Mini-Map 2: Archipelago
Creator: DocSpacebar || First Published: 03/24/2017 || Players: 2 || Size: 12x13
Categories: None
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Comments:
DocSpacebar (03/24/2017 02:42pm | Edited: 03/24/2017 02:47pm):
The second in my "Mini-Map" series, and hopefully less chokepoint-y. I'm in a very map-making-y mood today,
it seems!

Recons may be dangerous here due to the frequency of wheel-friendly terrain. The ports are meant to make
Landers and B-Boats, as anything else would have very limited movement and be very expensive to make
anyway. That said, a Battleship WOULD still be a very potent area-denial weapon if you could scrounge up
enough funds to put one together.

Again, open to critique on this one.
Xmo5 (03/29/2017 11:13am):
Its hard to make maps with mirror symmetry that don't have issues at the front line. Right
now, the front is a line of low defense shoals and roads/bridges, all of which don't lend
themselves very well to attack. On the other hand, nobody wants to set up their defenses
right there either for the same reasons. Usually this means the defender has the advantage
as they can choose to occupy the heavy terrain and force attackers to use the lower
defense terrain. It basically leaves you pretty vulnerable if your attack fails and
discourages players from wanting to push forward except when they have an overwhelming
advantage.

Cities really exacerbate this problem, as in the case of the two cities adjacent to each
other, just above the shoal frontline. Once someone has taken these cities, they can use
them as a safe place to camp units without fear of attack, considering each one has only a
single attack point (assuming both are occupied) and they have not only much better
terrain, but also the advantage of healing and resupplying. In essence, they become an
insurmountable stronghold that guarantees income supremacy to whoever captures them as
well as a strong presence in the middle of the map. The other nearby cities can have this
impact as well, but to a much lesser degree.

Lastly, I'll just add that the bridge at the top will never see any worthwhile combat as
it will stalemate heavily, and it's unlikely the ports will ever get used either. The
money just isn't there to waste on transports and battleships would probably only ever be
purchased once you've already effectively won (or in a suicidal last ditch effort, at
which point you've lost)
DocSpacebar (03/29/2017 01:52pm | Edited: 03/29/2017 01:54pm):
I'm thinking I'll add some shoals near those two upper cities that link them with the corner islands, while moving the
other cities near the central shoal section horizontaly backward one space and maybe removing the two cities on
the south side of the central shoals. Just have to wait for the games to end.

I also considered starting both sides with a Lander, but I don't know how I'd FTA balance that.



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