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Posted on December 7, 2013
Risk Legacy (Sco.) update from Arabtim
Back in May of this year on a lovely hot sunny day, Desfaber, StA and myself took a trip to The Source (MSP, USA) and bought a whole bundle of goodies! We loved the Source. Us Scotsmen thrive on games shopping and do not need sunshine nor vitamin D. One of the shiny new purchases was Risk Legacy! Desfaber had already played it, but he put his benevolent hand into his pocket. His idea, play a few games with his brethren and then send it East for a further 7 games, just to “see what happens”…
(He then was going to fly over, play a few more games on a thoroughly Celtified board and then take it back home for his gaming group to finish the job - however impending fatherhood will now prompt USPS to bridge the 4000 mile gap between game and owner).
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Over here we all LOVE Risk Legacy. (Our gaming group have bought 3 more copies of our own). It is the ultimate re-boot of a (pretty mediocre, simple) game, that is largely determined by luck. What is great is that it has evolved into a game played over the “long term” like a football league, where wins are the primary goal, but if you lose you just dust yourself down and get stuck into the next fixture. You also have history with every game participant and every result all studiously “recorded”. This especially appeals to a detail person like me. You also have “history” with all the other players. This also appeals to an arch agitator like me.
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What is REALLY great is that win or lose, you shape the board, the factions and even the fortunes of the other players (especially those who piss you off!).
What is AMAZING is that the game keeps evolving when you (meet the conditions that allow you to) open envelopes of new cards or sealed trays. When you do open such a package the excitement is palpable and the results can be immediate and deliciously chaotic!!!!!!
NOW FORÂ SOME SPOILERS!
Our board reflects the fact that we have opened all but one envelope and all the sealed trays.
That has delivered us two more factions: Mutants and Aliens!
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Some factions have been improved and one has been saddled with a major enemy but the delightful title and benefits of being the “Bringer of Nuclear Fire”. We also have a destroyed territory, added a new territory (pesky aliens), added a major city with shields (now worn out) and destroyed a city (pesky aliens).
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All our continents are wittily named (by far the most popular winner’s option) and we have a scattering of other scars and minor cities some placed (/ named) carefully – some less so (in spite) to smite an opponent in the heat of conflict.
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We have played all the games except number 10 with the regulation max of 5 players.
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Our best game was without doubt when mid-game as part of an envelope opening condition a nuclear weapon was deployed onto myself and Big Daddy R. In a superheated flash the Low Country Monkey took away a potentially game winning position from both of us. This wanton reckless act secured the game for him and created Capt Scarlet’s enduring love. The Mutants… Amazing how he is drawn to large groups of poorly skilled, disfigured humanoids who just keen on losing.
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10 games experience suggests that 3 player games start slow and allow big armies to be created, but can end really, really quickly. 4 players is fine, but I prefer it with 5, as there is lots of opportunity to shit stir and politic!
Our final game of the 10 was a 7 player with “everything in” that actually worked pretty well. This one WAS only EVER was going to end in a win for Capt Scarlet. (IF it had not, I had my running shoes on as whoever cost him a place on the roll of honour was going to meet a lingering horrifyingly unpleasant fate. Probably buried in the commodity horror that is a used Vikings towel).
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At the end of our Legacy run, I think that the winner’s board reflects a nice spread of success and all the players who have participated. No-one has managed to “dominate” but some have obviously seen more success than others. (Although he never won – the Loyal Fist acted as a very effective wild card following a basic strategy of being a complete pain in the arse to anyone else nearing a win!) In that vein one nice thing is that the winners board acts as a handy stick with which to beat the immediate chances of any player who has seen recent success in lieu of you (especially if the person you are trying to bait has yet to record a win).
Or next plan is to set a fixed 5 players who will play my copy of the whole game from first opening right to the bitter end. Who knows how it will end (well, except that Big Daddy R will NOT be allowed to get a grip on Australasia). But that is another tale for another day… all we know for sure is that it will be a “blast”!
Given the history you’ve managed to accrue (not to mention the acrimony) I think you fellas should see that board to its bitter end. The history and stored grudges are absolutely what makes that game – a brilliant set of mechanisms that encourages and enshrines those things that drive people to keep playing Risk in the first place.
Our board (Rolland’s board really) has gone for puns in our naming conventions, but I like that yours are often abject taunts aimed at other players.
i too have a board going in Kansas City! My little boy has come of age and has learned the bitter defeat of risk, however i am ashamed to say i too know defeat at his hands. /sigh since we have a grandfather, 2 uncles, ian and me playing our city names are of the “G” rating. My poor father still plays it like its the original…
Hi Dave B!
Post us a photo of your board!
It would be really interesting to compare how they all look…
One of our group is playing with his family too, so he looks forward to “no holds barred” naming rights on our “R Rated” version!
Thanks DS!!
That is very generous. To reflect that we shall hold a “Desfaber Challenge Trophy” each time we all head off for a weekend away at Broughton.
Rules:
1. All players who are staying have to participate (could be up to 7!)
2. All Desfaber founded cities are additional allowable start points
3. Each player gets an additional missile
4. Five stars required for the win (we did this with our last 7 player game)
5. Final game shall use the “Do not open. Ever.” envelope
We will post the final, final completed board for you all to see…
SO EXCITED!