Risk Legacy: A Review

Let's get a few things out of the way, before I start roasting this game. Cause yes, I am about to hit it where it lives, as hard as I can.

I did enjoy myself.

I AM A TERRIBLE RISK PLAYER. NORMAL RISK AND I DO NOT GET ALONG.

This was my first Legacy game, ever. So I've no idea what this experience will do to my understanding of future Legacy games. I may look back on this more kindly in the future. We'll see.

It's important to know these things, because I am about to drop about a ton of bricks on this game. Yeah, I get the novelty of "adding things to the board" started here and we're all still living in the environment that the designer built (hopefully that ends with Oath) , but Risk Legacy is not a good narrative game.

 "Ok, wise-ass", someone who likes this game will say, "Define narrative!"

OK, sure.

A narrative is a sequence of events that each end with the statement "But" and/or "Therefore". Patrick Wilhem's amazing video boils it down and he's a quality dude to begin with, so if you wanna watch that and then get back to this rant/review I'd be more than happy to recommend it.

Yes, right now if you wish.

Back?

Cool.

So, by way of example, we'll take the Spider-Man origin story: Peter Parker is a cruelly abused nerd BUT he gets spider-powers THEREFORE he uses them for his own personal gain BUT his uncle is killed THEREFORE he chases down the sonabitch BUT discovers it's a dude he'd let get away with a crime THEREFORE Peter Parker realizes that he can never look away, never again THEREFORE Peter resolves to put himself in situations where he can't look away. That origin story is so good, on a structural level, that Spider-Man remains Marvel's best character, hands down.

Of course I'm objective about that. DUH.

The really heartbreaking part about Risk Legacy is that it actually manages to nail a narrative at the beginning. Stickers are flying, card bits are going into the trash, and there's so many But and Therefore statements happening because of the Legacy elements. Cities! Ooh! I can begin to muck with those! Wait, Ammo Shortage makes it harder to defend? CRAP! What now? What some think of as an addiction to just opening boxes is, I think, a reaction to powerful statements that fundamentally change everyone's relationship to the board state.

And for the first... ten or so sessions?

Maybe eleven?   

I was totally there, is the point.

So was my group. We would walk away from each game going "I have no freaking idea how we're going to deal with this now". We had been thrown back into the unknown, with a system that we had enough of an idea about to manipulate, but with elements that we could have some illusion of control over. And we would just blow up our group chat, every week, trying to figure out what we were going to do next.

Now, to be fair, a lot of real-world things happened in these last few sessions. But that's just not true anymore. The Legacy statements had mostly dried up, and I was left with a very, very unfortunate truth: Risk is still a bad game, nostalgia be damned. The same problems that I've always had with the game, namely how it seems to defy any and all attempts at actual strategy beyond slowly turtling along and for God's sake grab Australia had not vanished, but instead had become magnified. Risk's mechanics do not, natively, provide for But and Therefore statements, not in a way that respects player agency. The mechanics of battling would work out just fine if that was just one part of a holistic picture, where the wild and random nature of the dice fit into a larger mechanical picture. The Legacy mechanics provide for a fun and engaging distraction from Risk's battle mechanics, but there is nothing in the game that further engages with the wild nature of Risk's battling mechanics. Nothing. These additional mechanics are never developed further.

No, the stupid Event deck does not count. That thing was made for everyone's pain. Even when I benefited from it I found it dumb.

I can totally see enjoying this game for eight to ten sessions. There's a lot that gets unlocked, which keeps changing the board and the pace of the game, deepening it out and allowing you to take slightly different tacks. But the lack of depth on the Legacy mechanics, as well as the slowing of the drip of gaining new stuff, makes the end-game a ridiculous slog. If you don't mind Risk to begin with I can't recommend the game highly enough, because this game just takes that engine and tacks a few things on. But for folks like myself, who routinely considers burning his own dice?

Play eight to ten sessions and get out. You may not even last that long.

Risk Legacy: War Five

So we now have the drafting rules, which means that instead of going first based off of a role, everyone has to choose between the following: turn order, placement order, how many coin cards, and faction choice.

