How to Play Risk Board Game Rules if you hate rulebooks

I hate reading rulebooks and compiled this How to Play Risk board game rules to help get your game started quickly with minimal hassle.
If you are looking for an overview, click here to get a quick summary of the gameplay, game mechanics, videos and find out what makes the game fun and suitable for you.

Objective

• Conquer the world by occupying all territories and eliminating all opponents.

Setup

1. Initial Army Placement:
   • Select a color and count armies based on player count (35 for 3 players, 30 for 4, 25 for 5, 20 for 6).
   • Roll a die to determine who places the first army.
   • Players take turns placing one army in unoccupied territories until all are claimed.
   • Players then place remaining armies on already occupied territories.
2. Complete Setup:
   • Shuffle and place RISK cards (without Mission cards) as a draw pile.
   • The player who placed the first army starts the game.

Gameplay

Each turn consists of:

1. Getting and Placing New Armies:
   • Calculate new armies based on territories occupied, continents controlled, matched RISK cards, and specific territories on traded-in cards.
2. Attacking:
   • Decide whether to attack adjacent territories or those connected by dashed lines.
   • Roll dice to determine battle outcomes, comparing highest dice.
   • Capture territories by defeating all defending armies and moving in your armies.
   • Earn a RISK card if you capture at least one territory.
3. Fortifying Your Position:
   • Optionally move armies between adjacent territories to strengthen borders.

Getting and Placing New Armies

• Calculating New Armies at the Beginning of Each Turn Based on:
  1. Number of Territories Occupied:
     • Count the territories, divide by three, and ignore fractions.
     • Minimum of 3 armies per turn.
     • Example:
       • 11 territories = 3 armies
       • 14 territories = 4 armies
       • 17 territories = 5 armies
  2. Value of Controlled Continents:
     • Receive additional armies for each continent controlled.
     • Control means occupying all territories in the continent.
     • Check the game board chart for exact numbers.
  3. Value of Matched Sets of RISK Cards Traded In:
     • Trade in matched sets of cards for additional armies (refer to trading rules).
  4. Specific Territory on Traded-In Card:
     • Gain extra armies if the traded card shows a territory you occupy.

Risk Cards

• Earn cards by capturing territories, trade sets for additional armies.
  • Matched sets of three (same type, one of each type, or two plus a wild card).
  • Trade-in values increase with each set traded.

• Earn One Card:
  • Capture at least one territory during your turn.
• Card Combinations for Sets:
  • 3 cards of the same design (Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery)
  • 1 of each design
  • Any 2 cards plus a wild card
• Trading In Sets:
  • Trade in sets of 3 cards at the beginning of your turn.
  • If you have 5 or 6 cards, you must trade in at least one set.
  • You may trade in a second set if you have one

Trading In Cards for Armies

• Trade in matched sets of cards at the beginning of your turn.
• Number of armies received increases with total sets traded in by all players:
  • 1st set: 4 armies
  • 2nd set: 6 armies
  • 3rd set: 8 armies
  • 4th set: 10 armies
  • 5th set: 12 armies
  • 6th set: 15 armies
  • Each subsequent set: 5 more armies than the previous set
• Example:
  • 7th set: 20 armies
  • 8th set: 25 armies
• Occupied Territories Bonus:
  • Gain 2 extra armies if a traded card shows a territory you occupy.
  • Place extra armies on the depicted territory.
  • Max of 2 extra armies per turn from card bonuses.
• Strategic Hint:
  • Deploy armies wisely to prepare for attacks or defend key territories.
  • Move armies to front lines for better defense and attack readiness.

Attacking

• Rules for Attacking:
  • Attack adjacent territories or those connected by dashed lines.
  • Must have at least two armies in the attacking territory.
  • Roll up to three dice, depending on the number of armies.
  • Defender rolls one or two dice.
  • Compare dice to determine army losses

To Attack

• Announce:
  • The territory you are attacking.
  • The territory you are attacking from.
• Roll Dice:
  • Both attacker and defender announce the number of dice to roll.
  • Roll simultaneously.
  • Attacker: Rolls 1, 2, or 3 red dice (must have at least one more army than dice rolled).
  • Defender: Rolls 1 or 2 white dice (must have at least 2 armies to roll 2 dice).
• Battle Outcome:
  • Compare highest dice rolled by each player:
    • If the attacker’s die is higher, the defender loses one army.
    • If the defender’s die is higher, the attacker loses one army.
  • If both rolled more than one die, compare the next highest dice and repeat.

• Hints: More dice increase odds of winning but also risk higher army losses.

Capturing Territories:

• Move at least as many armies as the dice rolled in the last battle.
• Always leave at least one army in the original territory.

Ending Attack

• End attack anytime, earn a RISK card if a territory was captured.
• If an opponent is eliminated, take their RISK cards and trade-in if exceeding five cards.

Eliminating an opponent

• Winning Cards:
  • Defeat an opponent’s last army to win their RISK cards.
• If you gain 6 or more cards:
  • Immediately trade in sets to reduce your hand to 4 or fewer cards.
  • Stop trading once your hand is reduced to 4, 3, or 2 cards.
• If you gain fewer than 6 cards:
  • Wait until the beginning of your next turn to trade in a set.
• Note:
  • If you draw a card at the end of your turn, bringing your total to 6, you must wait until your next turn to trade in.

Fortifying Your Position

• Move armies from one territory to an adjacent territory, leaving at least one army behind.

Winning

• The game ends when one player has occupied all territories and eliminated all opponents.

Risk Board Game FAQs

Related Links

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