Wheel of time Risk Game

This board game is designed for Wheel of Time fans, and the game is similar to “Risk” where the ultimate objective is to gain control of territories on the map. However, the game is also divided into stages, based on each of the Wheel of Time books, and each stage has special objectives which have to be achieved in order to win. The objectives are loosely based on the story of each of the books. Although the rules in the game are specified for 2 players, it is easily expandable to more players (based on main characters) with objectives for each, especially in the later stages.

The Eye of the World

This first stage of the game consists of content from Robert Jordan’s “The Eye of the World”, the first book of the Wheel of Time Series. Warning: Game content contains spoilers for the first book, and also contains minor spoilers for the second and third book of the Wheel of Time.

2 Player Version

The game is set on the political map of the Westlands. In the 2 player version, there are 2 playing sides, the forces of the Light, and the forces of the Dark. There is also a neutral section, which may act for or against the forces of the Light, depending on the character and situation. In this version, the forces of the Light are restricted to supporters of the Dragon Reborn, which means those that walk in the light but do not support the Dragon Reborn are neutral). The main characters for the forces of the Light are Rand Al’Thor (The Dragon Reborn), Matrim Cauthon (The Gambler), Perrin Aybara (The Wolfbrother), Egwene Al’vere (Channeler), Nynaeve Al’Meara (Wisdom), Moiraine Damodred (Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah), Lan Mandragoran (Warder), Loial (Young Ogier), Lord Agelmar (King of Fal Dara and Great Captain). The main characters for the forces of the dark are Ba’alzamon (Heart of the Dark), Aginor (Forsaken), Balthamel (Forsaken), Padan Fain (Darkfriend), and Mordeth (The Manipulator). Main neutral characters include Rulers of Andor (Queen Morgase, Gareth Bryne, Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan), Aes Sedai of the White Tower (The Amyrlin Seat Siuan Sanche, Keeper Leane Sharif), Lord Captain of the Whitecloaks (Geofram Bornhald), and the False Dragon, Logain Ablar. Each main character starts in these fixes areas:

1. Rand Al’Thor — The Two Rivers
2. Matrim Cauthon — The Two Rivers
3. Perrin Aybara — The Two Rivers
4. Egwene Al’vere — The Two Rivers
5. Nynaeve Al’Meara — The Two Rivers
6. Moiraine Damodred — Dragonmount
7. Lan Mandragoran — Dragonmount
8. Loial — Andor
9. Lord Agelmar — Shienar
10. Ba’alzamon — Shayol Ghul
11. Aginor — Malkier
12. Balthamel — Malkier
13. Mordeth — Shadar Logoth
14. Padan Fain — Shadar Logoth
15. Rulers of Andor — Andor
16. Aes Sedai of the White Tower — Tar Valon
17. The White Cloaks — Amadicia
18. Logain Ablar — Ghealdan

According to the main characters, the following regions are designated as regions of the Light, regions of the Dark, and neutral places

Regions of the Light — The Two Rivers, Draonmount, Shienar

Regions of the Dark — Shayol Ghul, Malkier, Shadar Logoth

Neutral Regions — Andor, Tar Valon, Amadicia, Forest of Shadows

In Total, there are 42 regions, of which 9 are designated.

The steps to be followed are:

1. At the start of the game, each player gets their special characters tokens and cards (with their abilities) (depending on whether they are of the light or of the dark), and the neutral characters are placed in their designated regions.
2. Each character then gets 36 army tokens (24 Human soldiers and 4 generals) that walk in the Light, 24 Trollocs, and 4 myrddraal that walk in the dark) which they must distribute in turns around the map. The characters must first place at least 3 army units in their designated regions. Then they may take turns to distribute their army risk-style in other non-neutral regions. The Player walking in the Light gets to place their army first.
3. Each neutral region gets a set amount of soldiers as follows:

Andor — 8

Tar Valon — 14

Amadicia — 6

Ghealdan — 8

After the placement of the army, the turn-based game starts with the Player walking in the Dark taking the first turn, wherein each turn a player can do 3 steps:

1. Deploy — Based on the number of regions controlled by the player, they get an additional army that they can deploy at the beginning of each turn. The player gets n/4 (floor) army for n controlled regions + any bonuses from controlling full territories. Bonuses for controlling full territories are marked on the map. Do not consider neutral regions for calculating territory bonuses i.e. if a player controls a territory with some neutral and the opposing player does not, the player receives the bonus for that region.
2. Battle — A player can declare battle on an adjacent territory on the map that is not marked as inaccessible. Note that the map rules may change per stage. Each battle may consist of a sequence of attacks. For example, consider that the player in turn has 10 armies in a region and wishes to attack a neighboring region. The player can attack in upto army of 3. Risk-style rules apply for attacks (d3 vs d2). If the attack is successful, the player occupies the new territory. If the player in the example commits 3 armies to the attack and wins the attack without losing any soldiers, the player must move at least 3 of the 10 soldiers to the new region. If there is a special character in the starting location, their special abilities may be used for the fight if they are committed into the attack. Only one special character’s abilities may be used in each battle, but many characters can be moved to the new location (must choose the ability before the battle). However, if a special character is committed and the battle fails, the special character remains in enemy territory. If the battle is successful, the special character moves to the new region and can be used in new battles. There is no retreating, i.e. once a battle is committed the battle must be fought to the end.
3. Fortify — After the battle phase is concluded, A player may move one set of army units and special characters from one location to another to reinforce another location. Additionally, a player may move one additional special character in a location up to 2 consecutive spaces (through regions controlled by the player), and this does not have to be the same as the army movement.
4. Rules for special characters — Special characters have special abilities that may be used in attack or defense (abilities are written on their cards). A player may use any special character on their side + the neutral special characters in neutral regions they may have conquered and converted. If a region containing the players’ special characters is captured by the opponent, it cannot be used or moved again until the player conquers the region again. Neutral special characters change sides when they are captured unless otherwise specified. Logain’s army in the forest of shadows is the only neutral army taking a turn in the Eye of the World. Unless Logains is captured, each turn, after the two players have played, Logain’s army gains 1 extra army by default and they attack a random non-neutral adjacent region by choosing ballots. The false dragon’s army always attacks with full force.
5. Ta’veren cards — If at least one region is conquered in a turn, the player gains one Ta’veren card. Ta’veren cards either show the dragon, the dice, or the wolf. They can be exchanged for army during the deploy face according to the following rule -

3 wolves — +5 army

3 dice — +6 army

3 dragons — +7 army

One of each kind — +8 army.

A player may only have up to 5 ta’veren cards in hand at any moment.

Objectives for the Eye of the World

(For the Light) Spit in Sightblinders eye — Rand Al’thor must not be captured, and Aginor and Balthamel must be killed.

(For the dark) I win again, Lews Therin — Rand Al’Thor must be captured and turned to the shadow.