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Risk·Board Games
Risk
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A strict fortification game permits the end-of-turn move only between directly adjacent friendly territories. This makes interior positioning more important and slows the movement of large armies across a continent.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that adjacent fortification means you can only move directly between two territories if they touch edge-to-edge, ignoring the possibility of moving through other friendly-controlled territories in between. This misunderstanding leads to overcomplicating simple moves and underestimating the strategic value of interior positioning.
Each player needs a supply of playing pieces in one color. Pieces may have different shapes representing different quantities, commonly one army, five armies, and ten armies.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the color of the army pieces doesn't matter as long as they're distinguishable by shape, leading to arguments about which colors are allowed or preferred. The confusion arises because the official rule emphasizes the need for a consistent supply in one color, not just any color, ensuring uniformity and fairness across all games.
Remove any wild cards, shuffle the 42 territory cards, and deal them face down as evenly as possible. A player controls every territory named on the cards dealt to that player.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that territories are assigned based on who deals the cards, leading to disputes over which player should receive a territory card just dealt. But actually, the rule specifies territories go to players based on the cards they receive face down, not necessarily influenced by the dealer's position or luck in dealing.
After setup, each player secretly selects one controlled territory as a capital and then reveals all capitals together. A capital should begin with an agreed defensive force, commonly at least five armies.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that choosing a capital is solely about picking a territory with strategic advantages, forgetting that it also involves secretly deciding how many armies will defend it. This leads to misunderstandings because they overlook the part where the number of defending forces must be agreed upon beforehand according to the rule.
Each player selects a color and takes the corresponding army pieces. For the classic three-to-six-player game, use these customary starting totals: Three players: 35 armies each.; Four players: 30 armies each.; Five players: 25 armies each.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that choosing colors and starting armies is a formality and don't realize how crucial it can be in strategy. They might think picking their favorite color or starting with more troops gives them an unfair advantage, but actually, the rule ensures each player has equal chances by evenly distributing starting resources based on the number of players.
Agree on classic world conquest or one of the shorter formats in Section 6. Decide how card sets will be valued, whether negotiation is allowed, and whether fortification may follow a chain of friendly territories or only a single border.
— Section 6
Why people argue about this
People often assume that choosing between classic world conquest and shorter formats is solely about game time, forgetting that they also need to decide how card sets are valued, whether negotiation can occur during play, and if fortification can extend across multiple territories or just one border. This oversight leads to misunderstandings and arguments over the finer details of gameplay.
The classic game has no running score. A player wins immediately upon controlling all 42 territories and eliminating every opponent.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that running scores are a part of classic World Conquest, so they argue about how many territories each player has captured when in fact, it's all or nothing - you win by controlling every single territory and eliminating opponents instantly upon achieving this feat, regardless of the score.
A player may concede only when the group accepts the concession. For a clean result, remove the conceding player's armies and award their territories and cards according to an agreed method; the simplest approach is to treat them as eliminated by ...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that conceding automatically ends a player's turn in Risk without checking if their opponents accept it, leading to misunderstandings about whose armies are removed and how territories are handled. The confusion arises because the official rule specifies that for a concession to be valid, all players must agree to it before any actions are taken.
When the defender's last army is removed, the attacker conquers the territory and must move armies into it from the attacking territory. The attacker must move at least as many armies as the number of dice used in the final attack roll, and may move more.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that once an attacker conquers a territory, they can only move in as many armies as were used in the final attack roll, which is incorrect. Actually, they must move at least as many armies as were used but can move more if desired. This rule leaves room for interpretation on how many armies to actually move into the newly conquered area.
Risk uses ordinary six-sided dice. The attacker needs up to three dice and the defender needs up to two.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that since Risk uses dice, they must be special custom-made for the game, which leads them to misunderstand the official rule about standard six-sided dice being used. The confusion arises because some players expect a more exotic or specialized equipment based on the name of the game rather than adhering strictly to the specified rules.
A player is eliminated upon losing their final territory. The conquering player takes all territory cards held by the eliminated player.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that losing a final territory means you're automatically eliminated, forgetting that it's only about taking their cards, not necessarily ending your turn or game. The confusion arises because they misinterpret the full scope of what "taking all territory cards" entails in relation to their own territories and those controlled by others.
For a predictable playing time, agree on a number of complete rounds, commonly eight to twelve. Every player should receive the same number of turns.
