Risk: Legacy - The Battle Is Joined

Last week for my regular Sunday gaming night, I finally had five people who were willing to sign on for Risk: Legacy. After our customary snacks and drinks (beer...at least for some of us) William, Sebastien, Scott, Collin and I all sat down to break open the game and get things started. The components and rule book were separated and everyone helped get things set up.

Each player chose a starting color randomly and selected one of the starting powers for their faction. Sebastien and Scott secretly attached extra coin markers on some of the region cards and then we rolled off to start placing our bases and initial forces. While our new world looks like Earth, that will soon change! Sebastien chose China, Collin the southern tip of South America, William western Europe, me in Eastern Australia and Scott in the southern regions of the African continent.

The first few rounds were quiet, while everyone stockpiled arms and armaments, solidifying the regions around their bases. Collin was the brave soul who initiated our Earth's first conflict; making the journey across the waters to gain a foothold in Northern Africa. Scott's troops were unable to rebuff him and he was forced to make room for the invaders. William continued his advance throughout Europe, trying to secure the entire continent while Sebastien remained suspiciously neutral. Finally, with no other avenue for advancement, I commanded my Die Mekaniker forces to launch an assault north against Sebastien's well defended souther border. A disheartening defeat sent me back to tend to my wounded soldiers, and pride.

Collin continued to press his advance through Africa into Southern Europe in a bid to stop William from continental conquest. His Balkanians decimated Collin's troops. Faced with massing armies under William and Scott's command, he was forced to retreat from Africa entirely. On the Eastern side of the planet my forces pulled their mechs together in another attempt to teach Sebastien's fur-wearing Clan members a lesson in pain. Heavy losses on both sides were incurred, but I managed to gain a solid footing in Southern Asia after a swift victory.

With his eastern attack plans foiled Collin pressed into the vacant North America instead. Scott and William continued to solidify their positions; peacefully eyeing one another over loaded weapons, tanks and cannons. I suppose when your opposition has as many guns that are just as big as your own...peace is probably a pretty decent compromise.

Having conceded ground in the south to me Sebastien decided to press north into the rest of Asia, foolishly leaving his base undermanned. Seizing the opportunity I pounced on the region and, meeting almost no resistance captured his base. I was now one red star away from victory.

Again Collin struck, this time from the south up into Greenland where William had just started to expand out of Europe. Placing a scar in Greenland and weakening the defenders there allowed Collin to make his advance. But holding Greenland proved more difficult than he'd anticipated...as the newly placed scar hindered his own attempts at defending his territory.

Scott and William continued building their forces and maintaining peace between European and African borders. Sebastien's troopers were trying to eke out a meagre existence the the frozen Asian north. Collin's troops held the entirety of the Americas and I had my small slice of Australia and Southern Asia. However, there was something that had been overlooked.

In the battles between Collin and William over the northern hemisphere's nexus of Greenland, William had left a route on the south eastern side vulnerable to attack. Making the choice between eradicating Sebastien's beast-riding soldiers or pressing in to seize control of William's base was difficult...but it had to be made. I pressed to the northwest, declaring war against the Balkanians. William's troops fought valiantly, causing me to nearly accept defeat, but a line had been crossed and I couldn't allow defeat as an option. Gambling I continued to press and the Balkanian lines broke. Sweeping in I claimed William's base, and victory!

The battlefields are quiet now, but the landscape is changing. Cities are being repaired, survivors giving them new names to help forget the damages of war. Australia has been declared as Chucklandia and is the first seat of power in the coming conflicts.

And conflicts there will be...