Risk of the Rings

Well, it has turned out to be unexpectedly quite the gaming weekend for the Wargamesmonger. Friday morning I received an e-mail from my buddy Michael, asking if the lad and I were available for an impromptu game night.

Why even ask the question?

So we bundled ourselves and a selection of games over to Michael’s Haven of Hospitality (basement den) and proceeded to choose a favorite for an evening of strategy, tactics, and inevitably bad dice rolling.

The choice of the evening? One of my favorites: Risk: The Lord of the Rings, Trilogy Edition— based, of course, on the noted novel and the Oscar-winning film trilogy. This game is perfectly suited for a four-player evening of conquest, and is far more than just Risk with a pretty wrapping (though that wrapping is terrific).

The Beginning of the Beginning of Middle-Earth.
Left to right: Alexander (Sauron), Michael (Michaelfindel) and Chase (Saruman)

Rules of the One Ring

I won’t go over the rules of Risk again— this game has been a wargaming staple so long it needs no introduction. However, The Lord of the Rings edition is a truly variant game, with special rules of its own that go beyond just the gorgeous map of Middle-Earth. A quick summary:

• The game is played in teams, 2 “Good” players versus 2 “Evil” players.
• Every army has two Leaders at the start of the game. Leaders add 1 to their side’s highest die roll in combat (assuming the Leader is in the warring territory), and allow you to gain special cards and achieve special missions during play.
• The game has a deck of Adventure Cards that trigger special events, allow players to take special actions (like attacking through normally impassable barriers), or give extra troops to certain “Sites of Power” territories (like “Edoras” or “Weathertop,” etc.). They also boost victory points at the end of the game.
• Ports allow for sea-born attacks between connected ports.
• Certain territories have “Strongholds” that add one to the highest defense die roll when that territory is attacked. Stronghold and Leader bonuses add together, so a +2 advantage is possible (and darn hard to beat).
• The One Ring is a token in the game that serves as a randomly progressing game clock. It moves from Hobbiton to Mount Doom, following the path of the Fellowship. The game ends when the Ring is successfully cast into Mount Doom (a die roll).
• Card combination bonus troops are set at a flat rate rather than an escalating progression. The rates are 4, 6, 8 or 10 armies, depending on the specific combination turned in.

The changes are fairly simple, but they add a great deal of variety and twists to the game, and the best strategy prepares for these twists (as will be seen).

Hasbro offers the rules as a free download.  (This link is directly to the PDF, so expect a download and a bit of a wait).

The battle for Middle-Earth begins...

Good vs. Not As Good
The boys both clamored to be the “bad guys” (what is it with teenagers?), while the two dads joined forces as defenders of all that is “good and green in the world.” We set aside our armies and divided the board up. The initial deployment is determined according to “Good” and “Evil” status— 16 Good territories are randomly assigned to the two Good players, 16 “Evil” territories to the two Evil players, and the remaining “neutral” territories are done through the “take turns picking one” method. From there it was a matter of piling our starting armies about, and then the great War of the Ring began.

Michaelfindel (gold armies) would be first, followed by Chase (red armies— think “Saruman”), then myself (“King Howarden” green) and last Alexander (black— think “Sauron”).

A play by play of a Risk game isn’t likely to be worth reading, so I’ll stick with highlights.

The War Begins

We opened with fighting to secure the two extremes of the world (like that never happens in any Risk game). Rather than South America and Australia, this fight would be over Rhûn (northeast bonus region) and the Haradwaith (southeast bonus region). Mordor was going to be solidly Sauron’s almost from the start— Alexander had black over nearly the whole thing, and the only other spaces were held by his ally, Chase (red). Meanwhile, the central areas of Mirkwood and Rohan would be contested largely by yours truly (green), while my ally Michael (gold) held the majority of Arnor.

Early moves saw Saruman-Chase (red) claiming Rhûn and Harad, but he never managed to hold either long enough to collect a bonus, thanks to constant attacks by Michaelfindel, who also quickly established control over Arnor for the 7 point bonus, and kept Sauron-Alexander from gaining control over the Eriador bonus region in the northwest.

