Eastern Hemisphere [Quenched]

[Caesius]

I'm relatively new to CC, but I've played a fair number of maps and this one has grown to be my favorite, and I play it religiously even though it's still in beta. The empires and the concept of naval superiority add a whole new dimension to the map.

I only play two-player games though, so my input will only apply to when this game is played with two players, but I also usually play this map with Fog of War enabled.

I've only read a few comments in this thread, but here are some of my thoughts (more like observations):

-It's very easy to take and hold Japan if at least two of your armies start there, especially if Amur, Manchuria, and/or Shanghai are held by neutral armies.

-Europe can be very hotly contested between players who have experience with the map, since they know that if they try to take control of a European power's empire and the enemy knows that they've taken it and still hold at least one European power, then that power can take Naval Superiority and bombard all their 1-army colonies. Thus, it becomes a priority to deny the enemy access to Naval Superiority before attempting to complete an empire. Once the enemy is out of Europe, taking the rest of Europe and gaining the +8 bonus could be very easy, depending on the distribution of neutral armies and the enemy's activities elsewhere in the world (e.g. if you're also busy keeping them from taking Japan or China, which can't be bombarded).

-Given the importance of Europe, a player taking the entirety of the region is a fairly common occurrence given its size. Russia on the other hand I have never seen taken, because it simply does not hold anywhere near the same strategic importance - certainly, resources spent taking Russia almost universally would be better spent taking Europe.

[xelabale]

I'm relatively new to CC, but I've played a fair number of maps and this one has grown to be my favorite, and I play it religiously even though it's still in beta. The empires and the concept of naval superiority add a whole new dimension to the map.

I only play two-player games though, so my input will only apply to when this game is played with two players, but I also usually play this map with Fog of War enabled.

I've only read a few comments in this thread, but here are some of my thoughts (more like observations):

-It's very easy to take and hold Japan if at least two of your armies start there, especially if Amur, Manchuria, and/or Shanghai are held by neutral armies.

-Europe can be very hotly contested between players who have experience with the map, since they know that if they try to take control of a European power's empire and the enemy knows that they've taken it and still hold at least one European power, then that power can take Naval Superiority and bombard all their 1-army colonies. Thus, it becomes a priority to deny the enemy access to Naval Superiority before attempting to complete an empire. Once the enemy is out of Europe, taking the rest of Europe and gaining the +8 bonus could be very easy, depending on the distribution of neutral armies and the enemy's activities elsewhere in the world (e.g. if you're also busy keeping them from taking Japan or China, which can't be bombarded).

-Given the importance of Europe, a player taking the entirety of the region is a fairly common occurrence given its size. Russia on the other hand I have never seen taken, because it simply does not hold anywhere near the same strategic importance - certainly, resources spent taking Russia almost universally would be better spent taking Europe.

All of which shows the maps depth and interest. Thank you Mr. Map Maker!!

[oaktown]

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

XML: http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/30/ ... sphere.xml


Alright, I've taken everything in and made all kinds of changes.

• Rhodesia is no longer a part of the UK Empire, and as such can no longer be bombarded by a ship... which never made sense anyway.

• Shanghai is now a part of the UK Empire, representing Hong Kong, and is can be bombarded by the ship. This won't make the UK Empire any easier to hold (sorry brits), but the Chinese Empire can now be broken remotely. I think this is a key change.

• Some army coordinates have had to move: Rhodesia's count will appear where the flag was, and Canton has moved over to the left to make space for the flag.

• 16 territories have been added to the starting positions: the four Japan territories, the China and Oceania territories that aren't displaying a flag, and Siam (because I had to have 16). Each of the eight starting positions now starts with two of these territories in addition to a European territory. No start has more than territory in China, Japan, or Oceania, and I tried to get clever with the combinations: UK and Australia are joined, Philippines and Spain, etc. If you're curious as to how they're broken down, they're at the top of the code...

