10 Essential Tips for Mastering the Game of Risk * bigfinish.com

Embark on a thrilling adventure and conquer vast territories with the iconic board game Risk. This timeless strategy game pits players against each other in a quest for global domination. Prepare to dispatch armies, engage in battles, and forge alliances as you navigate a world map filled with strategic challenges and thrilling encounters.

At the outset, players select a territory to establish their initial foothold. From there, the game unfolds in a series of turns. On each turn, players receive new armies based on the territories they control. With these armies, they can launch attacks on neighboring territories, attempting to conquer them and expand their empires. Battles are resolved through dice rolls, adding an element of chance to the strategic gameplay.

As players conquer more territories, their power and influence grow. They can form alliances with other players to consolidate their positions or wage war against common enemies. Diplomacy and negotiation play a crucial role in the game, as players must carefully balance their military might with their diplomatic skills. The ultimate goal is to control a majority of the world’s territories and eliminate all other players. However, the path to victory is fraught with challenges and unexpected twists, making Risk a game that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Setting Up the Game Board

Step 1: Unfolding the Game Board and Placing the Continents

Carefully unfold the large game board on a flat surface. It depicts a vibrant world map divided into six continents: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Each continent is a distinct geographical region with specific countries and territories.

Step 2: Assembling the Territories

Locate the 42 territory cards and arrange them in a convenient location. Each card represents a country or region on the game board. Shuffle the cards thoroughly and randomly distribute them around the territories marked on the board. Make sure to cover all the specified locations.

Step 3: Marking the Borders

Inspect the game board closely and identify the thin black lines separating the territories. These lines indicate the borders between countries. Use a marking tool or a pen to clearly outline the boundaries of each territory. This will help players visualize the territorial divisions and plan their strategies accordingly.

Step 4: Identifying the Continents

Each continent is a collection of territories grouped together geographically. Carefully observe the game board and locate the six continents: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Each continent is color-coded and named clearly for easy identification.

Step 5: Setting Up the Starting Positions

Participants in the game receive a specified number of armies at the start. Determine the initial army allocation per player based on the number of participants. Randomly select territories as starting positions for each player and distribute the armies accordingly. Ensure that each player has a well-balanced distribution of armies across their territories.

Number of Players	Starting Armies
2	35
3	30
4	25
5	20
6	15

Assigning Territories

The first step in the game of Risk is to assign territories to each player. This is done randomly, by drawing cards from a deck. Each card represents a territory, and the player who draws the card claims that territory. If a player draws a card that they already own, they can trade it with another player for a territory that they want.

1. Shuffle the deck of territory cards.

2. Deal out the cards, one at a time, to each player.

The number of cards that each player receives depends on the number of players in the game:

| Number of Players | Number of Cards |
|—|—|
| 2 | 21 |
| 3 | 14 |
| 4 | 10 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 6 | 7 |

3. Each player claims the territory that is shown on the card they drew.

If a player draws a card for a territory that they already own, they can trade it with another player for a territory that they want. Trading is not mandatory, but it can be useful to get the territories that you need to build your armies and conquer your opponents.

Rolling for Armies

After completing the initial deployment, you’ll need to roll for armies. This process determines how many armies each player will receive to conquer territories and build their forces.

Round 1: Basic Army Allocation

In the first round of army allocation, each player receives armies based on the number of territories they controlled at the start of their turn. The number of armies received is as follows:

Controlled Territories	Armies Received
0-9	3
10-19	4
20-29	5
30-39	6
40+	7

For example, if a player controls 15 territories, they would receive 4 armies in the first round.

Round 2: Continent Bonuses

After the first round of army allocation, players receive additional armies based on the continents they control. Each continent provides the following bonuses:

Continent	Army Bonus
North America	5
South America	2
Europe	5
Africa	3
Asia	7
Australia	2

For example, if a player controls all of North America, they would receive an additional 5 armies in the second round.

Round 3: Special Case for Unclaimed Continents

If a continent remains unclaimed by any player after the first two rounds of army allocation, the player with the most territories on that continent receives an additional 2 armies. This bonus is awarded to multiple players if they have an equal number of territories on the unclaimed continent.

