,
it says "Add two to all your aircraft ranges", instead of "The range of
your fighters is increased to 6; the range of your bombers is increased
to 8.")

BATTLEBOARD (ATTACKER/DEFENDER CARD)
In the picture, only the Defender side is visible, and the submarine is
noticeably missing from that side.  Also, the carrier is listed as
defending at 1, while the AA gun defends at _3_!  And the caption "Air
defense only" is gone, too.  Does this mean that at one time the AA guns
could be destroyed by other units?

COUNTRY REFERENCE CHARTS (US, UK, etc.)
In the picture, all of the countries have a starting income of 25 IPC's,
instead of the values listed on the National Production Card.
Also, most interestingly, only the US Reference Chart is shown.  The 
Combat Force Set-up chart clearly shows the US with eleven (11) starting
countries, instead of the normal seven (7)!  Unfortunately, the names
are hidden by the picture of the Battleboard.
The US card shows these quantities without titles:

  1 | 1 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
    |   |   |   | 1 |   |   |   |   |   |   |                    $$ M A D
    | 1 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  1 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | BATTLESHIP         36 2 4
    |   |   |   |   |   | 1 |   |   |   |   | AIRCRAFT CARRIER   18 2 1 3
    |   |   | 1 |   |   |   |   |   | 1 |   | TRANSPORT           8 2 - 1
  1 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | SUBMARINE           8 2 3 2
  1 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX 15 - - -

Noticeable on the US card above are the following:
The lines above "battleship" are covered, as well as some rows of unit
numbers.
I included column titles: $$ is Cost, M is Movement, A is Attack, and
D is Defense.
Notice the cost of the Battleship is 36, instead of 24 (it was hard
to see, but I think that is what it says.)
Notice the defense capability of the carrier is 3 -- does this mean that
the defense value of 1 on the battleboard was a typo, or was developed
earlier than the country Reference Charts?
Notice the Attack capability of the submarine is listed as 3 instead of 2.
Also, there is no note at the bottom saying "*to be placed on aircraft
carrier" -- does this mean that the US doesn't get a fighter on a
carrier in this version?
What might the other 4 added country columns have been?  The picture
of the gameboard is normal, and doesn't show any extra US territories.

OTHER
In the 2nd picture from the left of the UK and Japanese forces near
India, notice the stacking chips under the Japanese infantryman.  Do
these look airbrushed in or something?
Also, in the picture on the far right of all the gamepieces, look at
the aircraft carriers.  Doesn't it look like there is a magnetic strip
running down the deck, perhaps to attract the fighters, which may have
had metal or magnetic material underneath them?  This might even be a
good idea to do yourself, since I find that my fighters tend to slip
off the carriers when I move them or have lots of ships in one zone.

CONCLUSION
There really is none.  I provided the information for your personal
interest and speculation.  I apologize if I misread some of the numbers
on the pictures; they are very small and required a good magnifying
glass.  Also notice the detail on the pieces; far better than the ones
provided with the game!

-- 
 Peter Goudswaard                  _________                     _________
 goudswaa@sfu.ca                  |         |      __/^\__      |         |
 pgoudswa@cue.bc.ca               |         |      \     /      |         |
 peterg@quesnel.education.gov.bc.ca         |   _/\_\   /_/\_   |         |
                                  |         |   >           <   |         |
 "Peace through superior          |         |    >_________<    |         |
    firepower" -- ad for EP607    |_________|         |         |_________|