RISK: Global Domination is one of the most popular strategy board games and online games to this day. 

But at first, the rules seem more complex than people can handle. 

One of the most common questions I’m asked by new players is: can you abandon a country in RISK? 

You cannot abandon a country or territory in RISK: Global Domination. You must always leave at least one army or troop in your controlled territory. The closest option is to move every other army out except one. This is common when playing with allies to allow them a path through you without losing too much. 

Let’s look ahead for some rule clarification and why you may want to essentially abandon a territory in RISK. 

Can You Forfeit A Country In RISK?

Giving up a country is easy to do in RISK. You just move every army out except for one. 

The RISK rules state all territories must be occupied, so this is the closest you can get. 

When you do this next to an enemy-controlled territory, you’re basically forfeiting it. 

With 4 armies, the opponent is essentially guaranteed to capture you without much trouble. 

Why Would You Want To Abandon A Territory In RISK?

Solidify Elsewhere

Part of a good RISK strategy is to keep your armies in one or a few large stacks and control specific areas. 

As such, you can’t fight or defend every single territory. 

If you want to defend a large area, you need to set up borders. 

It might seem like it would be a good idea to move every single troop at your disposal to these locations, but you do have to keep at least one on a territory. 

However, if you have a couple, it’s a good idea to “abandon” the territory down to one army and fortify the rest to your main stack. 

Further Reading: Fortify rules in RISK: How far can you fortify?

You Trust Your Ally (For Now)

Another reason to abandon your country down to one troop is that you trust your ally (for now). 

Alliances are a huge part of the game but keep in mind anyone can and should take you out if they see an opportunity (or vice versa). 

Your armies may be better used elsewhere, and if you trust your ally enough to leave the border less defended, that’s an OK risk. It may bite you in the end, or it may help you gain enough strength in other places to win. 

But that’s the name of the game, isn’t it?

Prevent A Fight That Weakens You

Another good reason to move your armies out is to prevent yourself from getting a bunch of your armies attacked. 

Imagine you are the only thing blocking someone from getting a continent or from connecting two of their larger armies. 

It may be a good idea to stack up there and prevent it, but the more likely result is them attacking you, weakening you both, and then a third person wiping you both out.

Sometimes, abandoning and getting out of the way is the best option to save your strength for when you can win the game. 

It’s Not Part Of Your Strategy

Even without all these reasons, there are times when you just don’t care about the territory. 

It helps early on to go for a specific area or continent (if playing fixed card bonus) or they have a few select strong stacks (if playing progressive). 

So let’s say you get the elusive and ideal Australia*. 

You may not care about your territories in Europe or South America. 

If there’s a way to consolidate the armies over that way, do it and abandon the other territories as you will. 

It won’t hurt your game because it’s not the strategy you’re going for. 

*Further Reading: Which continent is the best in RISK?

Are You Allowed To Retreat In RISK?

This depends on what you mean by “retreat” in RISK.

I’ve found people use this term for several meanings, so answer all the questions in this handy chart! 

Retreat Question	Answer
Can I stop attacking when I’m losing?	Yes! You can stop attacking any time you wish once you start attacking.
Can I fortify my troops away from someone?	Yes, as long as the territories are connected, you leave one army behind, and you can only do this once.
Can I quit the game?	Yes, but it’s generally considered bad form or sportsmanship.
Can I pull my armies off a territory?	No, you must leave at least one army on each territory.
Can I pull my defenders back during an attack?	No. During a defense all you can do is roll the dice.

Is There An Army Limit For A Single Territory In RISK?

You have to have at least one army on a territory; you can’t take it down to zero. But on the high end, no, there is no limit. In some online games, you’ll see stacks get into the multiple hundreds as stalemate positions are reached. 

Further Reading: How do you play RISK faster?