- BGG rank
- BGG #30,266
- BGG rating
- 5.6
Risk
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 1959
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,161
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Risk: Balance of Power
2008
Rules assistance for Risk: Balance of Power
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Risk: Balance of Power
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Risk: Balance of Power is a board game released in 2008 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Rob Daviau and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Income.
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About the game
Risk Balance of Power is a two-player version of Risk on a map covering a large part of Europe (Iberia and the Balkans do not partake). The map is divided into 6 regions consisting of 30 territories. Some of the territories contain rough terrain and are harder to attack. There are 4 different basic starting setups for the 2 players. All of them include a neutral player. To win, a player must keep his capital and achieve 3 goals. All goals are public. For each setup a different combination of 8 of the available 12 goals is used. In the Command Centre version, one player sets up both sides and the neutrals then the other choses which one to play and who starts. Each side is able to add support to the neutral player, and your defeated armies can be used to gain special bonuses. One of the bonuses even allows you to attack with (some) neutral armies. Armies are still raised based on the number of territories and any regions you own, but also on the number of cities. As in standard risk, area cards are still gained upon conquering a territory, and can still be used to raise additional armies. The army units are in the shape of small (flat) arrows. Manufacturer's description (translated from the Dutch edition): RISK for 2 players. Battle man-to-man in this strategic battle of epic proportions. In this exciting strategy game everything revolves around the conquest and domination of Europe. For 12 years and up. Two distinct ways to play the game: Base training - an introductory game which you can play within a few minutes. Command centre - a fast and exciting strategy game in which everything revolves around conquest and domination.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Parker Brothers
- Hasbro
Questions and answers
Risk: Balance of Power supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Risk: Balance of Power is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Risk: Balance of Power for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Risk: Balance of Power has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Risk: Balance of Power belongs to these categories: Wargame, Territory Building, and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Income. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Risk: Balance of Power are: Rob Daviau. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Risk: Balance of Power as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.