Matt: 2nd turn, 8 toops, 4th in placement, 0 coin cards, Khan Industries, started in Western United States
Logan: Mutants, 2nd placement, 8 troops, 1 coin card, 4th turn, started in Central Africa
Ben: 1st placement, 10 troops, 3rd turn, Enclave of the Bear, 2 coin cards, started in Southeast Asia
Nathan: Imperial Balkania, 1st turn, 6 troops, 3rd placement, 0 coin cards, started in Ural

Year One
Imperial Balkania changed the culture of Russia, permanently, making them a full military culture. They expanded into Yakutsk (which had the city called The Phillipines) and Afghanistan (named city here). They reaped the resources from the cities that they could. Khan Industries took over all of North America. Enclave of the Bear took all of Australia and Afghanistan from Imperial Balkania. Khan Industries permanently radiation poisoned East Australia. The Mutants took all of Africa, glorying in the fallout wasteland that was North Africa.

Year Two
 Imperial Balkania took Siberia and Kamchatka and then tried to break into Alaska, but failed. They then took Scandinavia. Khan Industries took Kamchatka, Yakutsk, and Siberia from Imperial Balkania, but couldn't take Ural and the HQ that was there. Enclave of the Bear took China and Mongolia, and then took Kamchatka and Alaska from Khan Industries. The Mutants, whose brains somehow evolved in the face of all the radiation of North Africa, took all of South America.

Year Three
Imperial Balkania took Afghanistan back from Enclave of the Bear. The two factions then forged an agreement to leave each other alone and pursue their own agendas. Ural was reinforced. Khan Industries tried to take back Alaska from Enclave of the Bear, but failed. Central America was then reinforced, in anticipation of the incoming Mutant invasion. Enclave of the Bear, who had been quietly gathering resources, revealed a surprising number of armies and began a campaign against The Mutants. Down went Egypt, the freshly bunkered East Africa (which required two missile salvos to take down), Madagascar, South Africa, and then Central Africa (along with the HQ in it). The Mutants took back Central Africa and their HQ, but reinforced Venezuela. An upsurge in popularity gave Enclave of the Bear even more volunteers, which they used to reinforce their forces.

Year Four
 Imperial Balkania expanded into all of Europe. Khan Industries took back Alaska, at great cost, and then went back into Kamchatka. They then attacked and took Icleand. They then put their forces into Greenland. Imperial Balkania attempted diplomacy, calling them out for the uncalled-for attack. but their entreaties were ignored. Enclave of the Bear attacked but were driven back in a hail of missile fire. They retook Central America from The Mutants, regaining that HQ. The Mutants broke into Central America and tried to take the Western United States, which was Khan Industries' HQ, but lost. They then withdrew back to Venezuela.

Year Five
Imperial Balkania retook Iceland. Khan Industries retook Central America and Iceland, with heavy losses. Enclave of the Bear took Siberia, Yakutsk, and Kamchatka from Khan Industries. The Mutants retook Central America, put a huge force in North Africa, and then reinforced Venezuela.

Year Six
Imperial Balkania summoned a small, but effective, surprise fighting force. They retook Greenland, with heavy losses, but then took Greenland, Ontario, and then the Western United States (which is where Khan Industries' HQ was). Khan Industries took Western United States and Ontario back, but the damage was done. Enclave of the Bear, pulling out more volunteers from seemingly nowhere,  took advantage of Khan Industries' weakness and took Alaska, Alberta, and then the Western United States. Wearied, everyone ended the war.

South America became known as The Mutant Defense.

Everyone simmered in their faux peace.

Risk Legacy: War Four

Matt- Khan Industries, starting in Indonesia
Ben- Die Mechaniker, starting in Brazil
Nathan- Imperial Balkania, starting in Madagascar
Logan- Enclave of the Bear, starting in Alaska

Year One
Khan Industries expanded into all of Australia, and then took Southeast Asia. Die Mechaniker took all of South America, as well as North Africa. Imperial Balkania took all of Africa and conquered North Africa. Enclave of the Bear came down from Alaska and took Venezuela from Die Mechaniker.

