How to start a game of RISK

I've been playing a knock-off of RISK on my iPhone. The trouble is it doesn't allow you to pick your own countries so any sort of starting planning is right out the window. Then again when Lydia and I played it at her co-worker Micah's place that's how they did it.

Granted it shaves like an hour off the game, but it seriously cramped my style (I won anyway).

When you play RISK how do you start?

Comments

[Jordan Behan]

Hey Jeffery, nice to (sorta) meet you.

Anybody who's played Risk knows: the best move is to stockpile troops in Australia until you're strong enough to go a conquerin'.

[Kelly]

But how do you do that if you're territories are randomly drawn? The Australia gambit is useful against the computer, but rarely works against people who are also trying to get it.

South America actually works quite well, though I've never gone that route. Usually I just burn out trying to hold Europe.