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Pete Belli
United States
Florida
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Risk 2042 is one of my favorite Risk expansions:
A Futuristic Expansion Wargame With Plastic Miniatures
The miniatures from Table Tactics are of the highest quality but the Risk 2042 rules are definitely a little sketchy. The basic expansion package also faces a few pitfalls because of the inherent restrictions of the original Risk format. I own three sets of these superb miniatures in eleven separate colors and I enjoy messing around with different variants and scenarios.
This article will describe a game of Risk 2042 played on the fabulous board from Dust, a futuristic game of world domination. The rules are from my own modified Risk 2042 variant with special features thrown in to reflect the terrain of the Dust format.
This version uses four types of Risk 2042 playing pieces: tanks, hovercraft, helicopters, and missile launchers. The combat values of the formations are similar to the standard Risk 2042 rules. In this version the missile launchers can join an attack from an adjacent area without actually moving in with the assaulting tank, helicopter, or hovercraft units.
Only helicopter units and hovercraft units may enter sea areas or attack from a land area to an island Power Source area. For example, only helicopter units or hovercraft units could attack the Power Source in the center of the Indian Ocean from Madagascar.
A quick look at the board will reveal some helicopter and/or hovercraft units occupying sea areas; these units move into or through sea areas during the final strategic movement phase. In this example a blue force has occupied a sea area off the Pacific coast of South America and is threatening the black units controlling the Power Source on the Isthmus of Panama. Battle between these types of units may occur in a sea area since the units are considered to be part of a small naval task force including transports and warships.
Risk 2042 uses a system of "credits" to purchase new units and this version uses the features of the Dust board to excellent advantage. A land area is worth 1 credit and a Power Source area is worth two credits. The Capital areas are worth three credits and a sea area has no income value. Players spend these credits to acquire additional formations or replace destroyed units. The more valuable pieces like helicopters cost the most money... specifically 5 credits in Risk 2042. In this example attrition has been quite heavy. During a typical Risk 2042 game the units are smashed into particles and rebuilt at a frantic pace.
The domination of a continent provides bonus income to a player using a system similar to standard Risk. In order to dominate a continent an empire must control all of the Capitals and/or Power Sources on that continent; the less valuable land areas are just chump change in this gambit for world supremacy.
The continents offer geography quite different from the pattern seen in a classic Risk game. The riches of Africa include the three Power Sources on the mainland (we’ll call them West Africa, Egypt, and East Africa) plus the Power Source off the coast of Madagascar out in the Indian Ocean. This gives Africa a bonus value of 8 credits if any player dominates the continent. North America offers a wealthy player 10 credits for control of the two Capital areas we’ll call the Eastern United States and Quebec plus Power Sources in Alaska and Greenland.
This chart provides a complete breakdown of the bonus points available for the domination of a continent:
Asia = 12
Europe = 10
North America = 10
Africa = 8
South America = 4
Australia = 2
The distant Power Source in Antarctica and the lonely Power Source in the South Atlantic Ocean are not considered to be part of any continental group. In the illustration from the sample game the blue empire dominates Australia by controlling the single Power Source in Queensland.
The gold player has spread himself quite thin in a bold attempt to dominate Asia. He has failed to capture the Power Source in Singapore and the scattered positions of his army will leave him open to attack. The blue general is obviously attempting to conquer South America and push north into Mexico and California. The black commander has offered a treaty of friendship to the leader of the green empire in return for a diversionary strike by the green army on the blue forces defending the European region.
Blue is close to dominating Europe and only needs to capture the Power Source in the Arctic to control all four wealthy areas. At this point in the game all three of the other belligerents should unite and attempt to smash the blue regime before that player can reach the income level necessary to win an economic victory.
This has been fun!
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