RISK Domination VI: Finished!

[The Mikado]

Alright, I've gotten tired of waiting for Willy Woz to respond to my reminders.  He has been online, so there is little excuse, and he's only keeping everybody waiting.  Since the Mikado was the next available and applicable person in the sign-up thread, I've asked him to take over and he has accepted.

Here's the newly updated map, reflecting The Mikado's set of deployments:




Again, your next 4 deployments by PM, please. 

Bwahaha!  Dread the Mad Mullah of Cleveland!  Who knows where his black-clad legions shall strike?

PS.  Thank you, Mr. Woz, for this chance to get my a** kicked again...but I'm going to go out in style this game.

[The Mikado]

It looks like both Josh and The Mikado have designs on the Midwest, which should be interesting.

Do not attempt to predict the actions of the Mad Mullah of Cleveland, for he knows not what his own designs are...making him completely unpredictable.

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Perhaps...but Verily winning?  He'll be in it for a while, but I wouldn't recommend betting against Gustaf.

[The Mikado]

What people who are blithely predicting victories for certain players are forgetting one fundamental thing that is likely to bring many strategies and those who make them to their knees:

Joe is rolling the dice.

Amen...which is why I don't have a strategy...just a big-ass army.

[The Mikado]

That's quite a risk you're taking there, Josh.  You're basically hoping and praying that The Mikado doesn't turn his legions against you right when you're most vulnerable. 

Eh, it's smarter than it looks.  His force on Maryland is a nice way of saying to me, "If I go down I'm taking you with me."

[The Mikado]

Meeker's in a tough spot.  The way the map is, Gustav is almost certainly going to want to attack Nevada next round, so trying to get and hold the Southwest is unlikely to succeed unless he can make an arrangement with Gustaf.  With no prospect of taking and holding a region, making a single attack to gain a RISK card or blitzing west to deny Gustaf the Pacific bonus looks like the best short term strategies.

Ha ha!  I was going to suggest he "pull an Ernest" myself...but it's far more convincing coming from you.  Gustaf's borders are actually weaker than mine were in the last game.

Unfortunately for Meeker, Gustaf knows how to make contingency plans and doesn't end up flailing about helplessly when his main idea fails like I do.

(On a related note, I'm very, very suspicious of Josh's intentions with those forces on Maryland)

[The Mikado]

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Saith the player with the most immediate interest in Gustaf and Meeker denying each other control of the West.

(Of course I agree with you that it would be best for everyone, including Meeker, but your advice does leave Meeker with a very thinly defended border with Texas)

[The Mikado]

Argh!  Too...many...options...too...many...risks...

Start off with three on Ohio...I'll get back to you in a couple of minutes.

EDIT:

Okay, made my decision...it was either attack TN (sane strategy), or do something to really disrupt everyone (insane strategy).  I picked the latter.

Start off with Ohio-Kentucky-Missouri-Nebraska-Wyoming-Idaho...do-or-die, await further orders.

[The Mikado]

Argh!  Too...many...options...too...many...risks...

Start off with three on Ohio...I'll get back to you in a couple of minutes.

I knew what I'd do. The game's called Risk, that's all I'm saying.

You would've attacked TN...right?

See, I actually realized I encounter far fewer enemy troops doing it this way...and I'm not in it to win this time anyway...just to make it interesting.

Besides, the final factor to make me do this was Josh's force on Maryland...there's a good chance that if I attacked Northeast, he'd rule the Eastern half of the map in short order.

[The Mikado]

Idaho-Washington, all in Washington, end turn.

Stop if I lose over 7.

[The Mikado]

Come on, soldiers of the South/Southeast!  You can fight harder than that!  Resist the Yellow Army's imperialist encroachments!

[The Mikado]

What a weird game. Why couldn't my game be exciting?

Dude...you, like, were eviscerated from the inside, you know?  Like, it was a surprise and all.

Verily isn't behaving that oddly.

[The Mikado]

All in Virginia, attack MD do or die, move all winning troops there and end turn.

You sure you don't want to do something a bit more...ambitious?  Maybe adding PA, NJ, DE, and WV to your collection instead of just little Maryland?

[The Mikado]

And so it gets decided... Last chance to turn back Mikado!

  Gustaf, I'm always up for a challenge.  Your troops did way way way too well when they attacked me, though.

Three on Washington.  WA-OR.  If I lose four soldiers, stop.

[The Mikado]

So much for the short sharp shock.

WA-AK...if successful end turn.  If failure, end turn.

[The Mikado]

All three in North Carolina. Attack NC-SC, do or die.

Reinforcements

All 3 battalions have been deployed in North Carolina, where there are now 6 in total.



Attacks

North Carolina invades South Carolina (Neutral Army) with 5 battalions available to attack, while 4 battalions will defend.

Verily [5] rolls 3 dice: 4 3 2
Neutral Army [4] rolls 2 dice: 6 4
Verily loses 2 battalions

Verily [3] rolls 3 dice: 5 5 3
Neutral Army [4] rolls 2 dice: 6 3
Both armies lose 1 battalion each

Verily [2] rolls 2 dice: 6 2
Neutral Army [3] rolls 2 dice: 4 4
Both armies lose 1 battalion each

Verily [1] rolls 1 die: 2
Neutral Army [2] rolls 2 dice: 6 2
Verily loses 1 battalion

Verily has been defeated, and the Neutral Army retains control of South Carolina with 2 battalions remaining.

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Awaiting further instructions

So much for the Neutral Army being bad at dice.

[The Mikado]

2 on SD, on on Nebraska.  South Dakota-North Dakota, do or die.

[The Mikado]

End turn.

[The Mikado]

Move all from South Carolina to Georgia and end turn. (Yes, it does make sense.)

It makes lots of sense.  Unless you lose control of the Southeast because someone takes Mississippi, you'll be able to counterpunch from Georgia.


Josh isn't doing what I have would have done with all those armies, but then I wouldn't have ever tried to hold onto the Midwest in the first place.

You'd either have tried to wipe me out or take Verily's regional bonuses, right?  Can't figure out which one.

[The Mikado]

I love it that Kansas is the most heavily fortified state.

[The Mikado]

That one battalion in MS must be Harry.

TN's chances of victory just skyrocketed.

[The Mikado]

How many cards does Verily have?

[The Mikado]

So, did Joe decide to cap Kansas?  Please tell me no.  I'm looking forward to the coming "49 states vs. Kansas" battle royale.

[The Mikado]

Bump.

[The Mikado]

Congrats again to Gustaf.

I'll be taking an extended break from the forum for at least the summer, which means that the next game won't be for some time.  But when it does, I won't forget that Gustaf and Fezzyfestoon are both guaranteed places in it. 

I believe this is what journalists call "burying the lede."