N A V A L B A T T L E M A P

So wait, how would this work? Assuming you use the current CoW gameplay, you would need some land units to capture provinces. You could have a bunch of isolated islands that make planes almost completely ineffective, and would then in turn force players to focus more on their armies and navies. And because you have to repeatedly cross through the seas, you would need sea protection, providing sufficient reason to build a navy. If this is what you mean, I like your idea, after all Cruisers and Battleships would give a high advantage to some players because of their ability to deal damage on land units. The main concern of mine is the length of the initial research to get some ships combined with the time to construct the ships could enable some to potentially reach the islands off their opponents before they build a navy.

Poll. Maps and scenarios editor

I have interpreted this proposal as a balancing one, not an absolute one... sure, land units would still be required to capture provinces, but if they are all islands, the problem would be taking them there. I think this was the original idea of the 50p Pacific map as proposed, which was then invalidated by two continents still being there (E.Asia and N.America) which contained most of the resources and production, which resulted in players needing to take either of these continents first, anyway.

So perhaps what would be good is a dozen player size "South Pacific " map?

Focus the 100 player map on : Australia, New Zealand, PNG, Borneo, Phillipenes, Japan, Korea, Sumatra, Siam

Maybe throw in Hawaii and a decent US force there?

If we want a naval focus probably start with some naval units and naval research unlocked?

To keep it a naval focus perhaps start with a lot of ships, the usual 20 land units or so, and a manpower shortage like the arms race. Of course an oil shortage also due to the ships will reduce the ability to build planes.

Not a bad idea fleshed out like that

Maybe, but that map would probably have everbody flock to Australia, unless Australia is 1 or 2 players with (each having) an equal amount of resources as New Zealand. The idea of having some naval levels unlocked would be great, and changing the traditional given troops from land units to naval units would definitely force a focus on a navy. Yeah, when you put it like that Vorlon, it sounds like a potentially great idea.

Give the islands a purpose, in real life the islands were captured so that planes can be able to fly closer to Japan/Other Targets, as far as the American island-hopping is concerned. Here is my idea for the islands:

- Give them lots of manpower, oil, etc so that they serve a purpose to capture

- If at all possible, make the game mode like conquest from the battlefield series, a country holds x amount of islands for x amount of time and they win the game.

- Again, Armies should NOT be the primary focus, losing a single infantry battalion should be a HUGE blow to your country, well early game anyway, losing infantry battles should be costly, and not having air power and naval power should also affect these battles.

- Limit the special and ground units: In this game mode, you shouldn't be able to have Heavy Tanks as they would be unwieldy in the jungles of the pacific. Commandos, Militia, LT, MT, Arty and small easily produced units should be the ones available. (Railroad guns should be 100% not available here, imagine a railroad gun landing on Okinawa lol)

As far as the continents, make the map HUGE, so that the main combat will be on the islands, players should not be willing to wait the amount of time to take a continent, they should be taking the islands to get closer to the continents then invade. Make it obvious for the player that the enemy is about to do a naval invasion.

VorlonFCW wrote:

If we want a naval focus probably start with some naval units and naval research unlocked?

I think some of your ideas are way too far away from the current game design. I don't think it would be easily workable to achieve the goal: a country holding x amount of islands for x amount of time and they win the game, because of the game mechanics. Now in terms of limiting units, you should be able to invalidate many of them with your naval presence in the seas. When you said make the map HUGE, did you mean make the distance from one set of islands to the next a few days? I was thinking more along the lines of not having any continents on the map, and it would just be the Pacific Ocean and maybe some of Australia, Japan and such.

Well,

1. Do not limit the amount of units, simply give the players all the naval units, give or take, the amount of naval vessels each country had in the pacific in 194x

2. The conquest idea was just that, an idea. There have to be at least some small landmasses as well. You can't have a pacific war map without the US. Well, you can but it'd be weird.

My idea of this map is that (Not actual numbers, just an example) the US would start off with 14 destroyers, 5 cruisers, 10 submarines, 2 carriers, 4 battleships, etc. As the game progresses you will build more of these to increase your fleet, along with the infantry etc. I don't really know how I can explain it more clearly..

Unless this is a historical map, the US should be divided in some way if part of it does appear, unless it's just Hawaii and Guam. You don't want to have the US navy playing against opponents like New Zealand, Australia, or really anybody. The US Navy would be impossible to beat in a realistic scenario. But maybe that's just my opinion based heavily on my American values.

If the Japanese allied to the British AND all the minor navies in the area (Australia, Netherlands, etc) they would stand a SMALL chance.

But yeah, it would be cooler to have "equal" startups like the other bigger maps.

Lukenick wrote:

The US Navy would be impossible to beat in a realistic scenario.

Nah, I think that if you played your cards right that you could easily sink US Ships. Not like they have more, right guys? Submarines, Aircraft, etc, probably will sink a couple ships. Plus, if you combine the Navies in some crazy way, like Japan and the Brits teaming up, then you could easily destroy the US. (if you use the amount of ships in the pacific for that navy in 194x and what not)

Only 3 Pacific navies were significant at the time - US, Japan, UK. I hope you're not suggesting this to become a 3p map?

No no no, God that would be awful, I was just using major world powers as an example, they are easier to use than other countries. 3p maps would just be useless, especially for the size of the map.