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<map>
   <title>Hemisphere</title>
   <smallwidth>630</smallwidth>
   <smallheight>600</smallheight>
   <largewidth>840</largewidth>
   <largeheight>800</largeheight>
   <filetype>jpg</filetype>

<positions>
   <position>
      <territory>Great Britain</territory>
      <territory>Manchuria</territory>
      <territory>Australia</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Germany</territory>
      <territory>Peking</territory>
      <territory>New Guinea</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Netherlands</territory>
      <territory>Shanghai</territory>
      <territory>New Zealand</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Austria-Hungary</territory>
      <territory>Japan</territory>
      <territory>Borneo</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Italy</territory>
      <territory>Karafuto</territory>
      <territory>Siam</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>France</territory>
      <territory>Taiwan</territory>
      <territory>Sinkiang</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Portugal</territory>
      <territory>Korea</territory>
      <territory>Tibet</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Spain</territory>
      <territory>Philippine Islands</territory>
      <territory>Mongolia</territory>
   </position>
</positions>

   <continent>
      <name>Europe</name>
      <bonus>8</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Iceland</territory>
         <territory>Great Britain</territory>
         <territory>Norway</territory>
         <territory>Sweden</territory>
         <territory>Germany</territory>
         <territory>Netherlands</territory>
         <territory>Austria-Hungary</territory>
         <territory>Balkans</territory>
         <territory>Italy</territory>
         <territory>France</territory>
         <territory>Spain</territory>
         <territory>Portugal</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Northern Africa</name>
      <bonus>4</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Morocco</territory>
         <territory>French West Africa</territory>
         <territory>Tripoli</territory>
         <territory>Liberia</territory>
         <territory>Nigeria</territory>
         <territory>Egypt and Sudan</territory>
         </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Horn of Africa</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Somaliland</territory>   
         <territory>Abyssinia</territory>
         <territory>British East Africa</territory>
         </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Southern Africa</name>
      <bonus>5</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Cameroon</territory>
         <territory>Congo</territory>
         <territory>German East Africa</territory>
         <territory>German South West Africa</territory>
         <territory>Rhodesia</territory>
         <territory>Angola</territory>
         <territory>Madagascar</territory>
         <territory>South Africa</territory>
         <territory>Portuguese East Africa</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Russian Empire</name>
      <bonus>9</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>St. Petersburg</territory>
         <territory>Finland</territory>
         <territory>Vilno</territory>
         <territory>Warsaw</territory>
         <territory>Ukraine</territory>
         <territory>Moscow</territory>
         <territory>Kazan</territory>
         <territory>Caucasus</territory>
         <territory>Turkestan</territory>
         <territory>Omsk</territory>
         <territory>Irkutsk</territory>
         <territory>Amur</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Middle East</name>
      <bonus>3</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Ottoman Empire</territory>
         <territory>Arabia</territory>
         <territory>Persia</territory>
         <territory>Afghanistan</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Southern Asia</name>
      <bonus>3</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>India</territory>
         <territory>Nepal</territory>
         <territory>Burma</territory>
         <territory>Siam</territory>
         <territory>Indochina</territory>
      </components>
      
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Chinese Empire</name>
      <bonus>5</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Manchuria</territory>
         <territory>Mongolia</territory>
         <territory>Sinkiang</territory>
         <territory>Peking</territory>
         <territory>Tibet</territory>
         <territory>Shanghai</territory>
         <territory>Canton</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Oceania</name>
      <bonus>4</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Philippine Islands</territory>
         <territory>Borneo</territory>
         <territory>New Guinea</territory>
         <territory>Sumatra</territory>
         <territory>Java</territory>
         <territory>Australia</territory>
         <territory>New Zealand</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>
      
   <continent>
      <name>Japanese Empire</name>
      <bonus>2</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Japan</territory>
         <territory>Korea</territory>
         <territory>Karafuto</territory>
         <territory>Taiwan</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>
   
   <continent>
      <name>British Empire</name>
      <bonus>6</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Great Britain</territory>
         <territory>Canton</territory>
         <territory>South Africa</territory>
         <territory>Nigeria</territory>
         <territory>India</territory>
         <territory>Egypt and Sudan</territory>
         <territory>British East Africa</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>   
   
