Risk: Legacy - After Action Report

The far-too-detailed reports of a single Risk: Legacy Campaign and the lives it destroyed.

Risk: Legacy AAR #003: The Dude Ascends

This game takes place immediately after #002.

In Order: 

Logahmmed - Saharan Republic

Will - Khan Industries

The Dude - Imperial Balkanian

Rick - Enclave Of The Bear

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AAR #003

LOGAHMMED places in Northern Europe. Promptly expands into Scandinavia and Russia to exploit their Bunker Scars

WILL places in Eastern Australia, taking advantage of his major city “Willopolis,” and immediately takes most of the continent. 

THE DUDE places in Alberta, utilizing the Bunker Scar in Alaska to close off the Western entry point into North America

RICK places in North Africa, taking the northern territories of the continent, but also sending a force into Brazil, indicating his intentions of conquering both continents simultaneously. 

LOGAHMMED quickly finishes his conquest of Europe, leaving a strong force in Iceland and maneuvering into Western Europe to close off borders. 

WILL finishes conquest of Oceania, enters into Southeast Asia. THE DUDE completes his conquest of North America, places a strong force in Central America, questioning RICK’s intentions. 

RICK takes the Middle East, and then dives down south into Africa, but does not take the continent. RICK takes Venezuela, now declared the new “graveyard of empires” due to its location and Ammo Shortage Scar. 

LOGAHMMED, now with a continental bonus and no immediate threats, builds up across each bordering territory in Europe. Declares his play style is “leave me the fuck alone” this game, ears still burning from his punishing Game #002 loss. 

WILL cuts north through Asia, as far as Irkutsk. THE DUDE, now fearful of WILL’s impending claim upon the Asian continent, strikes from Alaska and takes Kamchatka and Japan

Before WILL declares his turn ended, indicates for he and THE DUDE to walk outside. LOGAHMMED and RICK have a chat while this is underway. WILL/THE DUDE return, and play resumes. 

THE DUDE builds up in Greenland and Central America. RICK completes his conquest of Africa as well as South America. LOGAHMMED builds up along each border again. WILL declares that LOGAHMMED is waiting for everyone else to fight it out and to sweep in with overwhelming force once defenses have been ruined. No one listens. WILL yells out “Curse of Cassandra.” 

WILL marshals forces and takes Ural and Afghanistan. Maneuvers what he can there, blocking LOGAHMMED from striking Asia via his defensible Russia. Declaring to RICK that he is doing this to create a perimeter around LOGAHMMED, WILL takes the Middle East. Implores RICK not to retaliate, but to assist in containing LOGAHMMED’s increasingly dominating force. 

THE DUDE, seeing Iceland’s increasing military strength, bolsters forces in Greenland to prevent an invasion there. 

RICK retaliates against WILL. He strikes the Middle East utterly shorthanded - he destroys a large portion of WILL’s forces there, but is defeated. He strikes Central America equally shorthanded and is subsequently defeated there as well.  

LOGAHMMED builds troops along the southern border of Europe, as well as Russia

WILL again implores RICK to leave the Middle East alone, places every troop he recruits into Ural and Afghanistan

THE DUDE raids into Iceland to take LOGAHMMED’s continental bonus, but after a few losses, decides it’s not worth the troop loss and quits while he still has defenses to muster. 

RICK attacks the Middle East once more, this time with a larger force. He retakes it, but his army is heavily damaged in the process. LOGAHMMED tells RICK, “I told you I could do this, now I have to.” 

LOGAHMMED swarms from Western Europe into North Africa, quickly taking RICK’s HQ. He cuts down through Africa, taking all but East Africa and Madagascar. Having placed his initial recruitment into Iceland, he invades Greenland and takes it handily. With North Africa already well-defended, he uses his Saharan Republic ability and airlifts a large force into Greenland to further solidify his strength there, denying THE DUDE his continental bonus. WILL declares, “way to appease Hitler, you motherfucks.”

WILL, left with no option, strikes into Southern Europe, taking it and the city of Rapetalia. He further cuts into Egypt, forced to kill Rick’s last remaining soldier there, and creates a blockade to prevent LOGAHMMED any further continental bonus. 

