Suggestions for Improving the SC Map

[Edwin P.]

In this post I am attempting to present the major ideas for improving the SC Map within its current limitations summarizing the various issues that have been covered in the board over the past months. The first topic in this thread will be continually updated with the ideas presented by forum users.

1. Suez Canal - Make it go to and from Egypt.

Currently, transports can only move to the Suez and this link can only be used by transports, not naval ships.

Several people have proposed that this be a two way transit option for both troops transports and warships.

Should the Suez transit route be limited to only Allied Units? I think so as the UK controlled South Africa and the supply lines that would be required for refueling ships transiting the Cape.

2. US/Canada - Units should be able to operate between the US and Canada. This change would improve the ability of the US to defend North America against an Axis invasion.

Currently, troops can only move between these two countries via Naval transport, even those these two countries have a land border extending over 1500 miles long.

3. Norwegian Naval Route - It is proposed that one transit hex (hex #23,0) be positioned near Bergan. This transit hex would not function during December through March due to major ice flows in the region and winter storms. Transports caught in transit during January through March would face a 50% that ice blocks their destination port in Northern Russia thus forcing them to return to their starting transit hex.

Units beginning their turn on this transit hex would experience one of two effects:

IF NORWAY is NEUTRAL or AXIS ALIGNED/OCCUPIED:

Axis units using this hex would appear in one of 10 random North Atlantic hexes (from hex #1,0 to hex #10,0) 3 turns after sailing around Iceland/Greenland. Axis units returning from the North Atlantic via transit hexes (in hex #1,0 to hex #10,0) would appear in this hex in 3 turns.

IF NORWAY is NEUTRAL or ALLIED ALIGNED/OCCUPIED:

Allied Transports using this hex would appear in a forest hex (#51,0) north of the Svir River in northern Russia adjacent to the Finish border in 3 turns after sailing along the Norwegian Coast. An Axis unit occupying this hex would block allied reinforcements and cause any allied reinforcements in transit to return to their starting transit hex near Bergan.

Such a change would enable the Axis to mount a serious Atlantic Campaign and would enable the Allies to send limited reinforcements (ie 1 unit per turn from April thru November) to Russia.

4. Minor Ports (As suggested by JerseyJohn 5/3 see posts below)

Minor Ports - Minor ports can be used for supply, transport bases, and repair but not for building units. They have a maximum strength of 5.

Lisbon(Portugal), Bilboa(Spain), Cyprus, Crete

The Lisbon Port would ease any Allied invasion of Iberia and also provide the Axis with a naval base for ship repair that is outside the range of British Bombers.

5. Major Port City (As suggested by JerseyJohn 5/3 see posts below)

Add a major port city in Southern England: Plymouth. This would give the UK a MPP boost and make a sealion operation easier to support.

[ May 03, 2003, 02:55 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[disorder]

excellent post, edwin! especially the atlantic "route"

[Edwin P.]

Disorder,

Thanks for your comment. JerseyJohn first suggested this as a historical representation of how the German Navy avoided the Scapa(?) straits by sailing along the coast of Norway and then going around Iceland and Greenland to reach the Atlantic while avoiding the British Navy.

[ May 02, 2003, 11:25 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[JerseyJohn]

Edwin

Thanks, appreciated.

Great idea and excellent suggestions. I don't remember seeing those Norway ideas before and they're very interesting.

The only additional map changes I can think of at the moment would be:

-- To make North Africa deeper so there'd be some maneurvering.

-- Make Lisbon and Bilbao ports.

-- Add at least one port city to Southern England, preferably Plymouth. This would help UK MPP production and make SeaLion more tenable.

There are many others, such as adding a port city to Crete, making it a valuable air/naval base worth fighting over and hopefully many of them will be listed here within a few days.

Great Topic, Edwin.

[ May 03, 2003, 03:23 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[Shaka of Carthage]

Ditto the comments about excellent idea.

I didn't quite get it the first time I read the Norway idea. I was thinking too much about the Axis "sub route" to the Atlantic. Didn't fully appreciate the Allied option.

Great idea.

[Edwin P.]

Jersey John,

What would be the effect of making Lisbon a port?

For the Axis - Would it give them another port from which to build subs and thus too big an advantage in Sea Power?

Should a new type of port be added? A minor port that would not be capable of building warships but could be used as a source of supply or for repairing naval units, or loading transports, perhaps a port with a maximum value of 5MPPs regardless of being able to trace a supply line to a capital city hex or a port with a strength of 5 but no MPP contribution to the owner.

For the Allies - would it make the conquest of Spain too easy?

Economically - would it make Portugal too strong an economic power relative to other comparable countries of the time period?

This is something I would definitely want to playtest.

[ May 03, 2003, 11:32 AM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[jon_j_rambo]

This game improvements would be awesome. Open the Atlantic naval game.

[JerseyJohn]

Edwin

Your Minor Port idea is a breakthrough. In the past we've described what distant ports such as Athens should be -- in other words, refueling and repair, etc., without the capability of building U-boats or a Bismarck! Your idea pretty much defines it.

Historically Germany would have loved having Portugal as an ally for precisely the U-boat Base reason you state above. Additionally, more distant bases in the Cape Verde Islands would have become available to them, but that's beyond the present scope of this game.

I'd like to see Minor Ports at Lisbon, Bilbao, on Crete and Cyprus and a Major Port in Southern England. Is that asking for too much?

[88mm]

Great ideas. There's alot to say in favor of it.

Only one thing is missing , japan

Would love to take a shot at russia from 2 sides, that would be a nice twist. Opens up a whole new box of ideas...