   <continent>
      <name>Portuguese Empire</name>
      <bonus>2</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Portugal</territory>
         <territory>Angola</territory>
         <territory>Portuguese East Africa</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>
   
   <continent>
      <name>French Empire</name>
      <bonus>3</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>France</territory>
         <territory>Madagascar</territory>
         <territory>Indochina</territory>
         <territory>French West Africa</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>   
   
   <continent>
      <name>German Empire</name>
      <bonus>3</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Germany</territory>
         <territory>Cameroon</territory>
         <territory>German South West Africa</territory>
         <territory>German East Africa</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>      
   
   <continent>
      <name>Dutch Empire</name>
      <bonus>2</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Netherlands</territory>
         <territory>Sumatra</territory>
         <territory>Java</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>      

   <continent>
      <name>Italian Empire</name>
      <bonus>2</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Italy</territory>
         <territory>Tripoli</territory>
         <territory>Somaliland</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>      
   
   <territory>
      <name>Iceland</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Norway</border>
         <border>Great Britain</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>54</smallx>
         <smally>103</smally>
         <largex>41</largex>
         <largey>141</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Great Britain</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Iceland</border>
         <border>France</border>
         <border>Naval Superiority</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>45</smallx>
         <smally>206</smally>
         <largex>63</largex>
         <largey>267</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Norway</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Iceland</border>
         <border>Sweden</border>
         <border>Finland</border>
         <border>St. Petersburg</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>90</smallx>
         <smally>146</smally>
         <largex>123</largex>
         <largey>186</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Sweden</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Norway</border>
         <border>Germany</border>
         <border>Finland</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>114</smallx>
         <smally>162</smally>
         <largex>150</largex>
         <largey>210</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>France</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Great Britain</border>
         <border>Spain</border>
         <border>Netherlands</border>
         <border>Italy</border>
         <border>Germany</border>
         <border>French West Africa</border>
         <border>Naval Superiority</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>67</smallx>
         <smally>244</smally>
         <largex>90</largex>
         <largey>317</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Spain</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Portugal</border>
         <border>Morocco</border>
         <border>France</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>48</smallx>
         <smally>274</smally>
         <largex>65</largex>
         <largey>356</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Portugal</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Spain</border>
         <border>Naval Superiority</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>13</smallx>
         <smally>266</smally>
         <largex>22</largex>
         <largey>349</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Germany</name>
      <borders>
         <border>France</border>
         <border>Netherlands</border>
         <border>Sweden</border>
         <border>Warsaw</border>
         <border>Austria-Hungary</border>
         <border>Vilno</border>
         <border>Naval Superiority</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>106</smallx>
         <smally>210</smally>
         <largex>142</largex>
         <largey>271</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Austria-Hungary</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Germany</border>
         <border>Warsaw</border>
         <border>Ukraine</border>
         <border>Balkans</border>
         <border>Italy</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>124</smallx>
         <smally>238</smally>
         <largex>168</largex>
         <largey>309</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Italy</name>
      <borders>
         <border>France</border>
         <border>Austria-Hungary</border>
         <border>Tripoli</border>         
         <border>Naval Superiority</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>109</smallx>
         <smally>278</smally>
         <largex>146</largex>
         <largey>361</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Netherlands</name>
      <borders>
         <border>France</border>
         <border>Germany</border>
         <border>Naval Superiority</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>78</smallx>
         <smally>210</smally>
         <largex>105</largex>
         <largey>272</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Balkans</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Austria-Hungary</border>
         <border>Ukraine</border>
         <border>Ottoman Empire</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>140</smallx>
         <smally>261</smally>
         <largex>187</largex>
         <largey>337</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   
   
