[risk] Re: Simultaneous Risk Questions

[John Williams <williams@morinda.com>]

> 5.  The final sticking point is...  Schmittberger's combat system 
>     seems flawed for more than 2 players.  I can't seem to make it
>     work unambiguously for more than 2 combatants.  Therefore, I'm
>     looking for a replacement.  One that came to mind last evening 
>     was:
> 
> 	Largest force wins
> 	All other forces are removed
> 	Winning force loses as many pieces are the next largest force.
> 	In case of a tie for largest force, *ALL* units are lost with
> 	    the exception of one defending unit (if it happens to be
> 	    the same strength as the largest force, and there *is* a 
> 	    defending group).

As I start to play now, it occurs to me that this combat system actually
discourages cooperation between players.  For a simple example of the
complexities involved, consider three territories  A -- B -- C, each
occupied by different players and connected as shown.  Also, the players
on A and C both move to B.  What are the possibilities?

1) All players are in for their own glory; a three way battle.
2) A and B are allied to keep C out.
3) B and C are allied to keep A out.
4) A and C are allied to destroy B.

This combat system *assumes* case 1, so there is no way for one player to
help out or make an alliance with another player.  Very little diplomacy
is left.

It seems to me that we need something like the "support" move from
diplomacy.  This would allow armies to support actions in neighboring
territories, without actually moving to them, and the four cases can be
clearly indicated by the moves.

1) A move B, C move B
2) A support B, C move B
3) A move B, C support B
4) A support C (in B), C move A (A and C have to agree who will support
and who will move)

Let's say A and 5, B has 4, and C has 6.  ( A5 -- B4 -- C6 )
Fractional loses should go to the larger army.

1) 5(a) attack 4(b) attack 6(c):
   C wins with 1 left, A and B lose all
2) 6(c) attack 9(a+b): 
   C loses all 6, A+B each lose 3 (6/2).
3) 5(a) attack 10(b+c):
   A loses all 5, B loses 2 (2.5 rounded down), 
   C loses 3 (2.5 rounded up for largest army)
4) 11(a+c) attack 4(b):
   B loses 4, A and C each lose 2 (4/2) and C moves to B


~ John Williams