Year Two
Khan Industries blitzkrieged across Asia, took Egypt, East Africa, South Africa, and then Madagascar, cutting the head off of Imperial Balkania. Die Mechaniker reinforced itself and stayed put. Imperial Balkania retook East Africa, but could not regain Madagascar. Khan Industries managed to drum up more troops than expected in South Africa. Enclave of the Bear took Peru from Die Mechaniker, and then took almost all of North America. This surge of expansion allowed them to gain even more troops, which were used to fortify their armies.

Year Three
Khan Industries, bolstered by their successes, completely kicked Imperial Balkania out of Africa, and they gained even more armies for their trouble! Die Mechaniker reinforced itself, refusing to move. Imperial Balkania reformed in Ural and then took Afghanistan, specifically for the city of Borderlands. Having pulled itself out of nothing, Balkania leveraged the resources of the city it had taken to prop itself up further. Enclave of the Bear took all of North America and then reinforced Greenland.

Year Four
Khan Industries, having taken all of the resources from Imperial Balkania, leveraged them into more resources. They then attacked Die Mechaniker in Brazil, at their HQ, and took it over. But Die Mechaniker wasn't finished yet. In their secret bunkers they had made a nuclear device. As they went down, Die Mechaniker pushed the big red button.

North Africa was reduced to an irradiated hellscape. The people who survived the hellfire that rained down on them, mutated beyond belief, swore revenge against Die Mechaniker. The world watched in horror as they spread through the world.

The world rallied, as they usually do after a horrific war. NEW Brazil was founded in Brazil, Zombieland in East Africa, and Barbie in East Australia. Politics became more prevalent than it ever had before, because nuclear war was simply not an option. Not again. Never again.

Risk Legacy: War Three

Yes, this is a play report of a Legacy game. That means there's spoilers.

Ben- Khan Corporation, starting in Indonesia

Nathan- Imperial Balkania in Argentina

Logan- Enclave of the Bear, starting in Central Africa

Matt- Die Mechaniker, starting in Japan

Year One

Khan Corporation took over all of Australia and then stopped in South East Asia. Imperial Balkania took all of South America (as well as Central America) and then walked into North Africa, taking the city and the increased forifications within it. Enclave of the Bear's response to their new neighbors was swift and brutal. They flattened Balkania, despite their improved fortifications. They then swept the rest of South America, leaving Balkania respite in only Central America. Die Mechaniker took over half of Asia.

Year Two

Khan Corporation expanded into Africa and took Enclave's HQ, and then blazed right into South America, taking the HQ in Argentina. They then took Peru, but could not eliminate the Enclave in Venezuela. Khan Corporation then withdrew what he had left of his troops to Indonesia. Imperial Balkania and The Enclave of the Bear made a deal to leave each other alone. Balkania expanded into North America as far as Alberta. The Enclave took back Peru, but could not take Argentina back from Khan Corporation. Die Mechaniker took China and South East Asia from Khan, but had a surprise upset in Indonesia, losing almost all of their forces in the process.

Year Three

Khan Corporation's revenge was brutal. Coming from India they overwhelmed Die's forces in China, and then cut a bloody swath across Asia to Japan, where they took the last HQ on the board.

Wrap Up

Four cities were founded: the major city SingaBorland (yes, that's Ben's last name, yes it's funny, yes, let's move on), Alamo in Central America (which has an Ammo Shortage scar on it), the minor city of Bunker in Venezuela, and then Borderland in Afghanistan.

The world is now a mess. Hooray. 

Risk Legacy: War Two

Yes, this is a play report. Yes, that means there's spoilers.

Nathan: Die Mechaniker, HQ was Fortified (+1 both defensive rolls), began in Eastern Australia

Logan: Enclave of the Bear, began in Argentina

Matt: Imperial Balkania, began in Alberta

Ben: Khan Corporation, began in Iceland

Year One

Die Mechaniker exploded out from Australia, as far as the Middle East. Enclave of the Bear took all of South America. Imperial Balkania took all of North America but Greenland, afraid of overextending, since Greenland still has a Ammo Shortage. Khan Corporation took all of Europe.

Year Two

Die Mechaniker took all of Africa, clearly not intent on doing anything more than being a spanner in the cogs. Enclave of the Bear reinforced Venezuela and Brazil, and nothing else. Imperial Balkania took Greenland and reinforced the Ammo-Shortaged Central. Khan Corporation, however, took Egypt and the Middle East from Die Mechaniker.

