Almost Everyone's First Wargame
...
It is the seventh year for Risk at WBC and 27 players
compete for the title. There are five-4-, two 5- and one six-player
games. Seven finalists from previous Risk forays returned
for another shot at the title: Steve Dickson, Matt Evinger, Alan
Hayes, Rob Lightburn, Tito Lightburn, James Long, and David Ryokowski.
Five players: Brandon Bernard, Alan Hayes, James D Long, James
H Long, and David Ryokowski, attempt both preliminary Swiss heats,
but only Brandon wins twice. The six finalists in advancement
order are Brandon Bernard, David Rykowski, James H Long, James
D Long, Steve Dickson, and James Allaire.
Set Up
James Alliare places the grey armies with a large number of
forces in South America. Steve takes green and sets up a large
base of forces in the Middle East. Brandon divides the majority
of his black forces evenly between Indonesia and Siam. David
places his startup red armies in the Congo. James H. focuses
on North America by placing his Blue units in the Western US
and Quebec. James D. elects to focus his yellow troops in Mongolia.
Round 1
James A. starts off the war by taking over the South American
Continent. Steve moves his forces from Siam to India. Brandon
captures the Australian continent. David takes his large army
from the Congo into South Africa. James H moves his two large
forces northward into Alberta and Greenland and James D moves
his Mongolian army into Japan.
Round 2
James A. moves his large force from Brazil into North Africa
making it extremely difficult for David to take over the continent.
Steve captures Egypt with two tunitss. Brandon takes China with
four units and India with ten, leaving three in Siam. David moves
his large African forces into Madagascar. James H takes the Northwest
Territory leaving his large force in Greenland. James D. takes
Kamchatka with 12 armies and Siberia with six.
Round 3
James A. takes Northern Europe to get a card. Steve takes
the Ukraine with nine armies leaving three in the Middle East.
Brandon continues to pull away from his Australian base by taking
Afghanistan with three and pulling his three armies from Siam
to India. Steve discusses with Brandon what his immediate territorial
goals are, trying to ensure that he is not the target. David
continues to move through the African Continent by taking his
forces to East Africa. James H. moves his large Greenland force
into Iceland. James D moves against Steve in Irkutsk and takes
the first sizable loss of the game in one attack of four armies.
James D consolidates all his forces into Yakutsk.
Round 4
James A. takes Central America and free moves his North African
troops back to Brazil. Continuing to focus on Asia, Steve takes
Mongolia with three and free moves his Ukrainian Troops into
Ural. Brandon moves to take the Middle East from Steve. Brandon
captures the Middle East but not until he loses eight to Steve,
whose defensive troops continue to sell themselves dearly. David
takes Northern Europe, James H Great Britain and James D Irkutsk.
Round 5
James A turns in the first set of cards for four armies. He
places his extra forces in Brazil and takes the Western US for
a card. Steve takes Japan with three armies and free moves a
few forces to Southern Europe. Brandon turns in the second set
for six armies. Brandon places his reinforcements in China and
moves the large force into Siberia in order to attack James D's
large force in Irkutsk. Brandon takes plenty of losses, but manages
to whittle James D down to two. This leaves James D with four
Risk Cards just ripe for the taking after Brandon's failed attempt
to eliminate him. David remains steadfast in Africa taking North
Africa from James A. James H turns in the third set for eight
armies. Placing all his reinforcements with his already large
force in Alberta he plans to finish what Brandon started. James
H moves through Alaska and Kamchatka and finishes off his father's
remaining forces in Irkutsk. Having committed patricide, James
takes his dad's four cards and stops with his large force in
Irkutsk and a total of six cards.
Round 6
James A takes the Eastern US for a card. Steve trades his
first set for ten armies. He places all reinforcements with his
large force in Ural. Taking one territory for a card, Steve moves
all his troops to Afghanistan. Brandon takes Yakutsk for a card.
David now turns in his set for 12 armies and places them all
in East Africa. David takes Egypt with his large force, leaving
three in East Africa and now holds the African continent. James
H now armed with six cards at the beginning of his turn, has
two match sets and turns in for 35 armies. James H starts with
his new mass of troops in Irkutsk and focuses on the now weakened
Brandon, to extract vengeance for his father's early demise.
James H moves through the few forces Brandon has in Asia. James
H encounters some resistance at Siam, but continues into the
Australian continent and awards Brandon fifth place, relieving
him of three cards, and ends up with 30 armies to spare, free
moving them to Indonesia.
