To All of You Who Play Monopoly Already and are Interested in the New Game, Military Vs. Economy

I was asked by a man from Vermont the following question. Afterward, I decided to publicize his question along with my response, for anyone else wondering the same thing.

Question: I like Monopoly. Is Military Vs. Economy anything like Monopoly?

Answer: Yes and No.

If you are a Monopoly player, but not a Risk player, I think it’s a stretch to simply say the two games are similar, because they are very different. However, I will outline some of the main similarities and differences to give you a feel for the game.

Similarity: Both boards are divided into sections for the players to own, as in the case of Monopoly, or control, as in the case of Military Vs. Economy. Players take turns, and at the end of their turn, they may purchase assets to place on their properties or territories.

Similarity: The end goal of both games are actually the same: own/control every property/territory by the end of the game. Where in Monopoly, you are taking money from your opponents in order to make them bankrupt, in Military Vs. Economy you are attacking their army and destroying their assets until they are weak enough for you to make the final blow.

Difference: In Monopoly, a player buys properties, and even then, they can only do so when their token lands on them. In Military Vs. Economy, players acquire territories by using their military to attack their opponents and take the territories from them. Also, there are no tokens limiting a player’s interactions to a certain area of the board.

Difference: In Military Vs. Economy, when a territory transfers ownership, the assets inside the territory go with it. This is not the case in Monopoly.

This should clarify at least the fundamental similarities and differences between the two games.