Rhûn falls to Saruman, but Michaelfindel holds Arnor.

I managed to claim most of the Rohan bonus region which would likely fall on my next turn, and my ally broke into the Haradwaith, inflicting severe harm on Saruman-Chase. I managed to follow up by driving the forces of evil out of Mirkwood the Great, gaining yet another bonus region. Michael and I openly discussed using my forces in Rohan to break Sauron-Alexander in Mithlond via the sea route, putting his Eriador forces between the golden hammer and a green anvil.

Alas, that plan would never come to be...

Rohan rising— only Minhiriath and the port blocks my path.
Oh, and there are some goblins in Moria. Nobody worries about them.

“They Have a Cave Troll”

Thinking ourselves secure in Arnor and Rohan, and assuming that Saruman-Chase would contest us primarily for Harad and Ithilien, where his armies and leaders were, Michaelfindel and I had unwisely ignored the goblin stronghold of Moria, leaving only token defenses near it. Saruman-Chase saw our folly, and poured out of the curséd depths of Khazad-dûm with a terrifying army— they did indeed have a cave troll in Moria. (And a ringwraith!) Bursting through Eregion, Chase broke Michaelfindel’s hold on Arnor and shattered my feeble forces in Rohan, claiming even the sea port of Minhiriath, and eliminating my leader there!

Unholy Balrogs! Where did those orcs come from? Oh... right. Moria.

 Things looked bleak indeed as a great shadow spread across the realm of Middle-Earth. The Valar were with the Free People, however— Saruman-Chase drew the event card “The Mustering of Middle-Earth,” which ended up adding battalions to lands held by Michaelfindel and yours truly. Quoth the sage Michaelfindel: “You kicked our butt, and then you put a bandaid on it.” 

Resisting the Shadow

Minas Tirith and Mirkwood are both in peril!

Though set back, the will of the Free Peoples remained indomitable. Though I surged back in Rohan, I could not take it nor protect it. Fortunately, I still held the great forest of Mirkwood, and built up the southern woodlands to defend against a certain break-out by Mordor. 

Angmar sneak attacks the Carrock! Hold, elf, hold!

 But Sauron-Alexander was far craftier, and countered by cutting across Arnor instead, and laying down a “The Way is Under the Mountains” card from within the realm of Angmar to assault my lone battalion in Carrock! If he succeeded, my bonus in Mirkwood would be lost... 

Angmar is foiled!

So in the forgotten realm of the Carrock, one lone elf looked up to see the orc hordes emerge from hidden tunnels beneath the Misty Mountains. Undaunted, he raised his bow, and took aim... and stood his ground! The orcs could not break him, and Mirkwood remained free.

The Return of Some Relative of Isildur (or Someone Important Like That)

Sailing into Gondor. Didn't somebody else do this once?

The relief of both the North and South fell upon Michaelfindel (Isildur’s Heir’s Second Cousin’s Third Great-Nephew, Twice Removed). He began by driving Sauron-Alexander’s forces completely out of the North, seizing Eriador, and also driving Saruman-Chase out of western Rohan, also blocking the bridge across the Wold as added security (“None Shall Pass” card). In the South, he drove up into Gondor, putting pressure on Saruman-Chase in an effort to lift the siege of Minas Tirith, alas to no avail. Minas Tirith fell to Saruman-Chase’s forces, who drove up into Rohan— but could not reach either Arnor or Mirkwood. But the Dead Marshes were teeming with orcs, and Mordor looked strong...

The North is free (or at least cheap)! But look at Mordor...

Saruman makes his move...

The Scouring of Mordor

... but the Rohirrim and Elves had done some recruiting! Amassing every troop I could muster (and I mustered quite a few), I went all out, slamming directly into the hordes on the Dead Marshes. They could not withstand the charge of the Rohirrim, and broke. The way lay open into the Black Gate, and I took it, storming through Mordor with wrath and fury, claiming the heights of Mount Doom, the fortress of Minas Morgul, and even Sauron’s great dark tower of Barad-dûr (where I repeatedly poked a stick in the eye of Sauron— because I could). Only the fields of Nurn remained in Sauron’s hands—‘twas a furious battle, but Sauron-Alexander’s lone orc proved that he could be as feisty as an elf on the Carrock, and held his ground. Mordor was not yet done...

