RISK: The Game of World Domination

[RPI-Fan]

I'll post about the RISK games we've been playing in chemistry class. So far, we've played six games, and began our 7th today.

First, let's detail the players. There are six main players, with a few peripherials who offer advice or fill in when someone isn't present.

Brendon: A RISK veteran - loves to place armies in Australia and build from there. Has yet to win a game, and as such has adjusted his strategy. Doesn't like alliances, and is pretty deceptive. Has broken agreements on more than one occasion.

Mike: Even more of a RISK veteran, he won the first game. From there he hasn't been successful. Loves to work from Europe/Africa and make an alliance with the strongest player.

Pete: Likes to start in Australia, but hasn't made a point to do so game after game. Doesn't like alliances, and just likes to build up and amass a large army before doing much.

Will: Not a very strong player - he just builds up in South America and Africa and goes from there. Doesn't play too much strategy into his game, and often backstabs on alliances.

Paul: Very agressive player, he loves attacking. He makes alliances with people quite a bit, and just tries to expand his borders a lot.

Kyle (me): Love to make alliances, and also build up forces before launching a big attack. Like to start in Asia, but don't restrict myself to that area if it's not practical.

Aaron: Hasn't played RISK much before, and usually teams up with me. He's a smart kid, though, and is learning quickly.

Derek: Rarely shows up, and is awful at the game. Everybody has tell him what moves are the best to make. He just sort of goes through the motions.

Adam: He's generally chosen to fill in for players who aren't present. When he's not playing though he doesn't usually watch. He's pretty conservative in his gameplan, and doesn't really like alliances.

Katie: Just watches, but she knows what she's talking about. Gives lots of advice, mostly to Derek.

Jess: Doesn't know how to play, but is following along with Brendon to learn. She's a smart girl, and will pick it up pretty quick.

So anyways, I'll give a brief history of the games we've played. It's been a while since we started, but I'll do my best. FTR, the six starting players are always the first six listed in the above descriptions.

Game 1

Mike and Brendon were the only ones with legitimate starting positions, and Mike had a European front so he was eventually able to amass more armies. He slowly took over the game, and ended up finishing off the game without much of a threat.

Game 2

Everybody was gunning for Mike this time, and we all had stronger starting positions. Will was able to big up a build army in South America. He slowly but surely built that army into enough of a force to move into Africa and took control from there. He ended up victorious, with a concession.

Game 3

It was Paul's turn this time, as he built his power base in North America and rode the bonus armies to victory. Nobody could really challenge him, and it was a concession that finished the game.

Game 4

Pete built up in Asia this time, and I, after getting whittled down by Paul, turned my services over to Pete. I devised a plan to get him quite a few RISK cards, and he rode those cash-ins to an eventual victory.

Game 5

Paul and Mike made a mighty alliance, and me and Pete were left with no choice but to team up to counteract their strength. Paul had a set-up to take Mike and his cards, but me and Pete were able to get to him first, and I took his cards. I cashed in, and now me, Paul, and Pete were in an equal position. I was able to make some strong attacks and borders, and eventual pulled a huge upset on Paul. Paul had, at one point, controlled everything south of the midway point of the board. It was an incredible comeback for me to get the victory.

(notice that this has been 5 games and 5 different winners - something pretty common to RISK)

Game 6

There were three distinct and equally strong alliances this time around. Me and Pete built up in Asia (I was in the north, he had Australia, etc.), Mike and Paul in Europe and Africa, and Brendon and Will in North and South America. The latter two groups had some squabbles amongst each other while me and Pete just built a huge force. I had my armies on the Eastern border of Asia, and Pete planned to move West.

Soon after, the other players realized they were fucked. Me and Pete swept through, leaving Brendon with a few forces in North America, and Will a larger army in South America. Mike and Paul were eliminated. From there, I was able to cash in two times more than Pete, and as such I could sweep through Brendon to get his RISK cards. Cashing those allowed me to take on Pete's weakened army and get his RISK cards. At that point Will had about 30 armies consolidated in 5 territories, and as I could cash in, he conceeded the game to me. This was the first time somebody had won twice in a row.

Game 7

Knowing that I stood no chance this game (EVERYBODY would be gunning for me), I sat this one out. Aaron stepped in for me, and I told him to consolidate all his forces in one territory in Australia. He did so. Paul and Mike again built up in Europe and Africa, with an alliance, while Pete was now in central Asia. Derek stepped in for the absent Will, and was positioned in North America. Brendon took South America.

