So you’re hanging out with your buddies in the basement looking for something to do. Why not take over the world with oil revenue, terrorism, war and good old-fashioned capitalism?
British game development company TerrorBull Games came out with a controversial satiric board game that is done in the styling of the classic satiric card, Nuclear War. This game is War on Terror: The Board Game. The British wit in regard to current events is blatant and, occasionally, in poor taste. Hey, it’s all fun and games until politics are made fun of. Then it’s satire stupid.
The game features a lot of game play that is similar to that of Risk mixed in with a little bit of Monopoly. The only difference is that the game has humor, as well as the fact that everyone or even no one can earn money. Also, just because the game is political in its nature and makes fun of current events, an evil empire (the player has to wear the evil balaclava) can be established and may shift from person to person as time goes on. There is also the fact that players can recruit, deploy or become the terrorists. That being said, yes, in terms of the game, the terrorists can win.
Due to the title and nature of the game, it has been banned from numerous gaming conventions and has yet to get distribution to stores in the U.S. People are too touchy. In some cases and times, people need something to laugh at. This, like Nuclear War directly after the Cuban Missile Crisis, is one of those things that can lighten the mood.
Many of the options in game play are done through the Empire cards or the Terrorist cards. Some of these options are: War (which you get paid for just for trying if you declare war on the evil empire), oil theft, doubling or tripling the oil revenue, forcing a player to sign the Kyoto Protocol (making them pay for towns and cities), getting money for GDP collection, setting off nukes, causing terrorist attacks/in-fighting, hi-jackings, suicide bombings, regime changes, terrorist movements, stealing cards from players, etc.
Honestly if you love games like Risk get the game. It might seem a bit expensive for a board game. However, remember that if you order it, it is being shipped across the Atlantic to you. Also, once you realize how differently a game can go each time it is played, you will realize that it is a worthy investment. You can get more information on the game from www.waronterrortheboardgame.com or www.terrorbullgames.co.uk. Remember to have fun or, as the government would have once said, “the terrorists have won.”