Attacking and Defending Territories

Preparing for Attack

Before launching an attack, gather your forces on the border of the territory you want to conquer. Each territory can hold up to three armies at a time.
Consider the number of armies defending the territory and the strength of your own army.

Resolving the Attack

To attack, roll three dice. If you have three armies, use all of them. Otherwise, roll the dice for the number of armies you have.
The defender rolls one or two dice, depending on their number of armies. The highest dice value from each side is compared.

Dice Used	Type of Attack
3	Normal Attack
2	Defense with 1 Army
1	Defense with 2+ Armies

Determining the Outcome

If your highest dice value is higher than the defender’s, you conquer the territory. Move the appropriate number of armies from your attacking territory to the conquered territory. If you lose the roll, you lose one army from the attacking territory.
If the attacker has three armies and the defender has one army, the attacker conquers the territory regardless of the dice roll. If the attacker loses all their armies, the attack fails.

Fortifying and Reinforcing

Reinforcing your territories and protecting your borders are crucial in Risk. Here’s how to do it effectively:

Fortifying Your Positions

After every turn, you can move armies from one territory to another adjacent territory, which is called fortifying.

Fortification plays a key role in strengthening your borders and securing your hold on your territories. By placing additional armies in strategic locations, you make it harder for opponents to attack you or take over your territory.

Reinforcing Your Armies

At the start of your turn, you receive new armies based on the number of territories you control. These armies can be placed in any of your territories.

Reinforcing your armies is essential for maintaining a strong military presence on the board. By adding armies to your territories, you increase your chances of successfully defending against attacks and expanding your empire.

Strategic Fortification and Reinforcement

The key to effective fortification and reinforcement is to consider your overall strategy. Here are some tips:

Protect Your Borders: Fortify territories that border enemy territories to prevent them from attacking you.
Strengthen Your Weaknesses: Reinforce territories that are vulnerable to attack or that connect multiple territories of your empire.
Plan Ahead: Think about potential threats and where you might need to reinforce your armies to counter them.
Control Key Territories: Identify territories that are strategically important for controlling the board and focus on fortifying and reinforcing them.
Consider Your Opponents’ Moves: Anticipate your opponents’ moves and reinforce accordingly to prevent them from gaining an advantage.

Diplomacy and Alliances

In Risk, diplomacy is key to achieving victory. Forming alliances with other players can give you a significant advantage on the battlefield. However, it’s important to remember that alliances are only as strong as the trust between the players involved.

Negotiating Alliances

When negotiating an alliance, it’s important to consider the following factors:

Trust: How well do you know the other player? Are they trustworthy?
Strength: How strong is the other player’s army? Can they help you achieve your goals?
Goals: What are the other player’s goals? Do they align with your own?

How to Build Alliances

There are a number of things you can do to build strong alliances:

Communicate regularly: Keep your allies informed of your plans and intentions.
Help your allies: Provide military support or other assistance to your allies when they need it.
Be fair: Don’t try to take advantage of your allies. Treat them with respect.

Maintaining Alliances

Maintaining alliances requires constant attention. Here are some tips for keeping your alliances strong:

Avoid breaking promises: If you make a promise to an ally, keep it.
Respect your allies’ borders: Don’t attack your allies’ territories without their permission.
Be patient: Building trust takes time. Be patient and don’t expect your allies to be perfect.

**Advantages of Alliances**

**Disadvantages of Alliances**

Increased military strength

Can be difficult to trust allies

Shared resources

Can lead to betrayal

Improved communication

Can slow down decision-making

Strategic Expansion

In the Risk game, expanding your territory is crucial for victory. Begin by carefully evaluating the board and identifying vulnerable territories with fewer adjacent enemy troops. Focus on capturing these territories to secure a foothold and establish a presence.

7. Control of Continent Bonuses

Continents in Risk offer strategic bonuses such as additional troops during reinforcements. Aim to conquer entire continents by capturing all territories within them. Controlling multiple continents grants a significant advantage and strengthens your overall position.

