Dennis Matheson <dennis@mountaindiver.com> wrote in message 
<3a969ac0.2971603219@news.earthlink.net>...
On the assumption that some people are interested in information on
the new Risk 2210, I am relaying the following from the About.com
message boards.  Rob has been posting on there.  He is having some
problems accessing r.g.b since Deja went away.  I hope he will not
mind my relaying his posts here...

>I know that a lot of people will be disappointed to find out that our
>Secret Project X is a RISK extension. Others will be excited. The
>issue is: how did the hype build so much? Back a few months, I
>listed this game as Secret Project X. When pushed, I said that my
>boss wanted something to reveal at GAMA (or Toy Fair) and there
>was no real reason for keeping it hidden other than that. However,
>that seemed to fan the flames into something much bigger, much
>more secretive, and much grander than I ever meant it to be. Once
>the genie was out of the bottle, though, it was hard to put back in.
>As reality overtakes personal wishes, I hope that people see the
>game for what it is: a way to satisfy our new audience, a way to get
>kids into hobby gaming, and a chance to satisfy (although slightly less
>so) the wargamer who was AH's original roots. The game is fun, looks
>great, and plays well. I would say it has a definite German game feel
>though still has its wargame lite roots. 
>
>I'm available for questions (though having trouble getting to rgb now
>that deja shut down). 
>
>-Rob 
>Avalon Hill
  
And more info on the game itself...

>>Can you tell us anything else about Risk 2210 AD? "Underwater
>>cities, moon territories, commanders, cardplay and other goodies 
>>all await in July" sounds cool, but inquiring minds want to know... 

>Sure, I'd be glad to. The theming, as mentioned, is the world at war in
>2210 AD (400 years after the original RISK is set). Mechanical armies
>fight for control of the earth, its underwater cities, and the near-side of
>the moon. 
>
>WHAT IS THE SAME AS RISK: You can play the standard game of
>Risk on the board. The land territories, although renamed, are the
>same. We have also included the rules to standard Risk in the game.
>You use the same combat system (basically), where the attack rolls
>up to three dice and the defender rolls up to two. Compare, with the
>defender winning ties. Continent bonuses and how you get armies
>works largely the same. 
>
>WHAT IS DIFFERENT THAN RISK: The addition of moon territories,
>underwater cities, energy, commanders, command cards, space
>stations, turn order, and the win conditions (explained below). 
>
>There are 13 or so underwater territories in the game. These start
>out empty. The territories are divided into five zones that function
>the same as continents in terms of bonuses. If you control a whole
>zone, you get bonus armies at the start of your turn. 
>
>There are also 14 moon territories. These also start out empty.
>They are divided into three zones that give bonuses like
>continents. The moon has three landing site (one in each
>zone). You can attack the moon from any space station you
>control to any landing site on the moon. The moon is easy to
>take but hard to hold. 
>
>Energy works like money in the game. At the start of your turn you
>get energy equal to the number of armies you get. So if you get 5 
>armies, you also get 5 energy; 7 armies and 7 energy, etc. Energy
>is used to hire commanders, build space stations, buy command
>cards, play command cards, bid for turn order, and as the tie-breaker
>at the end of the game. Managing your energy is vital. 
>
>There are five commanders (per player) in the game: Land Commander,
>Naval Commander, Space Commander, Diplomat Commander, and
>Nuclear Commander. Commanders are the only human units in your
>army and have many different functions (I'll summarize). You need to
>have a Commander on the board to buy and play Command cards of
>that type. So if you want to buy a Nuclear Command Card (or play one
>in your hand), you need to have your Nuclear Commander in play. If
>one of your commanders is killed, you can hire his replacement (ie. bring
>him back). Commanders also allow your armies to move into the sea or
>the moon. You need a Space commander to move your armies to or on
>the moon. You need a naval commander to move your armies into or
>under the ocean. Commanders also use 8-sided dice at key times. All
>commanders defend with an 8-sider. The nuclear commander always
>attacks with one. The diplomat never does. The other three attack with
>one if they are attacking from or into their specialty (if you are attacking
>from or into an underwater city, then your naval commander uses an
>8-sider). Those are their big specialties. 
>
>There are five Command card decks -- one for each commander. You
>can use energy to buy cards. Some also require energy to play them.
>These cards offer defensive and offensive advantages, extra free
>moves, extra energy, cease fire situations and, yes, nukes. Each
>deck has its strengths. There are also cards in the deck that give
>extra points at the end of the game. 
>
>Space stations (each player starts with one) allow you to go to the
>moon. Also, all defensive units in space station territories roll 8-siders. 
>
>Turn order each turn is determined by an energy bid. Turn order is
>another tricky thing to do well. 
>
>Win condtion: the game is five-turns long and takes about 2 hours to
>play. At the end of five turns, the player who controls the most territories
>(plus continent bonuses and points found on command cards), wins. In
>the 100+ games I've seen played, there have only been three games
>where one person was eliminated before turn 5. This is not an elimination
>game. 
>
>>Can you tell us who's on the design team, and what other AH games
>>they've worked on? 
>
>Craig Van Ness and Rob Daviau (me). Craig is the designer on a lot of
>games, including Star Wars: The Queen's Gambit, Stratego Legends,
>all the Powerpuff Girls games, Clash of the Lightsabers, NASCAR
>Champions, and Goosebumps games (back a few years). I've worked
>on Axis & Allies: Europe, Axis & Allies: Pacific, Stratego Legends, Cosmic
>Encounter, and (the upcoming) History of the World remake. 
>
>Hope people like it. 
>
>-Rob 
>Avalon Hill

Again, I hope Rob doesn't mind my repeating him here but I thought
people here might be interested in the info.

--
"I am the master of my own imaginary world."

Dennis Matheson -- dennis@gamepile.com --      www.gamepile.com