   <territory>
      <name>Morocco</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Spain</border>
         <border>French West Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>54</smallx>
         <smally>306</smally>
         <largex>77</largex>
         <largey>400</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Liberia</name>
      <borders>
         <border>French West Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>29</smallx>
         <smally>411</smally>
         <largex>39</largex>
         <largey>538</largey>
           </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>French West Africa</name>
      <borders>
         <border>France</border>
         <border>Tripoli</border>
         <border>Morocco</border>
         <border>Liberia</border>
         <border>Nigeria</border>
         <border>Cameroon</border>
         <border>Congo</border>
         <border>Egypt and Sudan</border>
      </borders>      
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>50</smallx>
         <smally>353</smally>
         <largex>71</largex>
         <largey>463</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Tripoli</name>
      <borders>
         <border>French West Africa</border>
         <border>Italy</border>
         <border>Egypt and Sudan</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>120</smallx>
         <smally>323</smally>
         <largex>162</largex>
         <largey>423</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Nigeria</name>
      <borders>
         <border>French West Africa</border>
         <border>Cameroon</border>
      </borders>   
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>99</smallx>
         <smally>387</smally>
         <largex>135</largex>
         <largey>508</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Egypt and Sudan</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Tripoli</border>
         <border>French West Africa</border>
         <border>Abyssinia</border>
         <border>Ottoman Empire</border>
         <border>Congo</border>
         <border>British East Africa</border>
      </borders>   
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>161</smallx>
         <smally>374</smally>
         <largex>216</largex>
         <largey>491</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   
   
   <territory>
      <name>Abyssinia</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Egypt and Sudan</border>
         <border>Somaliland</border>
         <border>British East Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>199</smallx>
         <smally>393</smally>
         <largex>266</largex>
         <largey>517</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Somaliland</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Abyssinia</border>
         <border>British East Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>230</smallx>
         <smally>406</smally>
         <largex>308</largex>
         <largey>534</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>British East Africa</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Abyssinia</border>
         <border>Somaliland</border>
         <border>Congo</border>
         <border>German East Africa</border>
         <border>Egypt and Sudan</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>179</smallx>
         <smally>413</smally>
         <largex>240</largex>
         <largey>543</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>   
   
   <territory>
      <name>Cameroon</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Congo</border>
         <border>Nigeria</border>
         <border>French West Africa</border>
      </borders>      
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>89</smallx>
         <smally>427</smally>
         <largex>125</largex>
         <largey>560</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Congo</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Angola</border>
         <border>Cameroon</border>
         <border>French West Africa</border>
         <border>German East Africa</border>
         <border>Rhodesia</border>
         <border>Egypt and Sudan</border>
         <border>British East Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>145</smallx>
         <smally>423</smally>
         <largex>195</largex>
         <largey>557</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Angola</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Congo</border>
         <border>Rhodesia</border>
         <border>German South West Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>      
          <smallx>126</smallx>
         <smally>479</smally>
         <largex>169</largex>
         <largey>632</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>German South West Africa</name>
      <borders>
         <border>South Africa</border>
         <border>Rhodesia</border>
         <border>Angola</border>
      </borders>      
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>103</smallx>
         <smally>501</smally>
         <largex>138</largex>
         <largey>661</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>South Africa</name>
      <borders>
         <border>German South West Africa</border>
         <border>Rhodesia</border>
         <border>Portuguese East Africa</border>
      </borders>      
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>139</smallx>
         <smally>539</smally>
         <largex>187</largex>
         <largey>713</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Rhodesia</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Congo</border>
         <border>Angola</border>
         <border>German South West Africa</border>
         <border>South Africa</border>
         <border>Portuguese East Africa</border>
         <border>German East Africa</border>
      </borders>      
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>156</smallx>
         <smally>491</smally>
         <largex>209</largex>
         <largey>648</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Portuguese East Africa</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Madagascar</border>
         <border>Rhodesia</border>
         <border>South Africa</border>
         <border>German East Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>191</smallx>
         <smally>507</smally>
         <largex>260</largex>
         <largey>667</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Madagascar</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Portuguese East Africa</border>
         <border>German East Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>225</smallx>
         <smally>493</smally>
         <largex>301</largex>
         <largey>649</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>German East Africa</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Madagascar</border>
         <border>Congo</border>
         <border>Rhodesia</border>
         <border>Portuguese East Africa</border>
         <border>British East Africa</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>171</smallx>
         <smally>440</smally>
         <largex>228</largex>
         <largey>580</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   
   
