List of Avalon Hill games

From the late 1950s into the 1990s, Avalon Hill was still one of the largest publishers of board games, specifically within the field of strategy and wargames. The company published numerous titles, some which have gone on to become classics within the boardgaming world. Most of these are dense strategy games with historical themes and elaborate simulations. A Selected List of Avalon Hill GamesHere are some examples that demonstrate the breadth of what Avalon Hill had to offer.

Classic Strategy & Wargames

These games are notably great in strategy and many times revolve with a history or military.

Risk (1957)

A classic strategy title of world conquest, players take control of armies and try to complete the goal of world domination. It turned into one of the most played strategy games of all time.

Diplomacy (1959)

This is a powerful turn-based strategy game of pre-World War 1 Europe where different countries controlled by players engage in diplomacy, alliances and backstabbery to come out on top!

Gettysburg (1958)

A strategy simulation of the Battle of Gettysburg during the ACW that focuses more on tactical decisions to place units.

Squad Leader (1977)

A tactical wargame for small unit infantry combat in WWII It was one of the most popular tactical wargames in its time and set many expansions and spin-offs.

Tactics II (1963)

WW2 tactical wargame with infantry and tank troops. This was one of the earliest wargames to feature a hex-based combat interface.

Panzer Blitz (1970)

A World War II Eastern Front Strategy game. The game involves control of various tanks, infantry and artillery units in a variety of combat situations.

Shogun (1986)

Players assume the roles of battling samurai clans in feudal Japan, where they wage war, enter alliances and make plans to gain dominance over Japan.

War at Sea (1982)

Naval Battles of World War 2, a hybrid strategy / tactical naval wargame.

Civil War & Historical Games

These are games which recreate major historical events and battles, predominantly the American Civil War.

Battle Cry (2000)

A card-driven wargame based on the American Civil War, featuring players taking charge of their respective armies in a series of historical battles.

The Civil War: The Fight for the Union (1993)

The American Civil War | A Historical Perspective → The American Revolution (1986)

Live Another Life: An alternative history game, focusing on either the British or American perspectives of the revolutionary war

Games of Fantasy & Science Fiction

There were fantasy and science fiction games Avalon Hill published too.

Dune (1979)

A powerful adaptation of a classic novel by Frank Herbert, Dune brings politics, combat and resource management to the desert planet of Arrakis. Role Play — Players must control the spice trade on a planet, Production of this substance is vital for power between stars.

Cosmic Encounter (1977)

A sci-fi game where players can embody different alien races, each with their own special abilities and the aim of the game is to conquer other players planets. The importance of negotiation and alliances are more prominent in it.

Dragonslayer (1985)

A fantasy adventure game where players must work together to take down an evil dragon that is wreaking havoc in a kingdom. This game was special because of the cooperation.

Economic and Management Games

These game basically based on economic strategy and being a resource manager.

Acquisitions (1986)

Type of game: A business strategy game where players run companies, negotiate mergers and acquisitions, and fight for supremacy in the corporate world.

History of the World (1991)

A turn-based strategy game in which players advance a nation from the Stone Age to the Information Age, designing cities and detective-like expanding their territory. Aim to create the biggest empire possible.

Billionaire (1984)

Seven Wonder Duel: A battle of corporate acquisitions where players control rival business interests Aim to outplay other player into the riches by expert deals and investing.

Power Grid (1999)

An economic strategy game about producing energy. In this game, players will need to buy power plants, gain access to more resources and build out their energy network in order to become the most profitable energy supplier.

Abstract Strategy Games

These games focused more on tactics and abstract strategy.

Tigris & Euphrates (1997)

A turn-based game of civilization building and combat in ancient Mesopotamia on a tile map. Competing for influence in areas such as politics, religion, and trade.

Acquire (1964)

A text-based game of hotel chains and equities. Competing hotel companies buy and sell stocks with players fighting to gain the most wealth.

Clue (1949)

Cleaned up version of this classic "whodunit" detective board game (you know the one, where you figure out who did it, with what weapon and in which room) — originally published by Hasbro but later Avalon Hill editions expanded further.

Party and Family Games

Avalon Hill also made them lighter, more approachable and casual-play oriented.

The Game of Life (1960)

A game in which players simulate events of their life like career, marriage and family. So, trying to get as much cash and live the most prosperous life you can.

RISK: Game Of Global Domination (1963)

It contains the classic Risk game with updated rules, as well as several additional variations to add depth and breathing room for strategy.

Masterpiece (1970)

A game about art where you buy and sell famous artworks, trying to create the most valuable collection.

Sports Games

Avalon Hill also explored sports simulation games with highly detailed simulations of a number of competitive activities.

Statis Pro Baseball (1973)

An ultra-realistic baseball simulation that puts players in charge of managing teams and making strategy choices based on player statistics paired with dice rolls.

Statis Pro Football (1986)

A soccer sim that implemented realistic gameplay mechanics with a tactical approach for soccer fans.

Rollerball (1976)

An adaptation of the 1975 film Rollerball in which players assume the role of characters within a futuristic sport combining roller skating, combat, and strategy.

Post-1980 Avalon Hill Games

A few of the titles were published later in the history of the company, under new ownership (Hasbro) with Avalon Hill's name still attached to them.

Arkham Horror (1987)

That could refer to a number of different games, such as in the cooperative horror game based on the Cthulhu Mythos, where players must work together to stop an ancient evil from awakening. Its convoluted systems and morose storyline earned it both love and hate from fans of the genre.

Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) (1985)

ASL, a tactical wargame and the successor to Squad Leader is arguably one of the most intricate and difficult to play wargames ever created, concentrating on squad-level WWII combat.

Starship Troopers (2000)

A video game version of the Robert Heinlein novel and film, players can control either human Mobile Infantry or alien Arachnids in an interstellar conflict.

Conclusion

There is little doubt that Avalon Hill has a long history as one of the many original publishers of strategy, wargames, and other complex board games. With a great number of their titles having inspired gamers for generations, they are well loved for creating classics in the tabletop gaming world. While the company was swallowed up by giant toy maker Hasbro in the 1990s, its games are still played and loved to this day, many of them upgraded with new versions or revs on net platforms. From intricate military simulations, to imaginative party games; you might not need me to tell you that Avalon Hill has a huge impact on board gaming.