District of Alaska - v14.1 [2015-25-05] pg16 [QUENCHED]

[Awoodness]

Really great unique map. I really like it. Thanks for all the hard work.

[Melkor52]

What I like about this map

A good map. Attractive graphics, not to big, not to small. I like the supply ships having auto deploy and the small ships as buffers and blinders in a fog game. Bonuses are balanced, a good map all around.

What I don't like about this map

Nothing really, but the small ship that a supply ship uses to attack shouldn't have 2 neutrals to fight. A neutral 0 so you loose 1 troop in the crossing should be enough. IMHO

[cooldeals]

Things I like about this map:

Unique autodeploys, unique travel methods (ships), unique bonuses (expedition routes), Nice historic background

Think I think could be improved.

I think the neutrals between the ships and attacking are too great. I think the attack out from you ship should only be a neutral 1 at the very least. Between the 2 neutral attack out, the 3 neutral ports and the 2 neutral attack in it almost eliminates the ships from play until someone has essentially already won the game.

[babagonosh]

I like that not all harbours attack each other......because in trench that would mean once you control the harbour you have won the game.....could we maybe decrease the range of each harbour?

The thing that I dont like is that there are too many neutral places on the map in 2 player games.......and only 13 places for the players. So you start and take 2 places from an opponent and you have an early advantage.......could we make that 14 places to start with?

[Hamalech]

What I like about this map

It's a midsize map, simple and easy to understand. I do really like the combination of ships, autodeploy...I do also agree with Melkor52 oppinion about fog games.

What I don't like about this map

* Turn to neutral to 1 should be enough
* Reduce combination of ports attacking to other ports, may be too many to too many
* Mention that supply ships do not count for Trench
* Don't find BC +2 very useful

Regards

[GioDuce]

I post for the BetaMarch 2014 (Official Monthly Challenge)

Thing you like about the map.
- I really like the balance on this maps, it can be perfectly played by Multiple players and both 1vs1.

=> Yukon for example has no port as only color bonus but this is well covered by the +5bonus and Base Camp that also makes this part of the map attractive.
=> neutrals on the expedition routes are good as the neutrals on the ships, maybe 3neutrals on BC is one to much, if it would be 2 there would so some more action faster for these.

Thing you dislike about the map.

- Bethel and Dutch Harbor ports connect to all others, providing an advantage if held. It's clearly explained, though in small writing.

=> I agree on this one, a huge advantage,
you could let all ports connect eachother
or
seperate them from eachother Bethel connect to Northern Ports and Dutch harbord connect to Southern ports.

Also let them like they are
This is my favorite BETA map atm

[thoffs]

I like the color scheme, region configuration, and variety & amount of initial neutral regions. I agree with an earlier writer's post that one or two strategically placed woodland barriers would make this map a bit more geographically accurate and add to game play strategy. Perhaps a way you could incorporate the gold rush history is by making one region along each exploration route have a gold deposit. Have the initial neutral troop count larger but reward holding that region with another +2 auto-deploy. Ports, supply ships, and small boats are laid out nicely adding a unique element to the game play strategy.

[Jdsizzleslice]

I like that this map is good in size, but it can be a bit confusing to know how those auto-deploys are attacked.

[nietzsche]

I've played a lot of games in this map, and the ship situation is what makes it interesting.

The recent change making possible to attack/reinforce from both little boats to a port has made it lost most of its complexity and interesting strategy.

[iAmCaffeine]

I've played a lot of games in this map, and the ship situation is what makes it interesting.

The recent change making possible to attack/reinforce from both little boats to a port has made it lost most of its complexity and interesting strategy.

+1

Nothing needed to change.

[HotShot53]

What I like: I like the boat reinforcements, and how they are separated by neutrals, and starting neutral shipyards... causes you to try to plan how long to let them build up before attacking with them... and if you take all the troops with you, then you leave the boats open for attack. Makes a different strategy decisions than most maps.

What I don't like: I think that the bonuses are too hard to get/hold, especially the paths. It seems in the games I've played here most of the bonus areas never come into play, and the main bonuses is just the auto deploy troops. I don't know if there is any way of making some smaller bonus areas or something

[t4mcr53s2]

so far every game has been intereesting, i vs i and teams; heaven't tried multi-player yet... i think the number of neutrals you need to go through to attack enemies ships seems expensive enough that so far the games favour the second player to attack, but i suppose that means in poly's you can guess well and elim 2 ships .. looks like it will have different stqtegies with different spoils, also charming ...

[Blitzkrieg Frank]

I like it, the neutrals from ship to land make it all that more hard. I like the fact the dock ship reverts back to a neutral meaning you need to take it each time you want a reinforce onto land. The +2 auto for base camp is a nice addition for those who dare. Inner passage is maybe the easiest bonus to hold although a ship with a stack can break it and any bonus really, however once that ship has been exposed it can be taken easily too, so you need to be cautious and know when to venture onto land. There are several ways to play it depending on spoils or team games.

[facet]

[Beta map challenge]

I liked the boats, although I lost all of mine, I liked that they could be attacked.

I disliked how fiddly and unclear the territories were in the SE, got me a couple of times.

[Lord Arioch]

Love it way to go!!!

[laughingcavalier]

Am I right thinking that if you play trench on this map you will never get a winner? Because you have to advance through a killer neutral to get to the starting position ships.
(Though you could play trench with round limit or trench with nuclear/zombie spoils and get a winner).
Is it possible to put a block on trench? Or at least a warning? Or am I missing something?