Continent	Bonus
Asia	7 additional troops
Europe	5 additional troops
North America	5 additional troops
South America	3 additional troops
Africa	3 additional troops
Australia	2 additional troops

Consolidation

Once you have expanded, it’s vital to consolidate your position. Focus on fortifying your borders and protecting your territories from enemy attacks. Build up a strong military presence in strategic locations to deter opponents and prevent invasions.

Controlling Continents

Continents in Risk play a crucial role in determining your overall strategy. Controlling a continent grants you a bonus army deployment, varying by continent size. Take ownership of these territories to boost your military strength and dominate the game.

Risk Cards

Throughout gameplay, you will earn Risk cards by defeating enemies and capturing territories. These cards come in three types: infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Collect sets of three cards to exchange for additional armies, bolstering your forces on the battlefield.

Types of Risk Cards

There are three types of cards in Risk:

Card Type	Bonus
Infantry	+2 armies
Cavalry	+3 armies
Artillery	+4 armies

To obtain bonus armies, you must collect a set of three cards of the same type.

Exchanging Risk Cards

When you have a set of three cards, you can exchange them at any time during your turn to receive the corresponding bonus armies. The armies are placed on any territory you control.

Managing Resources and Risk

1. Know Your Resources: Identify your armies, territories, and bonus cards. Understand how each resource contributes to your strategic positions and potential.

2. Prioritize Territory Control: Secure territories with high reinforcement bonuses and strategic locations. This will provide you with a steady stream of armies and strengthen your overall position.

3. Form Alliances: Negotiate with other players to form temporary alliances and protect your borders. Alliances can help you strengthen your positions and prevent attacks.

4. Reinforce Key Territories: Allocate armies to territories that are vulnerable to attack or that you need to defend. Reinforcements help deter aggression and secure important positions.

5. Manage Risk Wisely: Assess the risk involved in moving armies between territories. Consider the number of armies defending each territory and the potential for counterattacks.

6. Balance Defense and Offense: Strike a balance between protecting your territories and attacking opponents. Allocate armies strategically to defend key positions while maintaining a strong strike force for expansion.

7. Use Bonus Cards Intelligently: Bonus cards can provide a significant advantage by allowing you to move additional armies or reinforce territories. Use them wisely to maximize their impact.

8. Predict Opponent’s Moves: Anticipate your opponents’ strategies based on their past actions and their available resources. This will help you make informed decisions and counter their attacks.

9. Consider the Long-Term Game: Risk is a game of strategy and patience. Think several turns ahead and consider how your current actions will impact your future positions and the overall outcome of the game.

Reinforcement Table

Bonus	Territories
1	1-2
2	3-4
3	5-6
4	7-9
5	10-11

Ending the Game and Declaring the Winner

The game of Risk ends when one player has conquered all 42 territories and eliminated all other players. The player who accomplishes this is declared the winner.

Fortification Phase

The game enters the fortification phase after the reinforcement phase. During this phase, players can move troops from one territory to another adjacent territory. This allows players to strengthen their borders and consolidate their positions.

Determining the Winner

Once the fortification phase has ended, the player with the most stars (representing territories controlled) is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the players with the most territories share the victory.

Calculating Star Value

Each territory has a star value, which is based on its strategic importance. Continents are worth more stars than single territories, and territories with ports are worth more stars than those without.

Territory	Star Value
North America	9
South America	4
Australia	2
Europe	7
Africa	6
Asia	12

The star value of a territory determines how many troops it can support at a time. The more troops a territory can support, the more difficult it is to conquer.

How to Play Risk

Risk is a classic strategy board game where players conquer territories and build armies to dominate the world. Here’s a step-by-step guide to playing the game:

Setup: Each player chooses a color and places their armies on the board according to the rules.
Gameplay: On your turn, you can perform the following actions:
1. Reinforce: You can deploy new armies to your territories, based on the number of territories you control.
2. Attack: You can attack adjacent territories held by opponents. If you win the battle, you take over the territory.
3. Fortify: You can move armies between your own adjacent territories to strengthen your defenses.
Battles: Battles are resolved using dice rolls. The number of armies attacking and defending determines the number of dice rolled.
Conquest: If you conquer all the territories in a continent, you receive bonus armies to reinforce your position.
Objective: The goal of the game is to eliminate all other players and become the single dominator of the world map.