   <territory>
      <name>Ottoman Empire</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Balkans</border>
         <border>Caucasus</border>
         <border>Persia</border>
         <border>Arabia</border>
         <border>Egypt and Sudan</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>201</smallx>
         <smally>284</smally>
         <largex>270</largex>
         <largey>370</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Arabia</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Ottoman Empire</border>
         <border>Persia</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>223</smallx>
         <smally>342</smally>
         <largex>299</largex>
         <largey>448</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Persia</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Ottoman Empire</border>
         <border>Arabia</border>
         <border>Turkestan</border>
         <border>Afghanistan</border>
         <border>Caucasus</border>
         <border>India</border>
         </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>247</smallx>
         <smally>300</smally>
         <largex>330</largex>
         <largey>393</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Afghanistan</name>
      <borders>
         <border>India</border>
         <border>Persia</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>280</smallx>
         <smally>316</smally>
         <largex>374</largex>
         <largey>413</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   
   
   <territory>
      <name>Finland</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Norway</border>
         <border>Sweden</border>
         <border>St. Petersburg</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>163</smallx>
         <smally>131</smally>
         <largex>216</largex>
         <largey>167</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>St. Petersburg</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Norway</border>
         <border>Kazan</border>
         <border>Vilno</border>
         <border>Moscow</border>
         <border>Finland</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>198</smallx>
         <smally>154</smally>
         <largex>268</largex>
         <largey>198</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Warsaw</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Vilno</border>
         <border>Moscow</border>
         <border>Ukraine</border>
         <border>Germany</border>
         <border>Austria-Hungary</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>162</smallx>
         <smally>196</smally>
         <largex>219</largex>
         <largey>254</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Vilno</name>
      <borders>
         <border>St. Petersburg</border>
         <border>Warsaw</border>
         <border>Moscow</border>
         <border>Germany</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>177</smallx>
         <smally>178</smally>
         <largex>238</largex>
         <largey>228</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Ukraine</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Warsaw</border>
         <border>Moscow</border>   
         <border>Caucasus</border>
         <border>Austria-Hungary</border>
         <border>Balkans</border>         
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>184</smallx>
         <smally>231</smally>
         <largex>249</largex>
         <largey>300</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Moscow</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Vilno</border>
         <border>Ukraine</border>
         <border>Kazan</border>
         <border>St. Petersburg</border>
         <border>Warsaw</border>
         <border>Caucasus</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>203</smallx>
         <smally>190</smally>
         <largex>273</largex>
         <largey>246</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Kazan</name>
      <borders>
         <border>St. Petersburg</border>
         <border>Moscow</border>
         <border>Caucasus</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>236</smallx>
         <smally>181</smally>
         <largex>321</largex>
         <largey>234</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Caucasus</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Kazan</border>
         <border>Turkestan</border>
         <border>Moscow</border>
         <border>Omsk</border>
         <border>Ukraine</border>
         <border>Ottoman Empire</border>
         <border>Persia</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>213</smallx>
         <smally>240</smally>
         <largex>284</largex>
         <largey>313</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Turkestan</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Caucasus</border>
         <border>Sinkiang</border>
         <border>Omsk</border>
         <border>Persia</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>284</smallx>
         <smally>258</smally>
         <largex>381</largex>
         <largey>337</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Omsk</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Irkutsk</border>
         <border>Turkestan</border>
         <border>Caucasus</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>305</smallx>
         <smally>185</smally>
         <largex>412</largex>
         <largey>238</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Amur</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Karafuto</border>
         <border>Irkutsk</border>
         <border>Manchuria</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>501</smallx>
         <smally>162</smally>
         <largex>670</largex>
         <largey>208</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Irkutsk</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Omsk</border>
         <border>Amur</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>422</smallx>
         <smally>122</smally>
         <largex>564</largex>
         <largey>154</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   
   