Minas Tirith avenged! But what's that white stuff?!?

Last Stands

Sauron-Alexander turned in, gaining ten battalions for his orcs in Nurn, and seized the Gorgoroth plains. But once again, the Valar had intervened— winter storms had struck, and the Udun Vale, which had not known any covering but the ashes of Mount Doom, lay waist-deep in pure, white snow— a more formidable obstacle than any gate built by men, elves, dwarves or orcs. With no path to break out, Sauron-Alexander bided his time, marshaling further forces.

Michaelfindel contemplates his move.
Behind him, Sauron tries to generate power for a hair dryer to melt the snow.

Michaelfindel turned his focus on Saruman-Chase. With ample recruits, and facing a divided enemy, Michaelfindel split his forces into the realms of Haradwaith and Gondor. Marching north up the great river Anduin, Michaelfindel struck the red orcs with unmatched resolve, retaking Osgiliath, Minas Tirith, the Gap of Rohan and finally breaking Saruman-Chase from the stronghold of Isengard. The orcs were also driven from fair Ithilien— only the distant Haradrim Encampment survived his onslaught.
The Haradrim could do no damage, however, and the final act would fall to yours truly.

Saruman's last grasp. His arm has grown very, very... short.
And Sauron's hair dryer scheme doesn't appear to be working.

 Intelligences suggested that Sauron-Alexander had access to many hidden forces (he held a large hand of territory cards, and he and Chase were openly discussing his next move). Fortunately, I too had discovered a Way Under the Mountains— and this time the lone orc in Nurn could not withstand my onslaught from Minas Morgul. The forces on the Plains of Gorgoroth proved otherwise— I could not crack them, and Sauron-Alexander laughed with glee.... but he had not accounted for two small hobbits.

Dang, those are tough orcs— but who's that climbing up the volcano?
It ain't Edmund Hillary...

Throw It in or Jump in with It— We're Not Picky!

 The One Ring had reached Mount Doom. Would Frodo succeed in his quest? Or would Sauron have his moment of revenge? Every eye watched as I lifted the lone die to the top of the Tower of Fate...
Clatter...
clatter...
clatter...
...thunk.
6.
The game was over— the One Ring perished in the fires of Mount Doom, and the shadow was banished from Middle-Earth with the gentle blow of the West wind.

The Ring is consumed by the fires of Mount Doom— Middle-Earth is free!
(Note Sauron's cards in Chase's hands— doom was at hand, if not for Frodo.) 

FINAL NOTES

It was a great evening and a fun game. Even the boys enjoyed it down to the end, despite the slaughter of their forces. Perhaps a little more building and a little less rampaging on their part might have turned the tide in their favor, but the dice rolling really hit them hard at the last.

This remains one of my favorite Risk variants, and not just because of the setting. The cards give the game unexpected moments that keep the end from seeming inevitable. I also like the team-play aspect— it does eliminate the wheeling and dealing of the classic Risk game, but the open plotting of strategy fills the void and keeps the interaction strong. (You can, of course, play the game without teams, still using the Adventure Cards, and keeping the scheming in place, if you prefer).

Alas, the game itself is Out of Production, which is a shame. If you don’t have a copy, you’ll probably not find one cheaply. Be aware that there are actually two versions— the “Conquest of Middle-Earth” version released after the first movie, which plays the same but has only a partial map and fewer Adventure Cards— and the Trilogy Edition, which you see in the photos. Hasbro did release an expansion set for the first version, so ask if the seller has that, if you cannot find the final edition.
Hopefully Hasbro will re-release it or a Hobbit-themed edition as the new movies come about. In the meantime, if you can get a copy, do so.
But you’ll not get mine...

Okay, I'm really not *that* obsessed.

Really.

Despite what my wife says.

:-)

Thanks for reading!