Year Three

Die Mechaniker tried to take back Egypt.. .and lost horribly. Enclave expanded into North Africa, taking it from Die. Balkania took Ural, which had the minor city Philippines, as well as Venezuela from Enclave.. Khan attempted to take North Africa from Enclave, only to find that Die had built bunkers for Enclave; the two had set up an alliance after their brief spat in North Africa. The bunker turned the invasion into a rout; Khan had to back off. Khan instead took India from Die. 

Year Four

Die  took back India and the Middle East, and then broke Khan's European continent by taking Southern Europe, as well as taking Afghanistan. Enclave took back Venezuela from Balkania, even with a Bunker being built.  Balkania returned the favor and took Venezuela back. Khan, however, had the most dramatic shift of the round. They struck back against Die, taking back Southern Europe, the Middle East, took East Africa, Madagascar, Central Africa from them as well, and then kicking Enclave out of North Africa. 

Year Five

Striking from Afghanistan, Die Mechaniker took Russia and Scandinavia, and then called in their favor with Enclave, who Ammo-Shortaged Iceland, Khan's HQ. While they didn't take the HQ Die wore it down within an inch of its life... and then backed all the way up to Southeast Asia. Enclave tried to take Venezuela back, and lost. As Balkania began its turn Khan trained Southeast Asia's peoples in the way of the Mercenary, permanently making them a fighting force to be reckoned with; they could see the writing on the wall and knew it was time to prepare for the future. Balkania took Peru, Brazil, and then Argentina, claiming Enclave's HQ. And then, with a massive force stored up in Greenland, Balkania stormed the massively weakened Iceland. With that HQ claimed Imperial Balkania claimed victory.

South America found strength in this series of wars, becoming a more militaristic populace (South America bonus now +3). Kremlania, a minor city, was founded in Russia. Baby Guns, a minor city, was founded in North Africa. Everyone retreated to lick their wounds. A minor city was founded in Venezuela.

FIND OUT WHAT MINOR CITY WAS FOUNDED

Risk Legacy: War One

This is a series of play reports for Risk Legacy. There are SPOILERS. You have been warned

So we all decided we want to play Risk Legacy. This was something I had been wanting to do for a long time, so I was really excited finally play! A Legacy board game! The holy grail, as far as i was concerned. We sat down, picked factions and abilities, and this is what we got. Names not changed cause we're all guilty as hell.

Nathan- Imperial Balkania: when recruiting troops round up, not down, began in Argentina.

Logan- Saharan Republic: when maneuvering the territories need not be connected. Began in Ural.

Ben- Khan Industries: at the start of each turn place one troop in each HQ you own. Began in Indonesia (and goes first).

Matt-  Enclave of the Bear: on the first battle against an opponent they have a -1 penalty to their lower defensive dice roll. Began in Northwest Territories.

The following resource cards were upped to two resources apiece:

Madagascar, Yakutsk, Ural, Mongolia, Brazil, South Africa, North Africa, Russia, Peru, Siberia, Alaska, Egypt

Years One and Two Saw each of the factions expanding as fast as they could. We got the rules wrong in these first two rounds and thought we could only expand one territory per round.

In Year Three we realized our error. But by that point Khan Industries had become a monstrosity. They expanded acrost Europe and all the way into Africa. Enclave of the Bear charged the Imperial Balkania in Venezuela, who had taken all of South America. Despite being outnumbered two to one Enclave conquered Venezuela and Brazil. Imperial's counter-surge was powerful, pushing up into Central America. Saharan Republic did not take advantage of Khan Industries' overextension and expanded into Europe.

Year Four's carnage was total. Khan, ignored and thus a true force to be reckoned with, charged through Africa and took Imperial's HQ, stopping short of completely wiping them out, leaving them a foothold in Central America. The Enclave did that for them, wiping Imperial off the map and taking their resources. They didn't go down without a fight, however. Imperial salted the earth and destroyed all the natural resources of Central America, creating an Ammo Shortage and making the place much harder to defend. Imperial Balkania reformed in Greenland and kept their heads low. The Saharan Republic finally attacked its neighbor, Khan Industries. They pushed north from Ural, and rooted Khan out of Australia. They then retreated back to their HQ in Ural.

