I haven't played many of them also, just i'm keeping track of other games.

I think that the most problematic zones are the north and the west bonus, specially if they are protected by neutrals. To clarify it's not the drop itself. It's more a good drop+start first+ (partially) good dice.
For example in the game with you I was lucky to start 1st and have good dice, if not I was dead from the start because you had 4 regions on 5 of west bonus. Lucky dice allowed me to switch the situation, then I used the neutral (not assigned) to protect myself and eliminate you easily in few turns. And that wasn't a quick games. Check on the game finder games that are completed in 3 or 4 turns...to have an idea of what i'm saying.
Now, it's not a so big issue....we are talking about a bunch of games and not all them,but if I have to find a weak point i think this is the weak point of your map.