Round 7
James A. encroaches further into North America by taking Ontario.
Steve turns in a set for 25 armies. Steve takes Scandinavia with
four Armies, but leaves the rest of his forces in Afghanistan.
David takes Great Britain for a card, but James H. wants Great
Britain and takes it back with ten troops on his turn. James
H. free moves his Indonesian forces to Siam.
Round
8
James A. Now turns in his Risk cards for a dangerous 30 troops.
James A. reinforces Ontario and Eastern US. He moves in to take
the rest of North America from James H. who conveniently moved
the bulk of his forces to Australia in Round 5. James A. now
holds North and South America. Steve attacks Iceland with his
Scandinavian forces, but stops short of breaking into Greenland
to break James Allaire's hold on North America. David turns in
the next set for 35 armies and places them in Southern Europe.
David first liberates Great Britain from the clutches of the
evil Blue empire (James H). David continues to Iceland threatening
James A's hold on North America. But James A's evil taunts seem
to chase his enemies away, as David turns East to Scandinavia.
David removes Steve's remaining forces in Europe. David free
moves his remaining 18 troops into Southern Europe and now holds
two Continents, Africa and Europe. James H. turns in the round's
third set for 40 armies. With an additional six armies for territories,
James H places his 46 armies in Kamchatka. ames H now has to
break James A's hold on North America. James H moves through
Alaska and the Northwest Territories deciding to go for James
A's large force of 19 armies in Greenland. James H does not encounter
too much resistance, but decides to hold in Greenland thus not
breaking the hold of the European continent from David.
Round 9
James A. takes Alaska back for a card. David tries to convince
Steve to go after James H in Australia in order to establish
a base of operations and to keep Steve from attacking him. Steve
ignores this advise, taking the Ukraine from David to keep him
from getting five extra armies for holding Europe. David, not
having enough troops to take back the Ukraine, settles for taking
the Middle East to get a card. James H. decides he wants to remove
Alliare from the game and heads through Asia moving back towards
North America through Kamchatka. James H. assaults and removes
JAllaire's forces in North and South America, but runs out of
ammunition on the last battle in Brazil where Allaire is left
with two armies . But never fear, James H never gives up his
cause. He decides to use his large remaining force in Greenland
to move through Europe and finish the job. He does just that
by attacking from North Africa with about seven units to spare.
James H gets Allaire's three cards giving him a total of six.
He turns in a set of cards immediately for 45 armies and places
them in North Africa, deciding to turn his attention to David
residing in the rest of the African continent. James H moves
through the few opposing forces in Africa easily, stopping in
the middle East while he ponders whether or not he should continue
the assault on David, not sure if he has enough armies to finish
him off. Discussion ensues among the three remaining players.
Steve admits that the three cards he holds in his hand is a matched
set. James H concludes that if he weakens David enough, that
Steve will pick David as a target instead of himself. Despite
warnings of impending doom from David, James H presses home the
attack. James H fails to remove David, but weakens them both
in the process.
Round 10
Steve turns in his set of cards for 50 armies. He places all
his reinforcements with his already sizable army in the Ukraine.
Steve goes for David first, easily removing him from Europe and
trades him third place for his three cards. Steve continues attacking
into Africa, South and North America. Stopping in Greenland,
he uses about 15 armies to remove James from the rest of Europe.
Steve then takes the rest of his forces through the Northwest
Territory and Alaska. Steve's last opposition falls in Australia.
Steve Dickson is the WBC Risk Champion for a second time.
He was glad I had not informed anyone of his previous accomplishment
while the game was in progress, although two of the players admitted
they had known he won previously. In addition to their coveted
WBC plaques, the top three players receive free admission to
the 17th International RISK Championship October 14th-16th, 2005
in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. In addition the winner, Steve Dickson,
receives free Room accommodations.
After a decade of GMing Risk at WBC and elsewhere I have decided
to move on to new challenges. I am looking for a new GM to take
over Risk at WBC next year. Please contact me at the address
below for any assistance. I would like to thank the players for
all their support throughout the years. Your enthusiasm and good
sportsmanship has made it all worthwhile. Looking forward to
seeing everyone at the gaming table.
For a dedicated weekend of RISK play, check out the
official RISK championships at http://www.risktoc.org
|