Risk 2210
Risk 2210 is a futuristic Risk variant from Avalon Hill. It shares some of the classical features of the game with some new ones.
The designers are Rob Daviau (who also designed Axis and Allies: Pacific, Buffy TVS:The Game and some Star Wars Games (like The Queen's Gambit)) and Craig Van Ness (who designed Stratego: Legends, Buffy, Roller Coaster Tycoon and other games).
Geographically, the map is nearly identical. It has the same 42 areas as before, but they have (partly) different names. Greenland, for example, is now the Exiled States of America. Also a few connections are removed. If you played old-style Risk you'll feel right at home on this map. On the picture you see that only Egypt has a connection with Middle East.
Much more significant is the addition of 13 underwater territories divided into five "colonies" (which work like continents -- control the whole colony and you receive a bonus).
Moon exploration is also possible. Just build a space station, hire a space commander and go where (almost) no man has gone before.
These extra territories also create new avenues of movement and attack between continents.
Each game the map changes. Before any units are placed, four Devastation markers are positioned randomly on the board. Those four territories are nuclear wastelands where no units can go during the game.
One of the biggest changes is the addition of Commanders: Land, Naval, Space, Nuclear, and Diplomat.
They fill a number of useful roles. Their most basic function is to act as super soldiers, because you can roll to roll an 8-sided die rather than the typical 6-sider (depending on which commander). Space and Naval Commander allow you to move to water or moon territories.
But perhaps their most important function is that commanders allow you to use cards of various types. The addition of cards has a huge effect -- they change the strategies in broad sweeps rather than small adjustments. Clever card play can shift the balance of power rapidly. Players can only buy four cards at a time, so deciding which decks to buy cards from is a key decision. Like the new avenues of movement, cards open up the board by making no position impregnable, no attack a sure thing. With cards in use, the game is always fluid and positions are constantly shifting. These cards have a huge effect on the game. The cards are divided into distinct decks following specific themes. Deciding which cards to buy is a key decision (as you can only buy 4 cards at a time). Perhaps the most devastating card attacks are enabled by the Nuclear commander: playing a nuclear card could potentially result in the destruction of an entire continent.
Energy also has a strategic importance. You use it to buy (and sometimes play) cards, to bring commanders and space stations into play, and to bid for the most advantageous place in the turn order.
Each round, players bid energy for the right to choose when they want to take their turns. Looking ahead is crucial -- spend too much energy this turn and you'll find yourself playing at a disadvantage next turn.
A last crucial change is the 5-turn limit in RISK 2210. 5 turns to attack and to conquer. Whoever controls the most territories (and bonusses) at the end of the fifth turn, wins.
Even though there are only five turns, the game may last easily over 5 hours. The game also includes necessary equipment and cards for playing classic version of Risk - in a way it is two games in one.
List of most prominent changes to classic version
- There are no missions in Risk 2210. The winner is the player with highest score at the end of the last year
- Use of commanders (Land, Water, Space, Nuclear, Diplomat)
- Command cards you can be by if you have corresponding commander in the game
- Space stations
- Underwater and moon territories