   <territory>
      <name>Sinkiang</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Tibet</border>
         <border>Peking</border>
         <border>Mongolia</border>
         <border>Turkestan</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>374</smallx>
         <smally>271</smally>
         <largex>503</largex>
         <largey>355</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Tibet</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Sinkiang</border>
         <border>Peking</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>345</smallx>
         <smally>283</smally>
         <largex>461</largex>
         <largey>370</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Mongolia</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Sinkiang</border>
         <border>Peking</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>410</smallx>
         <smally>226</smally>
         <largex>547</largex>
         <largey>295</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Peking</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Sinkiang</border>
         <border>Tibet</border>
         <border>Canton</border>
         <border>Shanghai</border>
         <border>Manchuria</border>
         <border>Mongolia</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>      
          <smallx>415</smallx>
         <smally>298</smally>
         <largex>554</largex>
         <largey>390</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Canton</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Peking</border>
         <border>Shanghai</border>
         <border>Indochina</border>
         <border>Burma</border>
         <border>Philippine Islands</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>      
         <smallx>406</smallx>
         <smally>334</smally>
         <largex>543</largex>
         <largey>437</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Shanghai</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Peking</border>
         <border>Canton</border>
         <border>Taiwan</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>446</smallx>
         <smally>308</smally>
         <largex>593</largex>
         <largey>407</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Manchuria</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Amur</border>
         <border>Korea</border>
         <border>Peking</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>475</smallx>
         <smally>231</smally>
         <largex>635</largex>
         <largey>301</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>   


   <territory>
      <name>India</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Afghanistan</border>
         <border>Nepal</border>
         <border>Burma</border>
         <border>Persia</border>
      </borders>
                  <coordinates>
         <smallx>327</smallx>
         <smally>355</smally>
         <largex>437</largex>
         <largey>466</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Nepal</name>
      <borders>
         <border>India</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>340</smallx>
         <smally>315</smally>
         <largex>453</largex>
         <largey>414</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Burma</name>
      <borders>
         <border>India</border>
         <border>Siam</border>
         <border>Indochina</border>
         <border>Canton</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>380</smallx>
         <smally>355</smally>
         <largex>508</largex>
         <largey>465</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Siam</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Burma</border>
         <border>Indochina</border>
         <border>Sumatra</border>
         <border>Borneo</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>      
         <smallx>396</smallx>
         <smally>375</smally>
         <largex>529</largex>
         <largey>493</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Indochina</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Canton</border>
         <border>Burma</border>
         <border>Siam</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>434</smallx>
         <smally>379</smally>
         <largex>580</largex>
         <largey>498</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>   
   
   <territory>
      <name>Japan</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Karafuto</border>
         <border>Korea</border>
         <border>Taiwan</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>532</smallx>
         <smally>292</smally>
         <largex>710</largex>
         <largey>381</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Karafuto</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Amur</border>
         <border>Japan</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>545</smallx>
         <smally>227</smally>
         <largex>728</largex>
         <largey>294</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Korea</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Manchuria</border>
         <border>Japan</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>493</smallx>
         <smally>281</smally>
         <largex>657</largex>
         <largey>369</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Taiwan</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Japan</border>
         <border>Shanghai</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>486</smallx>
         <smally>336</smally>
         <largex>649</largex>
         <largey>442</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Philippine Islands</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Canton</border>
         <border>Borneo</border>
         <border>New Guinea</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>498</smallx>
         <smally>405</smally>
         <largex>661</largex>
         <largey>531</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Borneo</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Philippine Islands</border>
         <border>Sumatra</border>
         <border>Java</border>
         <border>Siam</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>438</smallx>
         <smally>436</smally>
         <largex>584</largex>
         <largey>573</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Sumatra</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Borneo</border>
         <border>Siam</border>
         <border>Java</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>379</smallx>
         <smally>445</smally>
         <largex>506</largex>
         <largey>585</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Java</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Borneo</border>
         <border>Sumatra</border>
         <border>Australia</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>432</smallx>
         <smally>484</smally>
         <largex>577</largex>
         <largey>636</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>New Guinea</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Philippine Islands</border>
         <border>Australia</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>542</smallx>
         <smally>438</smally>
         <largex>724</largex>
         <largey>579</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>Australia</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Java</border>
         <border>New Guinea</border>
         <border>New Zealand</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>
         <smallx>511</smallx>
         <smally>517</smally>
         <largex>682</largex>
         <largey>682</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>
   <territory>
      <name>New Zealand</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Australia</border>
      </borders>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>580</smallx>
         <smally>541</smally>
         <largex>773</largex>
         <largey>717</largey>
      </coordinates>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Naval Superiority</name>
      <borders>
      </borders>
       <bombardments>
       <bombardment>Indochina</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Madagascar</bombardment>
         <bombardment>French West Africa</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Canton</bombardment>
         <bombardment>India</bombardment>
         <bombardment>South Africa</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Egypt and Sudan</bombardment>
         <bombardment>British East Africa</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Sumatra</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Java</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Nigeria</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Cameroon</bombardment>
         <bombardment>German South West Africa</bombardment>
         <bombardment>German East Africa</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Angola</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Portuguese East Africa</bombardment>
         <bombardment>Somaliland</bombardment>         
         <bombardment>Tripoli</bombardment>
        </bombardments>
            <coordinates>   
         <smallx>338</smallx>
         <smally>510</smally>
         <largex>451</largex>
         <largey>672</largey>
      </coordinates>
      <neutral killer="yes">4</neutral>
   </territory>

