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Board games similar to Risk

noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
So one of the perks on my current job is that we usually have an office Risk game going on.

The thing is that we've played about four games already, and are starting to get a little burned out. So I come to you PA'ers to see what games you would recommend.

Some info:

-Has to be for 3-7 players.
-Preferably something that can be played a little at a time. The nice thing about Risk is that you don't necessarily have to have all people there at the same time, especially if you're only attacking one person.
- Nothing that would be consider 'nerdy'. Yeah, I know, playing Risk in the office is nerdy enough, but I'm not sure the other people in the office would for a board game taking place in say, a Fantasy world.

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    MrDelishMrDelish Registered User regular
    It's also Risk, but Risk: Legacy is super cool. The board gets changed the first 15 you play it and you open booster packs when certain conditions are met that change the game even more.

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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Axis and Allies
    Settlers of Catan
    Civilization

    I mean... non nerdy games limits you to things like parcheesi and monopoly.

    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
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    schussschuss Registered User regular
    You could also do Small World. It's fantasy world, but it's on iDevices, so it's probably cool with people. I think Ticket to Ride, while different in playstyle, may fit the bill.

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    SixSix Caches Tweets in the mainframe cyberhex Registered User regular
    edited November 2013
    Diplomacy, however you run the risk of destroying friendships/working relationships.

    It's best with exactly 7 people, can easily be played asynchronously over time, and it is an excellent game mechanically with zero luck.

    I would normally suggest A Game of Thrones, which is even better (though more complex), but it's only for 6 players and breaks your fantasy rule. It is, however, also excellent.

    Six on
    can you feel the struggle within?
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    EntriechEntriech ? ? ? ? ? Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    You guys should look into Neptune's Pride 2: Triton. It's a browser based game, free to play, easy to learn, and played at a slow pace in real time. Very much ties into similar Risk mechanics like size of army being a determining factor in battles, defender's advantage, whlist bolting on a light resource/research model.

    Their tagline of "A board game for the web" is very apt. I've played a few games against random internet folk and enjoyed it quite a bit.

    Otherwise I'd second the Risk: Legacy recommendation. Not only does the game change over the course of each game played, complete with cards getting torn up, writing on the board, etc, but it also fixes some of the more problematic rules in Risk that make for slower, more boring games. The way that it's structured encourages the formation of fronts between players, which feels a lot more like real wars would feel tactically, and giving some meaning to punching through a heavy front into a lightly defended, chewy, soft middle of a nation.

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    TehSlothTehSloth Hit Or Miss I Guess They Never Miss, HuhRegistered User regular
    Yeah, there are some other variations of Risk that are pretty interesting -- Risk 2210 is interesting, futuristic. It adds some more places for the moon and interesting new mechanics -- it also has a round limit, so it won't drag at the end like Risk can tend to do.

    FC: 1993-7778-8872 PSN: TehSloth Xbox: SlothTeh
    twitch.tv/tehsloth
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    CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    I'm thinking they'd want something fairly uncomplicated like Risk is, most of these suggestions require a lot of learning.

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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
    edited November 2013
    Cabezone wrote: »
    I'm thinking they'd want something fairly uncomplicated like Risk is, most of these suggestions require a lot of learning.

    Do they like the point/goal/mechanics of Risk itself? Or do they simply want a not-overly-complex board game? Cause Ticket To Ride is a fantastic board game that's not overly difficult.

    A lot of people seem to just have some sort of fear of branching out from the standard Milton-Bradley crap they grew up with, which is a real shame. Risk and Monopoly are pretty awful games.

    If it makes them happy to push little wooden counters around on a world map, play Pandemic.

    Cog on
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    WassermeloneWassermelone Registered User regular
    Small World is basically Risk but with fun and good design instead of hatred and spite.

    And while its fantasy, it might be a little more palatable because it doesn't take itself seriously at all. The elves for example are depicted as prancey effete flower sniffers.
    elves-en.jpg

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    Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited November 2013
    Chaos in the Old World is a good one; it IS fantasy but you all play demons so maybe that'd go over well?. The upcoming horrifically expensive Cthulhu Wars is another. Again, theme may turn people off but you all play horrific monsters and the minis are amazing.

