Oceania and S. America are easy... that's a standard RISK opening move, if you start with a piece in at least one of the countries.

Depending on my opening distribution, I like to play spoiler - i.e., "continent breaker". The Middle East position borders Africa and Europe, and is (recalling without a board to refer to) only two countries away from Indonesia.

BTW, house rules in my crowd 30 years ago went like this: deal the cards as equally as they'll divide, place one army in each country, then begin the game. No 20 armies to place before play begins... just "three for existing", as we called it.