The area influence mechanic is a board game mechanic in which players compete for control over specific areas or territories on the game board. Players typically have pieces or markers that they place on the board to indicate their influence over a particular area. The goal of the game is usually to control the most areas or have the most influence over the areas to earn points or win the game.

Players can often use various strategies to gain control over an area, such as placing more pieces in the area, taking specific actions that provide bonuses, or blocking other players from gaining control. The area influence mechanic is commonly found in games that have a geographical or territorial theme, such as games that simulate warfare, politics, or colonization.

Examples of games that use the area influence mechanic include Risk, Small World, Scythe, Terra Mystica, and Twilight Struggle. In Risk, players move their armies around the board to conquer territories and gain control over continents. In Small World, players select a combination of races and special powers to conquer and hold various territories on the board. In Scythe, players use their factions to expand their influence over the board and gain control of resources. In Terra Mystica, players build structures and expand their influence over the game board to gain points. In Twilight Struggle, players compete for control over various countries and regions to gain influence during the Cold War.

Here are ten polpular games that feature the area imfluence mechanic.

1. Terraforming Mars – players compete to terraform and colonize Mars, with area influence playing a big role in claiming territories and generating resources.
2. Risk – players control armies and vie for control of territories around the world, with area control being the key to success.
3. Scythe – players lead factions in a post-WWI alternate history, building mechs and vying for control of key territories to gain resources and power.
4. Blood Rage – players control Viking clans fighting for glory in Ragnarok, with area control determining who wins battles and earns rewards.
5. Twilight Struggle – players take on the roles of the US and USSR during the Cold War, attempting to exert influence over countries around the world and avoid nuclear war.
6. Carcassonne – players lay tiles to build a medieval landscape and claim territory with their followers, with the player controlling the most territory earning the most points.
7. Small World – players control fantasy races vying for control of a small world, with area control being key to success.
8. Dominant Species – players control animal species fighting for dominance on an ever-changing board, with area control and adaptation being critical to survival.
9. Root – players control different factions vying for control of a forest, with area control and special abilities determining the outcome.
10. El Grande – players compete to control regions of Spain during the medieval period, with area control and careful timing being the key to victory.

Here are some examples of the area influence mechanic in popular board games:

Risk: In Risk, players place armies on territories on a world map and attempt to conquer other players’ territories through combat. The game uses an area control mechanic where players vie for control of different regions by having more armies in a territory than their opponents.

Twilight Struggle: In Twilight Struggle, players compete for control of different regions of the world during the Cold War era. Players place influence markers on various countries to increase their influence and score victory points.

Scythe: In Scythe, players compete to conquer territory on a board set in an alternate history 1920s Europe. Players use their resources and armies to control different regions of the board and gain points.

Blood Rage: In Blood Rage, players compete to control different regions of Viking-era Europe by placing their warrior units on the board. The game uses an area control mechanic where players vie for control of different regions on the board.

Terra Mystica: In Terra Mystica, players take on the role of different fantasy races vying for control of a mystical land. Players build structures on different regions of the board, and the game uses an area control mechanic where players compete for control of different regions to score points.

Cyclades: In Cyclades, players compete to control islands in the Aegean Sea by building armies, controlling fleets, and constructing buildings. Players vie for control of different islands using an area control mechanic, with each island providing its own benefits to the controlling player.

El Grande: In El Grande, players take on the roles of Spanish nobles vying for control of various regions of medieval Spain. Players place influence markers in different regions of the board to control them and score points.

Small World: In Small World, players control different fantasy races vying for control of a fictional world. Players use their armies to take over regions of the board and gain points, with the game using an area control mechanic.

Kemet: In Kemet, players control different Egyptian factions vying for control of a mystical land. Players use their armies to conquer temples and other locations on the board, with the game using an area control mechanic.

Inis: In Inis, players control different Celtic clans vying for control of an island. Players use their armies to control different regions of the board and gain points, with the game using an area control mechanic.