Overview

Risk Legacy is the first Legacy-style board game, designed by Rob Daviau and Chris Dupuis and published by Avalon Hill in 2011. Designed to be played as a campaign of 15 games, each session permanently alters the game board, rules, and components through stickers, written marks, and sealed packets that unlock new rules. Players control one of five factions, each with unique abilities, competing to earn Red Stars (victory points). Decisions made in one game carry forward to all future games.

Components

• Game board (42 territories across 6 continents)
• 275+ military units (single troops and 3-troop vehicles) in 5 faction colors
• 5 dice (3 black attack, 2 red defense)
• Territory cards and Coin cards
• Scar cards
• HQ pieces (1 per faction)
• Red Star tokens
• Missile tokens
• Sticker sheets for permanent modifications
• Sealed envelopes and packets (opened when triggered by gameplay conditions)
• 5 faction cards with sticker slots for powers

Setup

First Game Setup (additional steps):

• Each faction selects one of two starting powers by applying the chosen sticker to their faction card.
• Customize Territory cards by adding 1-3 resource coin stickers.

Each Game Setup:

1. Deal Scar cards (one per player, if available).
2. Players select factions and choose a legal starting territory for their HQ (unoccupied, not adjacent to any other HQ).
3. Place 8 starting troops plus HQ in that territory.
4. Set up the sideboard: flip 4 territory cards and 1 mission card.

Turn Structure

Each turn has five phases:

1. Start of Turn: Optionally purchase Red Stars (trade 4 resource cards for 1 star). Play any start-of-turn Scar cards.
2. Recruit Troops: Calculate new troops: (territories + city population) / 3, minimum 3, plus continent bonuses, plus troops from traded-in card sets (2-10 resource icons per the conversion chart). Place all new troops on controlled territories.
3. Expand & Attack (optional):
   • Expand into unoccupied territories (1+ troops).
   • Expand into unoccupied cities (lose troops equal to city population).
   • Attack enemy territories.
4. Maneuver Troops (optional): Redistribute troops between connected controlled territories.
5. End of Turn: Resolve end-of-turn effects. If you captured at least one territory, draw a territory card.

Actions

Combat:

• Choose an attacking territory with 2+ troops (must leave 1 behind).
• Commit 1-3 troops as attackers; defender commits 1-2 troops.
• Each side rolls matching number of dice.
• Compare highest dice; defender wins ties. Loser removes 1 troop.
• Compare next highest dice if applicable.

Missiles: Any player may discard a Missile token at any time to change one die to an unmodifiable 6.

Scar Cards: Modify territories permanently (e.g., fortifications, ammo shortages, bunkers). Applied as stickers during the game.

Fortified Cities: Defender adds 1 to both defense dice. Costs 2 additional troops to expand into when unoccupied.

Founding Cities: Under certain conditions, players may found new cities on the board (permanent sticker placement).

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Immediate Win: First player to have 4 Red Stars (starting from game 1; this number may increase in later games).

Ways to Earn Red Stars:

• Control an enemy HQ (1 star each, as long as you hold it).
• Trade in 4 resource cards.
• Achieve conditions on mission cards.
• Win for the first time on this board (1 bonus star token).
• Special achievements from sealed packets.

Alternative Win: All other players eliminated.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Legacy Mechanics: After each game, the winner signs the board, gains a missile token for future games, and may name a continent or found a city. Losers may receive minor power-ups.
• Sealed Packets: Opened when specific game conditions are met. Contents permanently add or change rules, add new card types, or introduce new factions/components.
• Eliminated Players: If eliminated, on your next turn you rejoin the game with half your starting troops in a legal territory.
• Permanent Changes: Stickers applied to the board, cards, or faction sheets are permanent and cannot be removed. Destroyed cards are physically torn up.
• Faction Powers: Each faction has unique abilities that can be upgraded through stickers earned during the campaign.
• Modified Dice: Scars, faction powers, and Missiles can modify die results. Modified rolls cannot exceed 6 or drop below 1.

Player Reference

Faction	Color
Imperial Balkania	Blue
Enclave of the Bear	Black
Khan Industries	Green
Die Mechaniker	Red
Saharan Republic	Yellow

Win condition: 4 Red Stars (may increase over campaign) or eliminate all opponents.

Troop recruitment: (Territories + city population) / 3 + continent bonuses + card trade-in bonus.

Campaign: 15 games. Each game permanently changes the board and rules.