Mike and Paul both did not want Aaron (to whom I was offering advice) to do anything, so they immediately gunned for him. He held off the onslaught and stayed alive. Meanwhile, Pete just got dwindled down by his spread out forces. He was the first one eliminated. While all this was happening, Brendon and Derek had a struggle in North America. Brendon, behind his two bonus forces each turn, forced Derek to retreat north and west into Asia (he was being threatened on the East by Paul's grip on Iceland).

Paul and Mike made an attempt to take Aaron out again, but again he resisted. At this point, Derek cashed in for eight armies, and we advised him to take Aaron out (we were going to die regardless, and didn't want Mike and/or Paul getting our cards). He did so, and now can cash in. He is, however holed up in Australia. Here's the twist (Brendon is still in South America) - Paul was supposed to clear a path for Mike to take Derek out, along with his cards. But instead, Paul betrayed him, blocking off his route to Australia, and Mike no longer has that option. After realizing Paul had screwed him, he now plans to move into Europe, killing Paul's stronghold on the continent.

Meanwhile, Derek (I'll be playing for him tomorrow) will be cashing in for twelve armies. I'll use these to squeeze Paul from the south, and will count on Mike to get Paul from the west. All the while, Mike must monitor Brendon in South America. Paul's course of action will probably be to move through Greenland and into North America where he'll challenge Brendon. We're left off at Mike's turn (he'll go first tomorrow), and will resume for about half an hour tomorrow morning.

The order will be Mike, then Brendon, then Derek, then Paul. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out.

Any comments? (all future updates will be much more detailed, as I'll have less to remember to mention)

~rpi-fan

[Blade6119]

my current chem teacher would never let us do anything fun...your lucky...but we st ill have our fun...we just put laxitives in her coffee....a day filled with laughter...

[illinifan999]

This is cool. I'm reading.
But you need to do anotehr CM dynasty. Man those were great.

[RPI-Fan]

Thanks for the messages. I'll be getting a new computer in a couple of months, and at that time I'll probably buy CM4. So maybe I'll try something then.

But for now this will have to do.

[RPI-Fan]

I'm having trouble what went down today, but I'll do my best.

Derek showed, and I was a little late, so I missed a bit. Mike just took a country to get a RISK card, and Derek cashed in to fortify his armies in Australia. Brendon continued to build up in North America, and Paul did the same in Europe.

Paul and Mike revived their alliance, and again were going to work together. But (to no suprise to me), Mike broke the alliance and broke Paul's stronghold in Europe. Paul attempted to retaliate and take Mike out after cashing, but Mike got some great dice rolls to prevent it from happening.

Paul just fortified Europe, and that's where we left off. It'll be Mike followed by Brendon tomorrow.

~rpi-fan

[RPI-Fan]

Well, we played a game of Team Chess today, but continued RISK at the same time. Basically, here's what happened... Mike cashed twice, each time with three cards. This meant a guaranteed victory for him, basically, and after taking Brendon out Paul conceeded.

The next game (Game 8) started with only 5 players (Pete is sitting this one ou). I started in North America, and was one country short of the continent after placing armies. Will was in South America, Brendon Australia, Mike Africa, and Paul part of Asia. I built up a huge front on my border, and easily took the continent on my first turn.

Oh yea', I should mention, this is a silent game. Meaning no alliances or collusion during gameplay or before gameplay. It's making it much more interesting.

I basically just built up my North American front, and after cashing now have a sizeable army in Iceland, and Alaska. Unfortunately, Will pushed into Central America. But I can cash in for 15 armies next turn (with 3 cards, so I got lucky), and will consider taking that back. Right now, though, I just don't want to lose any more of my power base.

Will and Brendon have the only continents (SA and Aussie). Will pushed Mike's stronghold in Africa. Paul is out of the game, and Brendon is getting a bit weak.

We'll resume play on Wednesday, so it'll be a while before an update.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Ahh...finally somebody has come up with a RISK dynasty ....Let the world be engulfed in flames .

[RPI-Fan]

Brendon cashed, and came through Alaska destroying my power base in North America. I'm still easily alive,with loads of forces in Iceland, but not in a very good position. The good news, though, is that I have two cards, with a joker. That means after I get my next card I can cash. I'll have to make it my goal to stay alive two more turns.

When I cash, it'll be for 35, and I'll build from Iceland into Europe. I think I might be able to hold Europe. We'll see, though. So anyways, we didn't get much of a chance to play today. Tomorrow we're on a field trip, and Thursday will be limited gametime. We'll play for all class on Friday, and then next Monday will be short again. Tuesday we're occupied, but after that we'll have nonstop playing and the dynasty will really kick into gear.

~rpi-fan

[Craptacular]

You're playing Risk and chess in chemistry class??

[RPI-Fan]

Umm, yea'. We finished our work for the year (actually finished about a month ago).