Why people argue about this
People often think that the fixed-round scoring rule means each round must be exactly eight to twelve minutes long, which can lead to frustration when it doesn't match their expectations of a game's flow or pace. However, the actual intention is for every player to get an equal number of turns within those time frames, regardless of how many minutes they end up playing in any given round.
Allow a player to correct an obvious piece-counting mistake before the next dice roll or turn begins.; Roll dice in a clear area and reroll any die that leaves the table or lands visibly tilted.; Require players to state the attacking territory, defending territory, and number of dice before roll...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that if a mistake is obvious in piece counting, it should be corrected immediately without waiting for the next roll. However, the rule actually allows players to correct such mistakes before the next turn begins, which can lead to misunderstandings about when exactly they are permitted to make these adjustments.
The game board contains 42 territories grouped into six continents. Borders and connection lines show which territories are adjacent.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the continents are defined by the borders of territories rather than their geographical location, leading to arguments about whether a territory should be considered part of Africa or Europe based on its border lines alone, when in fact it's supposed to align with its actual geographic position.
Use the classic 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 15 sequence, but cap all later sets at 20 armies. This preserves the value of collecting cards while reducing sudden runaway turns.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the cap at 20 armies means you can't have more than 20 armies in total across all cards, which they see as overly restrictive. However, the actual intent is to prevent one player from suddenly having significantly more armies due to luck or strategic timing, while still allowing for a variety of card combinations and expansions within that limit.
For a faster and more flexible game, permit up to three fortification moves at the end of each turn. Each move must independently follow a friendly path and leave one army behind.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that multiple fortifications mean they can choose which army stays behind each time, leading to arguments about who gets to keep their army in different scenarios. Actually, the rule specifies each move must independently follow a friendly path and leave one army behind, so it's not up to individual choice but rather a fixed structure for every fortification attempt.
Territory ownership and the number of armies on every territory are public information. Players may stack or exchange pieces to make totals readable.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that simply making totals readable means they can freely stack or exchange pieces however they want, forgetting that doing so could still violate other game rules about territory control and movement integrity. The "Open Information" rule doesn't negate these constraints; it just clarifies what's already known to everyone.
Add the bonus for every continent the player controls completely at the beginning of the turn: 5 for North America, 2 for South America, 5 for Europe, 3 for Africa, 7 for Asia, and 2 for Australia. Continent bonuses are not awarded for partial control.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that partial control of a continent still grants bonus points, which is why they argue; however, the official verdict clearly states that continent bonuses are only awarded for complete control at the start of each turn.
Attacking is optional, and a player may conduct any number of attacks during this phase. To attack, choose a controlled territory containing at least two armies and an enemy territory connected to it by a shared border or printed connection line.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that attacking is mandatory during Phase 2: Attack, when in fact it's optional - they overlook the key part about choosing a controlled territory with at least two armies and an enemy territory connected by a shared border or printed connection line to actually engage in an attack.
At the end of the turn, the player may make one fortification move. Move any positive number of armies from one controlled territory to another controlled territory connected by an uninterrupted path of that player's territories.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that fortification can only be used once per turn, forgetting that it's a move you can make at the end of your turn, not limited by how many turns have passed. The confusion arises because they misinterpret when exactly during their turn this action is allowed to occur.
Collect all territory cards, add the wild cards included in the chosen edition, shuffle thoroughly, and place them face down beside the board. Leave room for a face-up discard pile.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the wild cards are collected from their original deck rather than added to the card pile for shuffling, leading to confusion about where they should be placed before mixing with other cards.
The escalating trade schedule creates dramatic late-game swings. For a steadier game, every valid set may be worth a fixed number such as eight armies.
Why people argue about this
People often argue that a fixed reward system for sets would make games too predictable, missing out on the excitement of seeing which team might pull off an upset with fewer armies than expected. They misunderstand how progressive rewards can create more dynamic and engaging late-game scenarios where underdogs have a chance to turn the tide.
Casual groups may record the winner, victory format, number of players, and number of rounds. A simple league can award three standings points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss.
Why people argue about this
People think they can only record basic results like winner and number of players without realizing they're also required to note victory format and round count, leading to misunderstandings about what exactly needs documenting.
