Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!sun!amdahl!key!jsp
From: jsp@key.COM (James Preston)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: Risk
Message-ID: <2301@key.COM>
Date: 26 Nov 90 18:34:15 GMT
References: <0B030501.866476@udwarf.tymnet.com>
Reply-To: jsp@penguin.key.COM (James Preston)
Organization: Key Computer Laboratories, Fremont
Lines: 32


Ok, many people have suggested playing against five neutral opponents as a
way to make this game harder.  I agree that it makes it more difficult to
win, but it is also completely unrealistic.  The neutral setting does not
play like any person I've ever known.  It doesn't try to win, it only wants
to keep it's original territory.  And therefore, it will NEVER wipe me out!
Because it's always satisfied when it gets its own territories back, it will
leave me alive in two countries with one army in each, when it borders me
with countries containing ten or twenty armies!  I don't want a game that is
a challenge to win because it's totally artificial, I want a game that is a
challenge because the other players are trying to win too!  Without the
possibility of my being wiped out, it just becomes an endurance test.

And by the way, it still isn't that hard to win against five neutrals, if
you have the patience.  Basically, you just need to do two things.

1) Maneuver them into fighting each other.  Do this by taking player A's
territories such that he will have to go through some of player B's territories
to get them back (and leave only one army in the taken territories).

2) While you're doing the above, get yourself into a position so that you
will have the connectivity and resources to wipe out player A.  Also try to
make sure that you kill him when he has three or four cards.  Usually getting
to this point takes sufficient time so that the card values are high enough
(even in the middle progression) so that the combination of killing one player
and getting those bonus armies from his cards gives you enough advantage to
win.

I have yet to actually lose a game like this.  I have, however, given up from
boredom.

--James Preston