THE DUDE, needing to re-conquer his continent, sends the largest force he’s built this round to battle LOGAHMMED in Greenland. He wins the day with a series of strong rolls that decimate LOGAHMMED’s troops early. 

RICK, now without a home but still with a continental bonus, places all his troops into his new home of South America. He strikes out at North Africa via Brazil, weakening LOGAHMMED’s defenses there, but is unsuccessful. 

LOGAHMMED pulls forces from Russia to retake Southern Europe, retaking it at a high cost, and reclaims his mayorship of Rapetalia. “No one seems to really want to be mayor of Rapetalia; it’s a mystery why.” He attempts to retake Egypt and thus the African continent, but is unsuccessful.

LOGAHMMED requests WILL’s presence outside before WILL begins his turn. The conversation ends in WILL rejecting LOGAHMMED’s proposal, immediately walks in and strikes Russia. After a punishing battle the likes of Stalingrad, Russia falls to WILL. 

THE DUDE strikes. Quickly taking the lightly-defended Great Britain, he strikes into Northern Europe, taking LOGAHMMED’s capital. With a force that would make ancient Persia quiver, decides there is only one course of action - he conquers Western Europe without incident, and strikes North Africa

The battle is fast, but horrifically one-sided. North Africa falls to THE DUDE. With a starting Red Star and three HQs, THE DUDE declares victory

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Victory Bonus: THE DUDE — TBD

Held On Bonus: RICK places a minor city in Ural and calls it “Svetlandia.” WILL places a minor city in Western Australia, “Willtania.” LOGAHMMED places a minor city in Northern Europe, “Hitlerberg.”

Packet Opened: All 9 minor cities placed. The game from beginning to end has now changed. 

Risk: Legacy AAR #002: Tear Up The Peace Card

This game takes place immediately after #001, but is paused early. Game resumes the following evening. 

In Order: 

James - Khan Industries (faction power locked in: place one troop in each territory that has an HQ you control.)

The Dude - Imperial Balkania (faction power locked in: when recruiting trops, round up when dividing territory+population by three, as opposed to down for everyone else.)

Logahmmed - Enclave Of The Bear (faction power locked in: natural three-of-a-kind that kills an opposing enemy on an attack obliterates the entire enemy force.)

Will - Saharan Republic (faction power locked in: able to maneuver between any territory you own, no matter the distance.)

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AAR #002

JAMES places in Ontario, promptly expands into the Eastern United States to take minor city “Dump Jersey” with other nearby territories of North America

THE DUDE places in Argentina, immediately acquires all of South America

LOGAHMMED places in South Africa, is accused of promoting Apartheid. Takes all but North Africa

WILL places in Eastern Australia, acquires all of the continent. 

JAMES acquires remaining unoccupied North America

THE DUDE places all new troops in Venezuela. Immediately attacks Central America. Wins the battle handily and maneuvers all he can in or close to Central America.  

LOGAHMMED takes all of Africa and makes inroads into unoccupied Europe via Western Europe

WILL spreads a long line from Southeast Asia to as far as Irkutsk. Uses Saharan Republic’s faction ability to maneuver a sizable force in Irkutsk

JAMES retaliates and attempts to take Central America, fails to do so. Maneuvers to bolster his HQ. THE DUDE immediately responds by striking and taking over the Western United States. JAMES declares that his empire is crumbling. 

LOGAHMMED takes all of Europe, leaving one troop in Russia and Scandinavia. 

WILL declares that “Logan is not going to have two continents,” and takes over Russia and Scandinavia via his troops in Irkutsk. WILL leaves three troops in both Russia and Scandinavia

JAMES attacks the Western United States, is rebuffed. Throws a Budweiser can at the floor. Maneuvers remaining troops to HQ. 

THE DUDE promptly takes the Eastern United States, declares himself the “Mayor of ‘Dump Jersey.’” 

LOGAHMMED attempts to strike at Scandinavia with a small force, doesn’t kill a single troop. Declares “fuck it,” loudly, leaves solid forces around Russia and Scandinavia to deter anymore movement into Europe

WILL consolidates territory in Asia. JAMES begs THE DUDE not to take his HQ. THE DUDE is nonplussed. 