</map>


-It's very easy to take and hold Japan if at least two of your armies start there, especially if Amur, Manchuria, and/or Shanghai are held by neutral armies.

Manchuria, Shanghai, and the Japanese territories have all been coded as starts - none will start neutral in 1v1 games. And as all six of these territories are attributed to different starting positions, the most that one player can start with in a game is four. Hope this solves the problem.

[xelabale]

Me likey lots - thanks Oaktown. İt's truly a great map, it gives me certain unholy urges when İ look at the alps - such graphics

[the.killing.44]

• Shanghai is now a part of the UK Empire, representing Hong Kong, and is can be bombarded by the ship. This won't make the UK Empire any easier to hold (sorry brits), but the Chinese Empire can now be broken remotely. I think this is a key change.

You mean Canton?

.44

[sailorseal]

• Shanghai is now a part of the UK Empire, representing Hong Kong, and is can be bombarded by the ship. This won't make the UK Empire any easier to hold (sorry brits), but the Chinese Empire can now be broken remotely. I think this is a key change.

You mean Canton?

.44

Yes he means Canton

[TaCktiX]

Good thing it's Canton, as I have nearly 40 armies there in the game of Eastern Hemisphere I'm playing with him. If it's Shanghai I might need to do some heavy duty deployment to make it more than the 3 presently sitting there.

Overall, good changes here Oaktown.

[oaktown]

yes, canton... easy to mix up, as all those chinese territories look alike.

(that was way too easy)

[BaldAdonis]

Each of the eight starting positions now starts with two of these territories in addition to a European territory.

Does this mean games will start with 30~ neutrals?

[oaktown]

Each of the eight starting positions now starts with two of these territories in addition to a European territory.

Does this mean games will start with 30~ neutrals?

No.

(Ask me why you think it will and I can set you straight.)

[AndyDufresne]

Beta-Update sent to Lack. He's been slacking on his Map duties lately, so I'll chide him tomorrow for this, Oceania, Land and Sea, and the maps still awaiting Beta-Release.


--Andy

[Hopscotcher]

This may or may not have been touched upon. Got to say I LOVE this map!

I played a game and could not fort from Naval Superiority. I honestly kind of like that idea, but if it could be stated somewhere on the map, it might help others who play it.

ttfn,
hops

[Thezzaruz]

I played a game and could not fort from Naval Superiority. I honestly kind of like that idea, but if it could be stated somewhere on the map, it might help others who play it.

NS cannot attack any country only bombard and you can only reinforce via attack routes, direct effect of the rules (look at the instructions page).

[iancanton]

• Shanghai is now a part of the UK Empire, representing Hong Kong, and is can be bombarded by the ship. This won't make the UK Empire any easier to hold (sorry brits), but the Chinese Empire can now be broken remotely. I think this is a key change.

You mean Canton?

