SMG Studio's official digital Risk arrived on Steam on 19 February 2020 as a free to play release with cross platform matches against phone and console players. The Classic Map is the familiar 42 territory, six continent board, and more than 120 further maps ship in paid packs ranging from under 20 territories to well past 90. Rule toggles such as Capital Conquest, Blizzards and Fog of War change the maths of a match far more than swapping maps does.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Classic Map | Fixed and progressive card trade-ins basics | Progressive card farmer | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | World Conquest Map | Territory and continent reinforcement mastery | Progressive card farmer | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Simple World Map | Three attack dice against two defence dice + gear | Australia turtle or Progressive card farmer | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Advanced Map Pack | Build optimization | Australia turtle | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Zombie Map Pack | Min-max | Australia turtle or Endgame blitzer | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Classic Map)
The original Risk board: 42 territories across six continents, with Asia paying the most and Australia being the easiest to hold. It is free from the start and it is where almost every strategy discussion is anchored.
Level/Difficulty: 42 territories, 6 continents Key Rewards: Australia at 2 troops behind one border, Asia at the largest bonus
What to Do in Classic Map
- Learn Fixed and progressive card trade-ins. Fixed cards pay by symbol: three infantry gives 4 troops, three cavalry gives 6, three artillery gives 8 and one of each gives 10. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Progressive card farmer as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Before you attack, count how many cards each opponent is holding. A player sitting on four cards in a progressive game will cash a set on their next turn, and in the late ladder that is 20 or 25 extra troops appearing where you cannot see them.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Wild cards or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Fixed and progressive card trade-ins fundamentals
- Progressive card farmer selected and functional
- Classic Map main content cleared
- Ready for World Conquest Map
Phase 2: Early Game (World Conquest Map)
A medium sized world map with additional countries and new sea lanes that do not exist on the Classic board. Those extra connections break several of the standard choke point plans, so Classic muscle memory misleads here.
Level/Difficulty: Medium, roughly 36 to 60 territories Key Rewards: New sea lanes, redrawn continent borders, longer games
What to Do in World Conquest Map
- Work on Territory and continent reinforcement. You draw troops equal to your territory count divided by three with a floor of 3, plus a flat bonus for each continent you hold outright. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Wild cards if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Take Australia on the Classic Map only if nobody else has committed to it. Two players fighting over four territories both end up with fewer troops than the player quietly taking South America, which is the most common way an Australia opening loses.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Simple World Map.
- Consider whether Australia turtle might suit your playstyle better than Progressive card farmer.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Territory and continent reinforcement integrated into gameplay
- Wild cards acquired
- World Conquest Map fully cleared
- Ready for Simple World Map
Phase 3: Mid Game (Simple World Map)
The smallest map in the game, built for fast matches where the whole board can change hands inside a few turns. Card trade-ins dominate because there is not enough territory to build a long term income advantage.
Level/Difficulty: Under 20 territories Key Rewards: Quick matches, ideal for one against one
What to Do in Simple World Map
- Master Three attack dice against two defence dice. The attacker rolls up to three dice, the defender up to two, and the highest pair is compared against the highest pair with ties going to the defender. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Infantry, cavalry and artillery cards. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Reinforcement is territories divided by three rounded down, so territories 43, 44 and 45 pay nothing, nothing and one. Taking a territory that adds a border while adding no income is a straight loss, and this is the single most common beginner error.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Capital Conquest and Blizzards for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Three attack dice against two defence dice mastered
- Infantry, cavalry and artillery cards acquired or in progress
- Simple World Map fully cleared
- Ready for Advanced Map Pack
Phase 4: Late Game (Advanced Map Pack)
A paid pack of larger and more complex boards aimed at players who already know the Classic choke points. Bigger boards mean more borders, which makes the border trimming approach far more valuable than it is on Classic.
Level/Difficulty: Large, 61 territories and up Key Rewards: Longer campaigns, more continents, higher bonus totals
What to Do in Advanced Map Pack
- Finalize your build. You should be running Australia turtle or Progressive card farmer with optimized gear.
- Infantry, cavalry and artillery cards should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Attacking three dice against two wins both kills roughly 37 percent of the time, which means you should expect to lose about one troop per two you kill. Plan on needing a two to one advantage before committing to a continent, not a one to one edge.
- Fog of War and Secret Missions optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Zombie Map Pack.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Infantry, cavalry and artillery cards upgraded to max
- Advanced Map Pack fully cleared
- Ready for Zombie Map Pack
Phase 5: Endgame (Zombie Map Pack)
Themed boards paired with the Zombies rule set, where eliminated troops come back as a neutral hostile force rather than simply leaving the board. It punishes over extension harder than any standard map does.
Level/Difficulty: Varies by board Key Rewards: Zombie rule set, altered elimination behaviour
What to Do in Zombie Map Pack
- Zombie Map Pack tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- In Capital Conquest, remember that capitals roll three defence dice instead of two. A capital sitting on ten troops is closer to fifteen anywhere else, so never plan a capital assault on the same numbers you would use for an ordinary territory.
- The endgame loop: run Zombie Map Pack, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Endgame blitzer for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Fog of War and Secret Missions mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Zombie Map Pack fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Cashing a progressive set at 4 or 6 troops early, then watching a rival cash the same three cards for 20 later in the same game.
- Expanding into a fourth and fifth border for territories that add no reinforcement, turning a defensible position into an indefensible one.
- Fighting a second player for Australia while a third quietly takes South America and then North America unopposed.
- Blitzing every attack, which removes the chance to stop after a run of bad rolls and regularly costs a whole stack for one territory.
- Eliminating the weakest player, which hands their card hand to the killer and removes the buffer that was absorbing everyone else's attacks.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Before you attack, count how many cards each opponent is holding. A player sitting on four cards in a progressive game will cash a set on their next turn, and in the late ladder that is 20 or 25 extra troops appearing where you cannot see them.
- Take Australia on the Classic Map only if nobody else has committed to it. Two players fighting over four territories both end up with fewer troops than the player quietly taking South America, which is the most common way an Australia opening loses.
- Reinforcement is territories divided by three rounded down, so territories 43, 44 and 45 pay nothing, nothing and one. Taking a territory that adds a border while adding no income is a straight loss, and this is the single most common beginner error.
- Attacking three dice against two wins both kills roughly 37 percent of the time, which means you should expect to lose about one troop per two you kill. Plan on needing a two to one advantage before committing to a continent, not a one to one edge.
- In Capital Conquest, remember that capitals roll three defence dice instead of two. A capital sitting on ten troops is closer to fifteen anywhere else, so never plan a capital assault on the same numbers you would use for an ordinary territory.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More RISK: Global Domination Guides
- RISK: Global Domination RISK: Global Domination Overview
- RISK: Global Domination Best Builds
- RISK: Global Domination Tier List
- RISK: Global Domination Beginner's Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Tips & Tricks
- RISK: Global Domination Weapons Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Combat Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Boss Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Maps & Locations
- RISK: Global Domination Crafting Guide
- RISK: Global Domination Classes & Characters
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