But the damage was done. Khan had more than enough forces to completely wipe The Enclave out of its HQ in Year Five, grabbing its resources. All they had to do was survive long enough to capitalize them. A formal alliance with Sahara ensured their victory. They then tried to wipe out Imperial Balkania in Greenland, even going so far as to salt the earth in Greenland, creating an Ammo Shortage. But Balkania could not be budged. They completely wiped out the attacking force, at the cost of losing almost all their troops. The Enclave reformed in Eastern Canada, hoping to survive a little bit longer. Imperial Balkania only reinforced their troops, not daring to leave Greenland. Sahara finally eliminated Balkania, who were too worn out with their war with Khan to fight back. Sahara then eliminated The Enclave.

Khan used its resources to make its hold on the planet total, for the moment. The people of Australia, even though occupied by a foreign force, named themselves the Baby Guns, after the two things Khan mass produced. Sahara founded a city named Phillipines in Yakutsk. Balkania and Enclave went to ground, planning their revenge.

The war would continue, even if it took decades to get there.

Risk Legacy: First Impressions

I've been wanting to play this game for years. Back in college I'd gotten it to play with my RPG group... and we played one game. That's it. One. I'm not sure why, cause the game intrigued me! Part of it may have been that this was my first explosion of interest in RPGs. I was neck deep in Burning Wheel and couldn't quite move onto anything new. Or maybe I'd had enough of moving things around on a map (*sighs* oh 4e). Maybe it didn't click with the group? I don't know. Whatever it was, it wasn't until a few months ago that I began to feel the hankering for this game again. So I went and pulled out my copy.

MY BLOODY FAMILY HAD GONE AND PLAYED A GAME WITHOUT TELLING ME.

BABY SISTER?

BROTHER?

BROTHER'S FRIEND, WHO UP UNTIL THIS POINT WAS ALRIGHT IN MY BOOK???

Thank you, Dr. Cox, for your continued brilliance.

So I apologized to my board gaming group. I had talked the game up to them and now we couldn't use the board! There was just too much stuff. One of my buddies said that he'd buy it. And that was that!

So what's the game like?

Well, they added a new victory condition: getting four red stars. This is a much easier thing to do than standard Risk, where you have to wipe everyone else out. Now, granted, you can still do that, but it's going to be easier on everyone concerned if you're going for those stars. There are now stickers that you can put on the map, which grant differing bonuses or penalties to the area. You start with two: Ammo Shortage (which makes defense rolls harder) and Stronghold (which makes defense rolls easier). There are more.

Let's get to that, shall we?

Most of the game box has a ton of compartments in it, which are all hidden, with conditions for opening them. Almost none of them make sense. At least, not immediately. I wonder what's in them. This longing for knowledge drives the game forward, creating an addictive cycle not unlike the first time I tasted mulled wine and realized that I would never have a house without it, ever again. What, you've never had mulled wine?

Dude. Drop what you're doing and go get it. NOW.

Got a cup?


Isn't it delicious????

You're welcome!

OK, so opening up the box is terrifying. "What's done can never be undone" is the first thing you see as you open the box. Oh, and then the players have to claim responsibility for screwing up that world. You then choose factions (yeah, there's factions here. They're important. And awesome), as well as their ability from two different choices... and then tear up the other one. Yeah. It's an intimidating opening. It's amazing.


Now, the thing is that the first game is pretty normal Risk, albeit faster. You could probably play in about a half hour, assuming you follow the mostly-clear rulebook. And you'll place your stickers and name something. And it feels great. And you'll do it again. Except you'll find that the game feels a bit different. Those stickers change things up. And you'll find that things are starting to feel heavier. Nastier. And you'll want to keep opening those compartments. Cause that's crack. And you'll do it again. And again. And again. And all of a sudden you'll realize that you're playing a very different game.

Yeah, that feeling starts right at session two.

So, after we're done with the full campaign I'll write up an actual review. Spoilers coming ahead!