.44

oak

i think this disruption to the gameplay is not only entirely unnecessary (except in rhodesia, where the change is good and logical), but threatens to tip the scales in a way that will turn out not to be beneficial.

i've analysed the last 10 2-player casual public sequential games that have actually finished as at time of writing (Game 4816807 to Game 4832818). there were 671 such completed 1v1 games, compared with 112 4-player singles and 73 4-player doubles, so i’ve focussed only on what is by far the most popular format for this map.

of these 10, 5 were won by player 1 and 5 by player 2. zones for which bonuses were received by the eventual winner in rounds 1 to 4 were: portuguese 4 times, horn 3 times, french 3 times, italian 3 times, north africa twice, dutch twice, german once, southern asia once, oceania once and japanese once. equivalent bonuses received by the loser were oceania twice, italian once, dutch once and japanese once. chinese, russian, europe, southern africa, middle east and british were not received. the dutch bonus was dropped once, to player 2, who won. where no bonuses were received by the winner in rounds 1 to 4, i counted the first bonus that he did receive.

the outstanding fact of these finished games is the sheer variety of winning methods, none of which involves securing the chinese bonus. also contrary to expectation, the oceania and japanese bonuses are at least as much in evidence on the loser’s side as the winner’s.

i therefore ask u not to load the latest revision to the xml, since i do not regard it as an improvement.

incidentally, the start positions do not work as i expected, so that each player receives 24 regions to start, instead of the intended 23. do u know why? is there an easy fix?

ian.

[oaktown]

i think this disruption to the gameplay is not only entirely unnecessary (except in rhodesia, where the change is good and logical), but threatens to tip the scales in a way that will turn out not to be beneficial.

i've analysed the last 10 2-player casual public sequential games that have actually finished as at time of writing... the outstanding fact of these finished games is the sheer variety of winning methods, none of which involves securing the chinese bonus. also contrary to expectation, the oceania and japanese bonuses are at least as much in evidence on the loser’s side as the winner’s.

I would contend that a two player game has far less to do with scoring the ideal part of the map than do games with more players. Two player games are going to be all about where the 21 neutrals are on the map and who can lay into their opponent most effectively. In the 1v1 game that I played asia happened to start largely neutral, so the only action that took place there was last round mop-up.

Larger games that I have been in have seen it extremely hard to break Asia, since the routes into/out of Asia are all bottlenecks (as they geographically should be). A single bombardment reflects the historical British influence in the region, which is really what this map is about - European influence abroad and what it takes to break it.

That said, I'm open to further discussion on this matter.

incidentally, the start positions do not work as i expected, so that each player receives 24 regions to start, instead of the intended 23. do u know why? is there an easy fix?

The eight coded neutrals change the formula. None of those eight are assigned neutral, thus the # of starts in a 1v1 will be ((69-8)÷3) + (8÷2) = 24. Coding 16 more territories as start positions really screws this up even more - I hadn't thought about that. I may drop that to 8 additional asian starts, which should be just enough to mix up Japan, Oceania, and China, and still provide the possibility of some neutral drops. The new numbers will be ((69-16)÷3) + (16÷2) = 25... a slightly better start number, but anybody who plays 1v1 on a big map is asking for hurt anyway. Expect an update/edit soon.

Edit: And here it is; 16 starting positions, paired as follows:
<positions>
<position>
<territory>Great Britain</territory>
<territory>Australia</territory>
</position>
<position>
<territory>Germany</territory>
<territory>New Guinea</territory>
</position>
<position>
<territory>Netherlands</territory>
<territory>Shanghai</territory>
</position>
<position>
<territory>Austria-Hungary</territory>
<territory>Korea</territory>
</position>
<position>
<territory>Italy</territory>
<territory>Karafuto</territory>
</position>
<position>
<territory>France</territory>
<territory>Borneo</territory>
</position>
<position>
<territory>Portugal</territory>
<territory>Manchuria</territory>
</position>
<position>
<territory>Spain</territory>
<territory>Philippine Islands</territory>
</position>
</positions>

The new file has been uploaded to the same file location, so if lack hasn't downloaded the file yet we're golden... but I'll let andy know about the change.