Oh, this is great. While I was deployed to Iraq, me and a couple friends got our hands on a Risk board for the last couple months, and played all the time. We ended up splitting up the board (really, cutting it into pieces) and each taking a piece--the piece with the continent on it that we usually had--a die, and the color army we always used. I didn't take a piece of the board (because North American wasn't all on that piece...the only ones that really worked were Australia and Europe), but I got my mighty green army.

I usually go for North America. It's not too big, but it gives an extra 5 armies per turn, and there are only three entrances, through three other countries. Iceland to Greenland, Venezuela to Central America, and Kamkatcha to Alaska. Not like Europe...with Europe, the Ukraine can get attacked from Afghanistan, the Ural, or the Middle East; Southern Europe can get attacked by the Middle East and Egypt; and Western Europe can be attacked from North Africa and Egypt. (Or it might be that North Africa can attack Southern Europe as well as Western Europe, but that Egypt can only attack southern Europe and Middle East. I think that's it.) Then, you got the Greenland-Iceland border up there to worry about, too.

Europe and Asia are the best, but they're way too hard to hold. Australia is pretty good, but usually you won't win the game, you just won't be the first one out--you're not a threat if you stay down there, and if you try to come out, the only thing you can try to take is Asia, and then somebody still might come over and take you down a bit. South America works decent, because it only gives you two armies but there are only two borders, but you've got to worry about Brazil and Venezuela being invaded by North Africa and Central America, respectively. And if somebody gets into South America and that's all you have, then it won't take long once they get in to finish you off. Africa ain't bad, because it gives you three armies, but those two border countries (North Africa and Egypt) can still be attacked from four different territories, and I think Southern Europe can hit both of 'em. Europe, as I said, has way too many borders, as does Asia, and if you've got the strength to hold Asia for a couple turns, you'd probably end up winning the game. However, if you're trying to take Asia, you have GOT to take out whoever's in Australia, especially if that's the only thing they have, because they've got nowhere to go but through Siam and into the rest of Asia.

If I don't think I can get North America, I'll usually try for a smaller continent like South America, or maybe Australia, and set up an "outpost" in Asia so I don't get bordered in.

(Yeah. I probably know a bit "too much" about Risk. Oh well.)