SthenBelle's Risk Tips Page

Risk is a classic strategy game combining skill and guts with luck, this is not a game for the meek or the unadventurous.

There are three variations of Risk: Domination, Capitols, and Mission.
There are also several map options but the world map is the most popular. The two most popular variations of Risk are Domination and Mission. Some how I managed to reach the coveted spot of #1 on Case Ladder but I am by no means an expert. This is just to give a basic introduction to the game with a few helpful hints.

Classic Risk comes complete with numerous game options that really affect the way you and your opponents play. It's worth the time spent to try each game variation to see which style suits your play and provides the most fun.

Classic Risk Domination

CRRFB (Classic Map, Random Territory Selection, Random Placement of Armies, Fixed Sets, Blind Board) is the most popular variation of the Domination game. The goal of Domination is, simply to be the last one left in the game. This is the longest variation of Risk but also requires the most skill.
While it is nice to establish a 'home', a continent to call your own, it is not necessary to win the game. Of the continents, Australia is my favorite in the beginning of the game. It has only one border to protect and is a nice launching pad to the rest of the world, South America is also a good position. Europe and North America are tough to protect in the early game and Asia is just flat out impossible! If it came down to Africa or being homeless, I would grab the closest grocery cart and find a park bench! It seems Africa is the stomping ground of the world so if you want to lose, make Africa your home!

There are three basic steps to a successful game of CRRFB:
  1. In the beginning, do as little as possible on each turn while establishing a 'home', whether that be a continent or a cluster of territories and consolidate your forces where they are most needed.
  2. In the middle, do as little as possible while building your armies. Focus on building one 'mega' army and a second smaller just in front to fool the other players if possible. This not only prevents any more attacks in the near future, it also helps weaken your opponents. It is also nice to have a decent presence somewhere else, just to see what is going on out there, but not necessary.
  3. In the end, do as MUCH as possible by fanning out from your 'main' and conquer as many territories as possible. However, keep a large infantry to ward off attacks on the next turn. In the beginning it is more about owning continents, in the end it is more about your number of territories.


I asked a few of the best players I knew for their hints and tips to compliment this page, and here is the feedback I got:
Nightraider1 offers this tip, gather your men and try to take Australia, 75% of games are won from there.
Floaterz prefers to take South America and fan out from there, but would not turn Australia down if given the chance at it.
EngCompany has one good for winning at Risk. DON'T DIE! Think he is worried about sharing his valued secrets or what?LOL
mlc444 advises to either take Australia early and strong or stockpile your armies.
broin offers the tip to never show the full extent of your borders strengths, in other words, stockpile behind your borders. Sooner or later someone will get curious and come to you!

Other key elements are not spreading yourself to thin and never take a continent unless you can protect and defend its borders.
CRRFB is about patience, planning, packing away armies, and striking at the right time.

Classic Mission

Mission games are a bit different in so much as luck plays a bigger part in the game and your goal is for something specific. i.e. kill all blue troops, conquer 24 territories of your choice, or the two I seem to always get stuck with: Asia and Africa or Europe, South America, and a third of your choice. Mission is usually played on the Zone with random placement, territories, and turn order. It is also usually played with increasing card sets, full hard bots for a greater challenge, and obviously not blind.
You actually have two goals in Mission:
  1. The obvious, to complete your mission.
  2. The necessary, to stay alive long enough to complete your mission

My zone friend Ont_Canada, sums it up well
"In mission the best strategy is only take a continent if its handed to you on a silver plate and cost you almost no men to take it.

If not make two armies on distant parts of the world and get all the men together on those two countries.

Be careful, count cards, and strike when you have a decent chance to complete your mission."


It is also always smart to watch where the other players are, how many cards they have, and where they are building. The reason for this is two-fold. First, it gives you a good idea who is strong versus weak and what the others' missions are. Secondly, it gives you the opportunity to take out a weaker opponent and inherit their cards.

THE MISSIONS

Continent Missions

If your mission is to take a continent, it is not important to own the entire thing early in the game (unless it is handed to you) but rather to build up a strong presence in or very close to that country. Chances are, someone else has that country as their mission as well and while you are busy defending it and trying to amass forces somewhere else to take the rest of your mission, someone else is patiently building close by and waiting for the cards to turn in to take it from you. This also spreads you thin and leaves you vulnerable to being taken out of the game for your cards.


Watching card count and building not only close to your mission continents but weak players is very important here. Chances are you will have to take out a player or two in order to have enough armies to complete your mission.


Take out Missions

These missions are about patience and timing. One needs to build close to the mission target, and try to keep a thin barrier until 'take-out' time. Take out missions are as much about turn order and cards as anything else. I find that if you get to turn in just before your target, you can usually win the game on your first turn-in. If they are too strong, look for someone weak with enough cards to put you at 5 and take them out. If neither of these are possible, you really just have to be patient and hope for luck of the cards and turn order. :)


Territory Missions

This would be either occupy 24 territories of your choice or occupy 18 of your choice with at least 2 armies. The first time I had a 24 mission, I knew I was doomed, now these are my two favorites. The key to winning here is free-move your armies until you have amassed two large armies on opposite sides of the world and do as little as possible until you turn in your cards. Once you turn in and have enough armies, just run with them :)



Thanks for visiting my Risk site....it sure has been fun putting it together!