[WILL’s turn is the last one of the night. Play resumes the following day.]

JAMES strikes into Eastern United States. After a series of brutal attacks, he takes it. THE DUDE is recalled as Mayor of Dump Jersey. 

THE DUDE retaliates. Channeling Douglas Macarthur, he declares that he shall return to Dump Jersey, but strikes into Ontario and takes JAMES’ HQ. JAMES declares his empire is crumbling. 

LOGAHMMED, now in Europe, announces his intentions to strike into North America. With an overwhelming force, he brutalizes Greenland and cuts across into Ontario, taking the contested capital for his own. THE DUDE decries the death of peace, places a curse upon the House of LOGAHMMED. 

WILL, believing that LOGAHMMED’s declarations of “stabilizing the region” to be the utter falsehoods spouted by a tyrant, breaks his truce and sends a piercing force into Africa through East Africa, demolishing LOGAHMMED’s under-manned defenses. He takes the capital at South Africa, announces the end of Apartheid and “racism, minorities excepted.”

JAMES, a king in flight from his own kingdom, marshals what scattered remnants of his forces he can and begins a trek into Asia via Alaska, taking Kamchatka, sighing heavily under the weight of his crown. 

THE DUDE, demanding a payment in blood for LOGAHMMED’s treachery, attempts a strike against Ontario. LOGAHMMED’s forces are severely weakened, but they hold. LOGAHMMED, his homeland now a smoldering ruin, takes measures to protect his new home. He bolsters his forces in Ontario

WILL, having wrecked the tyrant’s forces, consolidates his power in Africa, ruining what few forces remain. He gains another Territory Card

JAMES tosses away his crown, declaring himself a leader of nomads, bolsters his forces across the northern edge of North America

THE DUDE continues his quest against LOGAHMMED, and strikes again at Ontario. The battle is vicious, but THE DUDE wins the day. He subsequently retakes Dump Jersey/Eastern United States, and his mayorship is reinstated. 

LOGAHMMED, chastened and without an HQ, maintains his continental bonus on Europe and regroups his forces along the borders there. 

It’s all moot, however. WILL, now with two HQs, a starting Red Star and four Territory Cards, declares victory

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Victory Bonus: WILL places a major city in Eastern Australia, calls it “Willopolis.”

Held On Bonus: LOGAHMMED places a minor city in the Western United States, calls it “Rick City” in anticipation of RICK’s entry into the game. Promptly raps, “Rick City, Bitch, Rick Rick City, Bitch.” JAMES places a minor city in Peru, calls it “Kislington.” THE DUDE places a minor city in Southern Europe, calls it “Rapetalia.” No one questions why. 


Risk: Legacy AAR #001: Amber Waves of Pain

7:30 pm. I’m at the house (called The NoHo Zoo, for a number of different reasons), the board set up (the aforeposted photo) and Will and myself are pacing. 

Some people from the Westside show up — we have a second game happening with a group of folks from a different part of Los Angeles. On the first night, and every so often, we’ll be playing side-by-side. I didn’t get to see much of their board last night, so I won’t really attempt to describe what was happening over there. 

It comes to pass that Rick can’t make it as a result of double-booking against a friend’s birthday party. He’s committed to playing the campaign, but he’ll have to miss out the first game or two. Half of me thinks, “well, that’s too bad.”

Other half of me thinks, “Is this part of his strategy? What’s his endgame, here?”

The board is set. The Dude and James show up. We brush up on rules and then faction selection begins. 

In order: 

The Dude - Saharan Republic (faction power selected: able to maneuver between any territory you own, no matter the distance.)

Logahmmed - Khan Industries (faction power selected: place one troop in each territory that has an HQ you control.)

Will - Enclave Of The Bear (faction power selected: natural three-of-a-kind that kills an opposing enemy on an attack obliterates the entire enemy force.)

James - Imperial Balkania (faction power selected: when recruiting troops, round up when dividing territory+population by three, as opposed to down for everyone else.)

