The Game of Risk | Bear On Business

Posted by Dan Caruso
December 31, 2008

A Risk-y Holiday Season

Brother Bob added a comment to the blog:

Dan the Dynasty continued his dominance in early battes during the tumultous weather conditions during the Christmas and Holiday seasons. But a new leader, named Bob the Bold began to build armies to overtake this land. Bob’s initial attempts to build armies in North America and the South Pacific were squashed by Hitler, um, Dan the Dynasty, as a result of Dan’s deceitful tactics to lure his son Danny and his cousin Nick the Novice to attack this new powerful opponent at their own expense. After recognizing the traitorous ways of Dan the Dynasty, Danny and Nick the Novice switched allegiances and emboldened Bob the Bold’s new armies building in South America to form a powerful alliance to overtake Dan the Deceitful. Nick the Novice proved a very strong partner by sacrificing numerous armies to weaken Dan the Deceitful’s armies in Asia, paving the path for Bob the Bold to overtake Dan the Dwindling Dynasty’s stronghold in Asia and the South Pacific. Bob the Bold has emerged as the new king of the lands, but word is out that Dan the Dwindling Dynasty is using his deceitful ways to lure his former alliance partners back to form a formidable attack anew….stay tuned….

It is nice that my brother offered up this comment. However, Bearonbusiness is known as one of the highest integrity blogs in the entire blogosphere. Only accurate and truthful accounts are tolerated–and the above comment, unfortunately, is neither. Many important facts are glossed over. Many misleading ascertains are made.

Driven only by the need to preserve the integrity of the blog, I will clear up all misunderstanding over the weekend.

Happy New Years to all.

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The Dan Dynasty

[Continued from Thanksgiving Day Risk and Fourth Punic War: The Niwot Scuffle.]

Fathers have a soft spot for their sons. Commander Marty was no different. With ease, he could have pointed his formidable troops at those of his weakened offspring. But Chris is his eldest and his only male heir. The opportunity to co-rule all of humankind with his son at his side was too appealing. Just as Darth Vadar spared Luke Skywalker, Commander Marty decided against overtaking his son. Instead, his attention turned to General John.

A quick calculation of the odds made the outcome unclear. Marty certainly had more armies but not by a lot. Moreover, John’s troops were spread across five countries. The first one was his best fortified and they came ready to battle.

The story of Hannibal’s incredible counter-offensive in the Battle of Cannae has been re-told for 2,000 years. Likewise, General John’s toying with Mighty Marty will be remembered for generations. (I’ll make sure of that.) John’s black squared army bent but never broke. They withstood attack after attack. When nightfall hit, only a few from John’s once strong army survived–but they held Carthage.

Mighty Marty’s red square army was mighty no more. Proudly, his attack continued until only a few of his red squares remained. The attack was called off, but only after every statistical possibility of victory dissipated.

Yes, Marty still had armies spread across all of Asia and the South Pacific. Yes, Marty lived to fight another battle or two. Yes, he outlived John. With survival at stake, Marty even used his last offensive to take out his son Christopher. But the final history was already being written. The world would not be his. A new army–this one of yellow squares–was mobilized in Western United States. Its strength was beyond what the world had seen to date. Through Alaska and Russia it marched. Asia and eventually the South Pacific crumbled. It was only a matter of time before the world was to be filled by yellow squares.

The Dan Dynasty began.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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Fourth Punic War: The Niwot Scuffle

[Continued from Thanksgiving Day Risk]

2,300 years ago, a formidable power from the southern Europe battled its northern African rival. The fate of all of civilization rested on the outcome of the Punic Wars.

The First Punic War resulted in Rome seizing Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica from Carthage. Rome emerged with a mighty Navy to control the Mediterranean.

The second Punic War featured Hannibal attacking Rome after a surprise crossing of the Alps. Elephants in tow, Hannibal wrecked havoc on Rome and its allies for 20 years. But Rome withstood the assault and eventually drove Hannibal to retreat and defeat.

The third Punic War set the stage for centuries of Roman world domination. In 146 B.C., the Roman general Scipio Aemilianus reached the wall of Carthage, sacked the city, and burned Carthage to the ground.

The proud North Africans had to wait more than 2,000 years for a chance at revenge. Thanksgiving Day 2008, a massive army of little blue squares was assembled in Italy under the command of Marty. Sitting across the Mediterranean was North Africa’s Carthaginian force, itself also in the shape of squares–but black instead of blue–with General John ready to defend the homeland. At stake was control of the world.

Three red dice and two white dice were rolled and the battle began.

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Thanksgiving Day Risk

Marty took early control of the South Pacific. Asia was fast becoming his.

His son Christopher, first time Risk player, was in a weak position in Africa. He was highly vulnerable when Marty turned in a set of matching cards, giving him dozens of armies to go on the offensive. Though Chris would have been easy prey, he had only one card and hence wasn’t quite as attractive a target of John. Or perhaps Marty has a soft spot for his kid.

Whatever the reason, Marty elected to attack John, the dictator of South America. John had most of his armies sitting in East Africa, protecting the pathway to Brazil. My North America stronghold protected John’s flank. Marty would have to go through me to get to John, and I was well fortified. Though not nearly as strong as Marty, I had plenty to withstand an attack. And I had five cards in front of me–so even if weakened, I’d come back at Marty like a Bat out of Hell.

A quick count of relative strength of Marty and John made the outcome of their brewing battle unclear. The victor would like decide the game. If Marty prevailed, he’d pick up John’s two cards, re-fortify with another match, and turn his sights on me. It Marty came up short–even by a little–John would be too weak to hold me off. Our western hemisphere alliance would be over and John’s cards would belong to me. The world would be left with two superpowers.

Marty rolled his three red dice. John rolled his two white ones. The fate of the world held in the balance.

…to be continued….