Nuclear Risk

There are numerous player-created versions of "Nuclear Risk." The objective remains the same as traditional Risk - conquest of the world by eliminating opponent players. This article shows one player-created version.

Game Setup
Players decide who they will play using pre-set nations or alliances that have pre-set armies and nuclear warheads in each territory. Some territories have factories which give the player that holds it an additional reinforcement per factory per turn. The factories are based upon the actual economic power of countries with adjustments to balance the game. There is also a neutral player that does not attack throughout the game. Here is one possible scenario (nations may be allied together reduce the number of colors used):

United States

 * Eastern United States (2 Factories, 7 armies, 10 warheads, Missile Defense)
 * Western United States (2 Factories, 5 armies, 5 warheads)
 * Alaska (4 armies)
 * Greenland (1 army)
 * Iceland (1 army)

Russia

 * Ukraine (1 Factory, 16 armies, 8 warheads, Missile Defense)
 * Ural (5 armies, 5 warheads)
 * Siberia (3 armies)
 * Irkutsk (4 armies)
 * Yakutsk (1 army)
 * Kamchatka (5 armies)
 * Middle East (5 armies, 2 warheads)

Europe

 * Great Britian (1 Factory, 6 armies, 5 warheads)
 * Western Europe (1 Factory, 6 armies, 5 warheads)
 * Northern Europe (1 Factory, 5 armies)
 * Southern Europe (5 armies)
 * Scandinavia (3 armies)

China

 * China (2 Factories, 12 armies, 10 warheads)
 * Manchuria (5 armies)

Japan

 * Japan (2 Factories, 5 armies)

South Africa

 * South Africa (1 Factory, 4 armies)

Brazil

 * Brazil (1 Factory, 4 armies)

Australia

 * Western Australia (2 armies)
 * Eastern Australia (1 Factory, 2 armies)

India

 * India (1 Factory, 6 armies, 5 warheads)

Neutral Player
2 armies on all remaining territories

Nuclear Warheads

 * Nuclear warheads are never destroyed or moved, but can be taken if a player conquers a territory with some


 * Nuclear warheads can be fired anywhere on the map


 * A territory that is successfully hit by a nuke loses five armies on that territory. If there are five or fewer armies on the territory then it is destroyed along with any factories in it. The destroyed territory produces no value to the owner but units can still be placed on it (I find it helpful to place a coin on the destroyed territory for reference. Destroyed territories are never "cleaned up.")


 * Any player that fires a nuke must give other player the opportunity for other players to fire their warheads as well


 * Nukes are fired after deciding whose nuke will strike which territory


 * Example: Player who controls Russia decides to fire two Nuclear Warheads at Great Britain(1 Factory, 6 armies, 5 warheads). All other players have a chance to fire at whomever they choose. Europe does not have Missile Defense so the first warhead destroys 5 armies and the second warhead destroys the remaining army and the factory (but the warheads on Great Britain B are NOT destroyed). A coin is placed on Great Britain to show that it is destroyed. Europe no longer gains value from this territory.

Missile Defense
The United States and Russia begin with a satellite Missile Defense System. The Missile Defense System allows a player a 50% chance of destroying a nuclear warhead fired on their territory. A dice roll determines if the warhead is destroyed; a roll of 1, 2, or 3 destroys the warhead while aroll of 4, 5, or 6 does not destroy it. You can roll several dice for several missiles at a time.

Missile Defense is also available to any player that the United States or Russia wishes to grant protection. Missile Defense cannot be taken over and can only be destroyed once a player is eliminated. You can choose to place a piece on the board to represent the missile defense but it is technically not located on the board.

Additional Changes

 * Players receive reinforcements at the end of their turn rather than at the beginning


 * If an attack is across water, the defender gets +1 added to their highest defending dice roll (a roll of 5 and 4 would become 6 and 4)


 * Factories can never be moved but can taken if a player conquers a territory that it is on


 * If an entire region is conquered, you received the usual additional reinforcements per turn, but do not receive additional reinforcements for factories in that region (i.e. you cannot add together reinforcements from factories AND from regions)


 * To gain reinforcement from a region, all territories must be held (whether or not destroyed)


 * If all territories in a region are destroyed, players gain no additional reinforcements from holding that region


 * A player is out of the game if they have no remaining pieces on the board. This remains true even if the player still has nuclear warheads on the board (they will remain neutral until the territory they are in is taken over)