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AAR #001 (always in third person, for simplicity’s sake)

[SET UP]

The Dude/Saharan Republic places first. Immediately his HQ goes to EASTERN AUSTRALIA

Logahmmed/Khan Industries places second. Takes NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY.

Will/Enclave Of The Bear places third. Takes SCANDINAVIA

James/Imperial Balkania places last. Takes PERU.

For the first game, all players start with ONE RED STAR and an HQ, which provides a Red Star. The first to four red stars win. 

***

[GAME BEGINS]

THE DUDE makes his expansion into Australia and Oceania in general, prepping an assault into unoccupied Asia. LOGAHMMED consolidates most of North America, prepping defenses to keep a continental bonus. (North America is +5 troops per turn.) WILL quickly expands into Europe, preps troops for an assault into unoccupiedAfrica.  

JAMES expands throughout South America. Spends most of turn drinking.

THE DUDE makes initial strike into Asia, blitzing troops through Southeast Asia, China, Mongolia, and Irkutsk. JAMES interrupts conversation to announce THE DUDE’s intentions to attack North America via Kamchatka, but largely no one pays any attention. LOGAHMMED leaves Alaska largely unattended and builds up in Central America. JAMES is displeased, makes a strike into Africa to prevent WILL from acquiring two separate continent bonuses. 

THE DUDE, as JAMES had predicted, places all troops into northeast Asia, takes Kamchatka and promptly attacks Alaska, 8 on 3. WILL quickly applies a Bunker Scar for a defensive bonus, believing THE DUDE to be too aggressive, which cannot stand, man. THE DUDE takes Alaska anyway and now has a defensive bonus on the territory for his trouble, as well as a territory card. 

LOGAHMMED and THE DUDE speak privately. They return and, much to JAMES’ eternal agitation, LOGAHMMED places all new troops into Central America and attacks Venezuela. Before JAMES can place his Scar, LOGAHMMED declares and places an Ammo Shortage Scar on Venezuela. LOGAHMMED takes Venezuela, and promptly maneuvers all but one of his troops back into Central America. JAMES is confused, and verbally makes it known. LOGAHMMED picks up a territory card. 

WILL, now with Europe’s continental bonus (+5), takes territory in Asia - Afghanistan and Ural, specifically. Declares his intentions to prevent THE DUDE from acquiring all of Asia, and thus its +7 continental bonus. 

JAMES wants blood. LOGAHMMED’s blood, specifically. He retakes Venezuela easily. Curses LOGAHMMED’s name, and attacks Central America but to no avail. JAMES makes other inroads into Africa via his beachhead in North Africa

THE DUDE makes a retaliatory strike on Ural, retaking it. With dwindling troops he strikes into Russia, taking the territory and eliminating WILL’s continental bonus. THE DUDE also, before the attack roll, places a Bunker Scar on the territory, anticipating his victory. Both forces are depleted, but THE DUDE carries the day, and utilizes the Saharan Republic’s faction power to reinforce Russia from his troops in Eastern Australia

LOGAHMMED exploits Venezuela’s Ammo Shortage Scar and easily retakes Venezuela. Once again, LOGAHMMED takes his territory card and leaves only one troop behind. JAMES considers the option that LOGAHMMED’s spite against JAMES has clouded his judgment. WILL makes it clear to everyone that “Logan [LOGAHMMED] wants you to take Venezuela for cheap Territory Cards. How do you not see it?” 

WILL gathers up what troops he can in his HQ in Scandinavia, now bordering THE DUDE’s Western front, and attacks Russia with every spare troop he can muster. The battle rolls take a full two minutes to complete. The dust settles and WILL has reclaimed Russia, now with the added strength of a Bunker Scar

JAMES retakes Venezuela and attempts a short-handed attack on Central America. JAMES slightly weakens LOGAHMMED’s forces there but returns empty-handed. With no viable way to hurt LOGAHMMED, he takes it out on Africa and acquires all but Madagascar and Egypt

THE DUDE, rebuffed from his attempt to invade Europe, decides not to use his decimated forces against a well-bunkered Russia, his only route into Europe, and chooses to place his troops in the Middle East, immediately taking Egypt and striking at JAMES in North Africa. THE DUDE severely damages JAMES’ force with fewer troops, but can’t take the territory. 

