Bulkangen [8.0] is submitted for review.

[slanmaster]

New map: Bulkangen [8.0] by slanmaster.
Map editor link: Bulkangen [8.0]

[slanmaster]

Small tweaks here and there. Green start got some obstacles on the way to the central lava area.

[KGB]

The problem with the obstacles is that in games where you start with a flier (Gryphon/Ghost/Eagle etc) the swamp/ford-on-river aren't obstacles at all. The capital is still only 8 squares away. That player could and also build Eagles too in their Capital.

It would be better if it moved to NorthWoods or Boiling Lake or you move the city itself much further away. Your map is 100x100 and yet there is no player starting in the upper left area (35x35 squares which is a huge portion of the map). Note that the Yellow player could move his capital to the city to the right as well to space things out more.


KGB

[slanmaster]

Hmm, if I start to move around the capitals it will mess a bit with my nicely planned distances to near cites and also to the others.. What if i make the obstacle lava?

[slanmaster]

If you get to start with a flyer as Green, everyone else gets that too- and that gives most starts a different approach to fast expansion.

[KGB]

Well only Green can take advantage of the Flying start by being able to cross an important obstacle and obtain a key city in the middle. The other sides don't gain much from a flying start.

OK, if you don't want to move the Green capital then maybe move the city Upper Ashhold a bit further inland toward the middle (down and right 1-2 squares). That city is *SO* important because once Green obtains it they have a stronghold that threatens Yellow/Red (they win any race to Lush Valley and possibly Northern Outlook if Yellow doesn't expand there immediately) while guaranteeing that all their backyard cities (left&above) them are only theirs since no one else can get them. It's the most important city for them to get on the map.

KGB

[slanmaster]

Yes, that's a better solution. Let me have a look at it.