[iAmCaffeine]

Am I right thinking that if you play trench on this map you will never get a winner? Because you have to advance through a killer neutral to get to the starting position ships.
(Though you could play trench with round limit or trench with nuclear/zombie spoils and get a winner).
Is it possible to put a block on trench? Or at least a warning? Or am I missing something?

Killer neutrals disregard trench on all maps, so if you take a killer neutral, you can attack from it the same turn.

[mwcc]

I can't do anything on this map. I am currently playing in Game 14462989

I started turn and then nothing unable to deploy unable to look at action screens in reality cannot so anything but wait to loose my game and points.

Makes this map not very much fun

[Gilligan]

I can't do anything on this map. I am currently playing in Game 14462989

I started turn and then nothing unable to deploy unable to look at action screens in reality cannot so anything but wait to loose my game and points.

Makes this map not very much fun

You'll have to go to bug reports with that one

[j1mathman]

I like this map i think it is really good, lots of advantages to fight for, and you can fit a few team members (or poly) on the map and it is very nice. How long till this map is no longer beta?

I like the Bay of alaska, Bering sea, Chukchi sea divisions of harbors. But why can Dutch harbor attack Point hope in the Chukchi sea? I think that is across 2 bodies of water, and should not be allowed. Maybe as well if Dutch harbor can attack in the bering sea, the ships in there can assault it? Not sure what effect that would have on gameplay, but i think that reducing Dutch harbor range to Point hope is a good idea.

Well, crap, i can't figure it out because point hope can attack it back. Dutch harbor does seem a little big though, maybe limiting it to just bering and gulf of alaska and letting the ships attack it would be a good idea? Honestly haven't played it that much to be bothered by this, but other people are commenting on it so I thought i would suggest.

[hayesez]

I have played this map several times and really like it. Great job! At first, I was also a bit frustrated by the neutrals that had to be conquered to achieve bonuses, but after quite a bit of play, I think it is pretty well set up. Perhaps going back to an n2 on the basecamps would be helpful, but even the n3 on them makes them worthwhile, I think. We have played a few different teams (we play trips fog...not trench) and have seen some different strategies. the autodeploy and the reset of the small boats (and I think n2 to start for those IS the right amount) makes this map really interesting. I don't like that the small boats going into the ships can attack the harbor.

One thing that is unclear (and that we learned the hard way) is regarding the expedition route bonuses. Generally when we go for one of these, we also have the same person get the basecamp (as they are already in the adjacent territories). In a recent game, we had someone follow us through the expedition route and to the basecamp, but fell short of taking the basecamp. We then had the question, "is the basecamp part of the expedition route bonus?" we wondered, becuase if NOT then we would send a DIFFERENT teammate back through the expedition route to protect the basecamp. After much deliberation between teammates, we determined that it IS NOT part of the bonus, for two reasons:

[hayesez]

I have played this map several times and really like it. Great job! At first, I was also a bit frustrated by the neutrals that had to be conquered to achieve bonuses, but after quite a bit of play, I think it is pretty well set up. Perhaps going back to an n2 on the basecamps would be helpful, but even the n3 on them makes them worthwhile, I think. We have played a few different teams (we play trips fog...not trench) and have seen some different strategies. the autodeploy and the reset of the small boats (and I think n2 to start for those IS the right amount) makes this map really interesting. I don't like that the small boats going into the ships can attack the harbor.

One thing that is unclear (and that we learned the hard way) is regarding the expedition route bonuses. Generally when we go for one of these, we also have the same person get the basecamp (as they are already in the adjacent territories). In a recent game, we had someone follow us through the expedition route and to the basecamp, but fell short of taking the basecamp. We then had the question, "is the basecamp part of the expedition route bonus?" we wondered, becuase if NOT then we would send a DIFFERENT teammate back through the expedition route to protect the basecamp. After much deliberation between teammates, we determined that it IS NOT part of the bonus, for two reasons:

1 - On all regions of the expedition route, the dotted line actually touches the troops on the map. Except the basecamp. The dotted line stops at the tents (At the time we thought they were mountains, but later realized they were tents). The dotted line for the expedition route never gets to the troop number of the basecamp like it does on every other region.

2 - The legend states "troops along the expedition routes lose 1 explorer per turn." Clearly the basecamp does NOT lose 1 troop per turn. Therefore it didn't seem that the basecamp wouldn't be part of the route.

Frankly, it doesn't matter to us whether or not the basecamp is part of the route (I think there is merit to both options), however it is not clear whether it is, or is not.

A very minor complaint for us...that's it. we love the map, Seamus. Definitely my favorite new map in quite some time, and one of our overall favorites.

[darkcranium]

Love this map. The set up with the ships is really cool and makes for interesting strategies.

[gerin_oil]

The dynamics of this map are great, I'll be bummed if any of the mechanics change before it exits beta! A few typos/discrepancies I've noticed so far: Valdes on the map is represented as Valdez, All Arctic is represented as All Artic, and Hold Both is represented as Both Ends in the panels. Otherwise, a beautiful map with really fun and interesting gameplay.

[RedBaron0]

Doesn't seem to be any gameplay issues, just some graphical tweaks/legend additions that need to be done and we're good to go.