I lucked out recently and found this version on clearance at a local Toys-R-Us, and directed my wife to it as a good choice for a birthday present to someone she loves. (The wonderful lady took the hint.)
So last night my best friend, his son and my son (ages 10 & 13) got together for our first try at the game.
This is a nice variant with some twists.
The board consists of the "galaxy" from the Star Wars movies, divided into planets which are gathered into regions. Like in classic Risk, if you control a region you get bonus armies, depending on the region, ranging from 2 to 7 armies. The regions are connected by "hyperspace lines", allowing sometimes very distant regions to have access to each other.
Also on the board is a Force Meter track, indicating the current "weighting" of the Force towards either the Dark Side or the Light Side. The level grants either the Empire or the Rebel forces additional cards at the end of a turn, and effects the ability of the Rebels to destroy the Death Star.
Yes, there is a Death Star. Yes, the Empire can use it to blow up planets (and everything on them), which become impassable asteroid fields.
There is also a "Resource Planets" track, which is only used by the Hutt forces, and marks that player's progress toward's victory, as well as affecting the number of cards that player may draw at the end of a turn.
There are three factions in the game, controlled by up to 5 players: The Empire (up to 2 players, acting as team), the Rebel Alliance (up to 2 players, acting as a team), and the Hutt (1 player, out for himself). Each faction has a different victory goal; the first faction to achieve their goal wins.
The goals are:
Rebel Alliance: Capture the Emperor. (The Emperor is secretly placed on an Empire controlled planet during the course of the game).
Empire: to quote the rulebook: "Eliminate the Rebel forces. Wipe them out. All of them."
Hutt: Capture 10 of 13 "Resource Planets" located throughout the board (hence the importance of the Resource Planet track).
I rather liked these different goals, as they force players to use different strategies, both to achieve their goals and to block other factions as well.
The forces consist of Stormtroopers and AT-AT Walkers for the Empire (the AT-ATs scuplts aren't half bad; might fit in with 6mm or even true 10mm forces), Rebel troopers and Snowspeeders for the Rebels (the Snowspeeders are nearly to scale with the AT-ATs), and Jabba's pig-faced guard and big Rancor beast for the Hutt, representing 1 or 3 armies in each case.
Players also get spaceships to aid these forces, which consists of capitol vessels (allow armies to roll one or more d8 instead of d6), bombers (add 1 to highest die), and fighters (reroll all "1s" in combat). These are simply printed cardboard counters instead of plastic vessels. Oh well.
Lastly, rather than a single deck of territory cards, the game features a deck for each faction. These cards serve three functions in the game:
1. Build spaceships. Each card shows either a capitol vessel, a bomber, or a fighter. During the reinforcement phase, a player turns in a card to get the vessel shown, and adds that vessel to any planet he controls.
2. Gain bonus troops. Just like regular Risk, match up to three vessel cards of the same type (or three of each type) and gain bonus armies at the start of the turn. The amounts are set at 4, 5, 6, and 7, depending on vessel types depicted, and do not change throughout the game.
3. Use special rules shown on card. These range from gaining additional armies or bonuses when attacking or attacked, to special abilities unique to each faction. Many of these have a real "Star Wars" flavor to them, and are a lot of fun.
Again, the variety of cards and the difference between faction abilities creates changes in strategies for each player. Players also have to choose how and when to use a card (you can't play cards to gain bonus reinforcements AND use their special abilities too), making for some tough choices in the midst of the game.
You gain cards by conquering planets; 1 card for each faction (not player) you defeat during a turn (for example if the Rebels capture a gray Empire planet and a white Empire planet, the Rebel player gets 1 card. But if he defeats an Empire planet and the Hutt, he gets 2.)
On to our playing experience. The number of players determines both how forces are used, as well as turn order. In a game with 2 or 4 players, the Hutt become neutral forces. We didn't like that, so we decided to play a 5 player game, with myself controlling an imaginary Empire team mate. As far as I could tell, it didn't really matter whether we did this or not, as the "team" forces can't share control of either planets or regions, though they are allowed to swap control of connected planets during fortification. The boys teamed up as the Rebels, and my friend took charge of the greedy, loathsome, opportunistic Hutt.
As might be expected, the Empire and the Rebels went at it from the start. The boys tried a "pile on" technique, but were hampered by the presence of the Death Star at one of their prime targets; a planet can't be invaded if the Death Star is in orbit until the Death Star itself is destroyed— which requires a roll of 18 on three dice. And with the Force firmly on the Dark Side (giving the Rebels a -3 penalty when attacking the Death Star) and no capitol ships in play, at least one planned invasion by the pathetic Rebel scum was blunted before it could even begin.
The will of the Emperor was further boosted by the construction of the first fortress on the target planet. (Each turn an Empire player must randomly choose a secret marker and place it face down on an Empire planet; the marker becomes a fortress giving defenders d8s for defense. However, the markers depict either the Emperor or an Imperial Guard. It's a guessing game for the Rebels, but if they manage to defeat the fortress which is the Emperor, they win.) The Stormtroopers laughed as the Rebel forces beat themselves upon their impenetrable base!
Not long after, the Death Star made a crucial move. (Empire player rolls a d6 and moves the Death Star that many spaces to another planet. It doesn't matter who controls the planet… well, it does if the Death Star can shoot. 
) Arriving at the heavily occupied Rebel stronghold at Dagobah, the Sith Lord Darth Vader produced the Death Star card for that region (3 cards exist, depicting two adjacent regions on each card). With a great disturbance in the Force, Dagobah was obliterated, along with its hapless defenders and some annoying green muppet who talked funny. Major Dark Side points for the Emperor!
Alas, the Emperor's triumph would not last. The Hutt forces were steadily (and sneakily) acquiring resource planets. Lord Vader, troubled by this growing threat, ordered the Death Star to move to the Hutt's planetary treasury, planning to introduce them to the concept of the tax audit, Empire style. But a flaw in the hyperdrive system caused the Death Star to drop out of hyperspace too soon (with a needed move of 2, and destruction card in hand, I rolled a 1). Appropriate underlings were duly chastised (permanently, of course) but the lesson in the importance of efficiency was too late. The Hutt, with the deviousness these vile criminals demonstrate daily, opened their coffers wide, launching a horde of mercenaries onto the lightly defended Resource Planet of Sullust. The foolish Rebels mounted a paltry defense (and the Empire denies all responsibility for weakening them), giving up a key economic center to the gangster forces! With that, the galaxy collapsed into a realm of corruption, rampant smuggling, decadence and really ugly musical performers. Woe to those who revere the Force!
******
In conclusion, this game is an excellent variant on the Risk formula. The differing goals make for a highly challenging experience, while also helping dispel the feeling of "the looong inevitable outcome" which can hamper the typical Risk game. I'm pleased to have this one in my collection.
