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In the last three games I have played, the player who picks South America has been absolutely mauled. In the oldest of the three, I chose to start of in N. America. It was a 5 player game. I allied with the player in Europe as soon as I could. Someone took Australia (after some difficulty). Africa was secured by a fourth player and finally our last player took S. America. The Europe player allied with Africa who in turn (for unknown reasons) declared all out war on me. (maybe because it was my dad but who knows). At this point my 5 army bonus was doing well and I felt I had control of the game. I attacked a much smaller south American force and about halfed it. On the following turn, my dad also attacked South AMerica to get to me. After that I easily plowed over the 4 remaining soldiers in south america and pushed the africans out. this ended the game for one player. from this point I was doing very well. Europe had gotten into a very erosive war with Australia who was now bottled up. I demolished Africa despite some bad luck and eliminated my dad. the european player finally realized it was hopeless as he had eroded his armies away and gained relatively little while i gained 2 continents with relatively few losses. The remaining players surrendered and I won.

The other two games turned out very similarly with the S American player being eliminated very early even without attacks from africa. In my opinion, S. America is a poor starting continent but a great expansion one. It does not have the army bonuses of it's neighbors and cannot hold up against superior forces. Even with a foot hold in africa or N. America, S. America cannot compete with europe for these continents. South America makes a great expansion continent because a sucessful conquerer does not increase their borders. For this reason it is difficult for a S. American player to form alliances with neighbors and prevent attack.

Does anyone have a different opinion or a sucess using South America as a starting continent.

BALo

I usually do fairly well starting out is SA. you only have to defend 1 territory (and expand out the other) and you have choices between expansion into 2 larger (difficult to obtain and defend) continents. It is harder to pin you in SA because in a worst case scenario you can try to excape through the other territory (although if this must be done, you had better hope youcan make friends in high places, and the dice gods) If you do manage to take NA while defending Brazil then you only have to have armies on 3 territories in order to defend 2 whole continents. Asia is usually impossible to take until late in the game, limiting Australia (although some people swear by the Wallaby continent).

If NA is not an option but you can take Central America, you can expand into Africa and work yourself into European politics (I think control of Europe is key to success in Risk and any influence you can have on the guy occupying Europe is beneficial (even if he percieves you as a threat, you could get him to back down by convincing your NA 'friends' to pressure him (although you may have to concede Central America to him in order to get him to do so).

Europe is the keystone to risk, it has access to 3 other continents but it has 4 points of entry without some influence in Africa.

bogamol

I usually do fairly well starting out is SA. you only have to defend 1 territory (and expand out the other) and you have choices between expansion into 2 larger (difficult to obtain and defend) continents.

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You are right. Normally you need to select one direction and expand from one border to the next continet. This usually means negotiating with one or making a treaty and then relying on that to expand from the other side. But, what would you do if you find yourself in confronted with two experienced players in North America and Africa who refuse to make treaty with you and want to keep their options open. Basically they tell you that if they want to invade they will. What would you do in this situation.

 [QUOTE]bogamol wrote
Europe is the keystone to risk, it has access to 3 other continents but it has 4 points of entry without some influence in Africa.

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Indeed I agree with this. Though as a continent to hold, it can be quite tough. Europe is basically a double sided sword. It has access to everywhere giving you unprecedented political power, but it is also accessible by all others and all you need is a couple of players against you to bring you down. Hence, anyone holding Europe should always try the "divide and conquer" strategy. If a player holding Europe can secure a border by a treaty and another by sheer number of armies, then he would have a lot of chance to succeed.

"But, what would you do if you find yourself in confronted with two experienced players in North America and Africa who refuse to make treaty with you and want to keep their options open. Basically they tell you that if they want to invade they will. What would you do in this situation."

That is just the problem I see in most risk games I play. The only way I could see that this could be countered is by nailing North Africa or Central America early in the game. I would not nail both as this would make me bitter enemies on both borders. With that, you get reinforcements for a continent while the nailed player does not.

There are two problems I have seen with this. The first occured brother nailed North Africa from South America and was doing fairly well until I did a one turn stack in Central America (I did not want to make a treaty) and broke South America. Frantically my brother tried to push me out but with no reward. I could see evacuating to Africa as a solution to this problem but what would you do with the American player still at large. The second problem occured in a game I played two weeks ago. The player in South America was doing a very good job of spreading to North America and had all but two territories until the European player wanted it and easily drove her out of North America. Then, she was trapped between two strong territories and was annihilated next turn.

Any more strategies for Soutn America or solutions to these problem?

BALo

I love SA. Take it early in the game with all your men and if your lucky your enemies won't be strong enough to challenge you. You can take out Africa and conquer followed by NA or make a treaty with one or both. You just need to be diplomatic and bullt people with your 20 plus men at the start.

rookie

I used to go for Australia often, but I realized, we would have 40/45 clashes most of the time at Siam. I then changed strategies seeing S. A. The thing with South America, is you have to know your opponents for me. I could probably tell you right now, where my opponents (I only have 3 others) would go. I also know their styles, and how to trust them. Africa is usually mixed colors in the beginning, and S. A. is easily taken. I nail Central America early in the game, I know my opponent doesn't hold grudges for this case. I become more powerful, and remain a corrosive force in C. A. then explode into Africa. Eventually it calls for N. A. and there is a large battle. But you have to know your opponents.

PFS

South America, to me, is only a backdoor into North America. If you get dealt two or three territories there pregame, sure, take it and get the bonus. It will give you an advantage in taking the larger bonus continents in a few turns. Focusing your men here, however is a very bad idea. South America is only good for an early game bonus for a turn or two, letting your early game be fairly agressive.

Crazy_Nut

South America can quickly become a trap. With North America and Africa being nice stable homes, the South American strategy can be pulled off in a couple of ways. You must have a second army elsewhere for attack and/or expand into NA or Africa before they become too strong. This therefore does not defy the 3-point game rule. If another player is using the SA strategy, (and you do not hold NA or Africa), the most effective tactic against them is to attack all their other, unconnected pieces (Countries), thus depriving them of spots to place their expansion armies. This makes it possible to force them to attack out of SA into NA or Africa, wasting their armies and weaken 1 or more other players, while costing you little.

Fluidgnome