Trees versus Axemen (2018), an original board game by Cally Trench, is a game of skill, not chance, in which your aim is to occupy as much territory as possible, killing Trees if you control the Axemen or the Axemen if you control the Trees.

Every game has a different starting point, determined by positioning the first eight Trees and eight Axemen by lot. There are two sets of Trees and two sets of Axemen, so the players need to collaborate with another player and discuss their moves. The Trees and Axemen start on a strictly equal basis, with no advantage to either side. Most players seem to prefer to control the Trees, a recognition of the importance of trees in our lives, but I have found that this does not stop the players controlling the Axemen from playing to win.

Cally Trench: I believe that board games allow us to explore issues - such as deforestation - that are of contemporary importance, in a way that engages us. The opposition and competition inherent in the game itself may have the effect of sidestepping the acrimony of debate. And because players may be compelled to take on a role that they fundamentally diasgree with or disapprove of, they may acquire some understanding of other people's positions.

Trees versus Axemen was first played at Board? Gaming is the Answer at Thought Foundation, Birtley (on 10th February 2018). It was also played at two Cally's Board Game Evenings at Wycombe Museum (on 15th February and 25th October 2018), and in Cally Trench's Original Board Games (on 22nd September 2018) at The Heseltine Gallery, Middleton Cheney during the exhibition Nick Trench / Cally Trench: Siblings Cannot Agree.

Trees versus Axemen was played at Elisabetta Balasso / Cally Trench: Original Board and Card Games at OpenHand OpenSpace, Reading (on 7th September 2019), and at the In Dialogue conference at Déda, Derby (on 19th November 2019), convened by Heather Connelly and Rhiannon Jones.

Trees versus Axemen was played by the students at the Warehouse Art School, Oxford (on 19th January 2022). It was played by families at Space Studios, Ilford, in a Community Games Day (on 12th February 2022) organised by resident artist Lydia Julien. It was included in an International Women's Day iteration of the regular Bucks Board Games session at Wycombe Arts Centre (on 8th March 2022). It was also played in Cally Trench's Original Board Games at Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot (on 8th October 2022) during the exhibition Tineke Bruijnzeels / Cally Trench: Exploring inside the box.

Trees versus Axemen was included in the exhibition A Question of Drawing at Ilkon (Ilkeston Contemporary Arts), Derbyshire (23rd January - 8th February 2025).