Thursday, April 17, 2008

Risk: Black Ops - The Inside

My first impressions of the design of Black Ops held to the end. Every thing is rendered in cool grey and black tones, with sharp edged design. I enjoy the non-Mercator map greatly.

I'm shocked at the level of quality and care that went into the whole package. I'm familiar with the conflict between making something for the most people to enjoy, and wanting to make something that you (and maybe six other people) would enjoy. Black Ops would probably never sell to more than a hardcore audience, with its stark minimalist flat black and glossy grey aesthetic, but I would have been one of those six people who bought it.

The pieces are simple and geometric painted wooden shapes, and while I do have an affinity for my favorite Risk's (Godstorm) detailed miniatures, these pieces groove with Black Ops' overall feel.
The instructions for the "basic training" game come on these six file cards inside a folder, and the folder itself contains the rules for the "command room" variant. Each card details a separate game mechanic. Here's where the new rules come into play:
  1. Combat, Troop Movement - All relatively unchanged. This, to my mind, is a good thing. I know Risk's luck based approach is a big turn off to many, but I think and element of luck and risk is integral to a good strategy game
  2. Cities and Capitals - Both sweeten the worth of the territories they are in, and are part of the objective system, detailed later.
  3. Drafting - gaining new troops is dependent on not only your territories and complete continents, but also how many cities and capitals you control. Additionally, cards are slightly different. Each card still has a picture of a country on in, but instead of the holy trinity of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, each are marked with one or two stars. You can trade in 2 or more cards at the beginning of your turn, provided at least one card has two stars. You can also hold limitless cards. The amount of troops gained depends on the amount of stars, and it's not a sliding scale. Since the game is no longer weighted towards global conquest, you no longer have to suffer the exponential escalating end game.
  4. Objectives and Rewards - I never played any of the Mission Risk variants, so the Objectives are new to me. There are 12 total, 6 major and 6 minor. They range from capturing an enemy capital, hold a number of cities, too "Take over an entire continent in one turn." Achieving an Objective (in the "command room" variant) grants you a reward. The rewards vary from adding an extra attack or defend die, and dropping the lowest roll, to an Airfield, which provides attack bonuses to all adjacent territories. They're an excellent balance between Risk's traditional simplicity and more complex wargame's aggressive complexity. They provide flavor, but are achieved with elegantly simple rules.
  5. Endgame - It's over when a predetermined amount of objectives are achieved. Since all objectives are visible at the start of play (as well as which rewards they grant) you can tell when someone is close to achieving one, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
The Devil's Crossing

All in all, the rules made perfect sense just reading them, something that rarely happens for me, and the updates are intuitive, elegant, and devious. I'm excited about my first playtest... as soon as I stop working 12-14 hour days. Look out, Australia.

Thanks again to Rob D at Hasbro

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Risk: Black Ops

Rob Daviau and Hasbro were nice enough to send me this brand new preview copy of Risk: Black Ops...I want to open it, but I think I need to stare at it a little more.
Very handsome, minimalist packaging... I'll have a full update on the contents and a play test soon.
Thanks Rob, and everyone else. I'll spread the word.