When using mission cards supplied by an edition, each player receives one secret objective before armies are placed. A player wins immediately after personally completing the stated objective, provided any special conditions on the card are satisfied.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that if a player completes their secret objective before anyone else's army is placed on the board, they automatically win without needing to meet any special conditions on the mission card. But actually, they must still fulfill all the specific requirements outlined in the card for victory.
The game board contains 42 territories grouped into six continents. Borders and connection lines show which territories are adjacent.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the continents are pre-determined by the rules, when in fact they're just a way of organizing territories for easier play. The confusion arises because the six continents aren't defined by the rule text itself; rather, they're an organizational tool provided to help players understand territory grouping and connections on the game board.
Agree on classic world conquest or one of the shorter formats in Section 6. Decide how card sets will be valued, whether negotiation is allowed, and whether fortification may follow a chain of friendly territories or only a single border.
— Section 6
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the card set valuation method is solely decided by negotiation, forgetting that it can also be a predetermined section in Section 6, leading to misunderstandings about how much flexibility there is in setting up this aspect of their game.
Add the bonus for every continent the player controls completely at the beginning of the turn: 5 for North America, 2 for South America, 5 for Europe, 3 for Africa, 7 for Asia, and 2 for Australia. Continent bonuses are not awarded for partial control.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that controlling even a tiny portion of an entire continent grants them bonus points, which leads to misunderstandings when they realize partial control doesn't count towards those bonuses as stated in Section 4.
The classic game has no running score. A player wins immediately upon controlling all 42 territories and eliminating every opponent.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that running scores are part of the game's scoring system based on its name, but in fact, the official verdict clearly states there is no running score; a player wins by controlling all territories and eliminating opponents, which can happen at any point during the game, leading to immediate victory.
Risk is highly adaptable. Select variants before setup and apply them equally to everyone.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that choosing variants after setup is acceptable as long as they're applied equally. But in Risk's strict interpretation, players are meant to select all game variations before starting, ensuring fairness from the outset rather than allowing last-minute changes.
To reduce waiting, other players may plan while the active player acts. No pieces or cards may be moved out of turn, and all decisions remain changeable until that player's turn begins.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that planning during your turn is strictly forbidden, leading to arguments about what constitutes 'planning.' Actually, the rule allows for strategic thinking but forbids physical movement of pieces or cards until it's their turn again, so they can't execute plans immediately. It’s a fine line between preparation and cheating.
If the active player conquered at least one territory during the turn, that player draws exactly one territory card after finishing all attacks. Conquering several territories still earns only one card.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that conquering multiple territories grants them more than one card, leading to arguments over whether they should draw just one regardless of how many territories they've claimed during their turn. The confusion arises because the rule explicitly states only one territory conquest results in one card, not each individual conquest.
Divide players into equal teams, with teammates seated apart when possible. Players retain separate territories, armies, cards, and turns.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that teammates must sit together just to maintain team cohesion, misunderstanding the intent is to keep players' territories distinct and their turns separate, even if seated apart. This leads to arguments about how much separation is enough or necessary for a team.
There is normally one card for each of the 42 territories. Each territory card also displays an army symbol, traditionally infantry, cavalry, or artillery.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that each territory card must always have a corresponding army symbol listed on it, which leads them to believe they need to keep track of these symbols individually for every card. However, the actual rule is much simpler: the presence of an army symbol indicates what type of forces can be placed in that territory, not that there are multiple cards per territory.
Instead of total conquest, the first player to end a turn controlling an agreed number of territories wins. Twenty-four territories creates a familiar medium-length target.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that capturing territories is a one-time victory condition, forgetting about the ongoing nature of controlling them throughout turns until someone reaches the agreed-upon number. The "Territory Target" rule makes this clear by emphasizing control over territory counts as the win condition, not just outright capture.
For brisk recreational play, allow two or three minutes for the attack phase. When time expires, finish the current dice comparison, then proceed to fortification.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the turn timer only applies strictly during fortification phases, thinking it's a way to limit aggressive play throughout the entire game. However, they overlook the clear exception for attack phase durations of two to three minutes, which doesn't apply to other parts of the game where time is still counted down.
Divide the territory cards into three roughly equal groups: one for each player and one for a neutral army. Place one army of the appropriate color on every dealt territory.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the neutral army is just another player in the game, which leads to arguments about its role and strategy. However, the actual intent of the rule is for it to be a passive entity whose sole purpose is to manage the shared territories without directly participating in battles or alliances, unlike regular players who can influence outcomes through their actions.