    Magic Pink on
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    PMAversPMAvers Registered User regular
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    Chaos in the Old World is a good one; it IS fantasy but you all play demons so maybe that'd go over well?. The upcoming horrifically expensive Cthulhu Wars is another. Again, theme may turn people off but you all play horrific monsters and the minis are amazing.

    One of the requirements, though, was that it seats up to 7. Chaos taps out at 5 with the expansion.

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    JusticeforPlutoJusticeforPluto Registered User regular
    Attack! Is similar to Risk, but with more focus on economics.

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    zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    Break out of your shells. For something that sits 7, 7 wonders. It's the gateway drug to better board games. It's faster than risk so you can knock out a game in a day or 2. Before you know it you'll be playing lords of waterdeep while another group plays arkham horror.

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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
    zepherin wrote: »
    Break out of your shells. For something that sits 7, 7 wonders. It's the gateway drug to better board games. It's faster than risk so you can knock out a game in a day or 2. Before you know it you'll be playing lords of waterdeep while another group plays arkham horror.

    Seriously, I had never played a "real" boardgame outside of the monopoly/sorry!/risk molds until one of my friends sat me down to play A Touch Of Evil and it was a life changing event. I believe I actually said the phrase "I never knew boardgames could be like this".

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    Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    there aren't that many games that are 'like risk' because frankly, risk is kind of a bad game. It's a lot of procedural work (i.e. rolling dice) for the sake of an outcome that's ultimately fairly determinative (guy with more armies wins, hooray!)

    I was going to suggest ticket to ride, but I don't think there's a version that seats seven. I don't think settlers of catan does either, although it would be a good option for four or five. I like seven wonders.

    Diplomacy can be played the way you want, but I don't think it's really well suited to it.

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    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
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    Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    edited November 2013
    For folks who like Risk, Risk: Legacy is a great game for you. If you want to expand your horizons to other board games, the above suggestions are great. I'm personally fond of Diplomacy and 7 Wonders. Cosmic Encounter is considered a bad game by many around here, but I find that a more casual crowd that likes Risk also tends to like Cosmic Encounter. It can seat 6, but you can add a seventh with little hassle. I like Pandemic, but it's a co-op, so you'll have to decide whether you like the competition in the office or you'd like to try collaborating in a race against time.

    EDIT: The Resistance is basically a standardized version of the Mafia/Werewolf party game. Once everyone "gets" it, it's a lot of fun, and usually ends up being a go-to 7 player game.

    Hahnsoo1 on
    8i1dt37buh2m.png
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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
    Hahnsoo1 wrote: »
    I like Pandemic, but it's a co-op, so you'll have to decide whether you like the competition in the office or you'd like to try collaborating in a race against time.

    The In The Lab expansion now seats 6 and has team based competitive versions (2 v 2 v 2)

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    EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    Risk (classic version) and Monopoly are games played by people that just don't know better.

    Diplomacy is best played with people you'll never meet again. It is known as the game that makes married couples go home in separate cars.

    Seven is a bit of a tough number, otherwise I'd recommend Puerto Rico and Carcassone. They're both history-themed.

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    DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    History of the World taps out at 6 and is OOP and therefore a bit pricy but I really, really love it for scratching that world-domination board game itch.

    Small World also is only up to 6 players but it's very quick and easy to learn while still having lots of strategy and replayability.

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    PowerpuppiesPowerpuppies drinking coffee in the mountain cabinRegistered User regular
    Risk: Legacy is amazing but it only works if you're playing with a steady group

    seems like you are, so go for it

    sig.gif
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    InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    Risk Legacy is only 3-5 though, and he wants 3-7.

    I think Diplomacy is probably the best bet for what he is looking for. Plays 2-7, but is by far best with 7, doesn't have a nerdy/geeky theme (WW1 is about as dry as a theme as you can get) and is perfect for being played "a little at at time" as people can chit chat about moves all day and then submit their paper orders whenever, you could easily have it set up so orders are checked at certain times of the day say, at lunch or at closing, etc, and work from there.

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    ImaPiranhaImaPiranha Registered User regular
    My recommendation is Settlers of Catan and some of the expansions. I used to play it with 8 people by just having a double set. Problem there is that for the best trading (and making sure everyone gets what they should) you kind of want everyone around for the turns. With 8 people who have half a clue though it only takes about an hour and a half to just sit and play (if that's an option) and it's real easy to learn

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    jmcdonaldjmcdonald I voted, did you? DC(ish)Registered User regular
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