[Scenario Suggestion] Time-Limited Rounds with Global Downtime Windows (16/8)

I wanted to float an idea for a new kind of Supremacy 1914 scenario that emphasizes real-life balance and strategic planning over 24/7 micromanagement: a 16/8 format - 16 hours of active time, 8 hours of “downtime.” This could pair nicely with a speed (4x) round.

The core concept:

Each round has a daily blackout period, where troop movements and production are frozen, and no new orders can be issued. Players can still log in, view the map, and make plans, but no commands or actions can be submitted during the locked window. Call it the "fog of war" or whatever you want.

To support our global player-base, rounds would be created with different locked time windows based on time zones - say, one round optimized for UTC-8 to UTC-2 players, another for UTC+0 to UTC+6, and so on. With coverage across 3 - 4 major time zones, we could accommodate most of the player base while keeping rounds fair.

Two ways this could work in practice:

1. Strict Lock: No movement, production, or diplomacy actions during the 8-hour window.

2. Queued Orders Only: You can queue everything before the blackout begins, but you can’t issue new orders until the next day - thus, troops continue their planned movement/attacks, and factories continue their production. I hypothesize this option will be the most popular and help players with progression in the round.

Why this could be great for players:

• Makes the game more accessible for folks who don’t want to wake up at 3AM to defend a landing.

• Encourages longer-term planning and strategic positioning before each day’s cutoff.

• Adds a unique “day-night” rhythm to warfare, potentially influencing how invasions, defenses, and alliances are handled.

Why this is great for Bytro:

• Some players find the standard pace of Supremacy too slow while other players enjoy the 4x speed, but hate getting wiped out overnight.

• This happy middle ground means less churn, more engaged players.

• Potential of the overnight production encourages use of premium accounts

• 4x speed rounds tend to mean faster player eliminations, which means more rounds started, which means more items/GM spent.

This wouldn’t replace standard rounds - just a new variant for players who want a slower, more thoughtful pacing without sacrificing competitiveness.

I know this is a lot of lift and there's not really a way to A/B test it, but I do think from my conversations with players that this would be a popular mapmode.