LOGAHMMED, having wore out JAMES’ South American troops by consistently denying him a continental bonus and forcing him to defend Venezuela at a distinct disadvantage, builds up with his own continental bonus and invades from Central America once again. Venezuela is taken without incident. This time, LOGAHMMED strikes into Peru, and takes JAMES’ HQ. LOGAHMMED leaves all but one in Venezuela, but places a significant, but not overwhelming, force in Peru

LOGAHMMED is now at THREE RED STARS. All others are still scored at two. 

WILL, boxed in from all sides, can do little else but utilize his troops to bolster each territory in Europe that can be attacked. 

JAMES attacks every territory he can with the exception of Peru, his HQ. THE DUDE wonders aloud why he didn’t. James retakes Venezuela and calls LOGAHMMED a “cocksucker.” JAMES further pushes against THE DUDE’s assault into Africa, taking out a number of THE DUDE’s troops, but acquiring no more territory. 

THE DUDE re-attempts an invasion into Europe via Afghanistan, claiming he “senses what Logan [LOGAHMMED] is doing.” THE DUDE fails to take Russia

Before LOGAHMMED begins, he apologizes to WILL, who merely nods and says, “I know, go ahead.” LOGAHMMED places eleven troops in Greenland. Invades Iceland, taking it with seven troops remaining. He invades Scandinavia, WILL’s HQ, at a 7-on-5 advantage. 

WILL appeals to JAMES, who provides Scandinavia with a Bunker Scar, “because, yeah, fuck Logan [LOGAHMMED].” WILL rolls with an advantage to the defender. 

The battle whittles down both forces to 3-2, until LOGAHMMED hits WILL to 3-1. WILL’s new Bunker Scar comes into play for two consecutive rolls, bringing it down to 1 troop vs. 1, with WILL now at the advantage. 

WILL rolls a 1. LOGAHMMED rolls a 4. 

LOGAHMMED takes WILL’s HQ, bringing his Red Star count to Four. 

LOGAHMMED/Khan Industries is victorious. 

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Victory Bonus: LOGAHMMED chooses to destroy the Northwest Territory card. 

Held On Bonus: THE DUDE places a minor city in the Eastern United States, calls it “Dump Jersey.” WILL places a minor city in Central Africa, calls it “Willville.” JAMES places a minor city in Afghanistan, aka “the ruiner of Empires,” and calls it “Kislingburg.”

Nerd City, bitch, Nerd Nerd City, bitch.

Nerd City, bitch, Nerd Nerd City, bitch.

Prelude

The first thing you should know is that we came into this with the best of intentions. 

Risk: Legacy was bought almost immediately after reading about it. For those who aren’t aware, Hasbro decided to take Risk, and then use it to further ruin any friendships already damaged by Risk. 

The Legacy has a sense of permanence - after each game, the winners and survivors (players who did not win, but “held on,” i.e., were not wiped off the face of the map) can place cities and fortifications on the board. During what will probably only be the first or second game, players can place “scars,” which provide either a defense increase or decrease. You place stickers on the board. 

Those stickers never come off the board. 

The rules of The Legacy are here, if you’d like to be a bit more knowledgable about the game before reading on. 

Five of us will enter. I don’t think any of us will return the same. 

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Cast of Characters

Will - The owner of the game. My roommate. Has an aversion to clothing. Just hates the stuff. 

The Dude - Has a voice that will shake the earth. He’s a web developer, a programmer’s brain. In board game terms, absolutely terrifying. 

James - Wildcard. The youngest, has the lowest alcohol tolerance. Quick to anger. 

Logan - Myself. I won’t try to suggest an archetype. I sometimes play out of spite. I sometimes play devious strategy. I never know when something’s going to work. But I did name myself “Logahmmed The Violator,” which for some reason makes me laugh and laugh. 

Rick - One of the nicest gentlemen you’ll meet. Even starts the game as the nice guy. When he gets quiet, I would highly suggest you pay very close attention to what he’s doing.