Don't really want to discuss strategy yet (you can), just want to give a quick shout to M57 for coming up with a new board dynamic, that works reasonably well.

Also, I think all the clever puns for board names have been exhausted with M57's Appocadabra and Nygma's Hippappomattox. I keep saying "Alpo Maalox" in my head, and hence never start a table.

Thanks for the kudos Mongrel.

I feel like in some ways this design is a desperation attempt at creating a supply-line dynamic. The mechanics of it only work because there is a max unit count of 1 on each territory, so whatever its contribution to the genre has been, it will fall quickly by the way-side if and when barren territories become available to designers.

I think what you have is good. Just needs to be bigger, I think? I can understand why you have so many high defense spots, I think it actually adds to the strategy, just have to get used to the pace (slow, yet tactical), need to be VERY judicious with your units. There can be much grinding and gnashing of teeth when you drop 3 in one round.

Unfortunately, I think the starting scenario will turn people off (I'm not convinced of a starting imbalance yet). When they have a glob of units and use all 3 attacks each turn and get worn down to nothing. The board does have an unlucky feel to it, but both players are subject to said unluck, so you try to put it on the other guy.

My only wish is that the cutoffs were more drastic, but I imagine it'd be too violent and no one would make progress.

barren... obviously not the same as abandoned. no man's land? auto-revert to neutral?
I've won twice on this board so I must like it.

wrench_monkey wrote: barren... obviously not the same as abandoned. no man's land? auto-revert to neutral?
I've won twice on this board so I must like it.

"Barren" would be a territory where no units can be placed (or born) during the placement phase of a turn, forcing supply-line strategies.  I was just thinking that it would be nice if barren territories could be somehow linked to capitals such that a territory would not be barren for the player who owns its related capital.

I love this board and the supply-line strategy gameplay.  Barren territories would spice it up for more expansive boards, but this one is perfect as-is.

rhcp11 wrote:

I love this board and the supply-line strategy gameplay.  Barren territories would spice it up for more expansive boards, but this one is perfect as-is.

here here..... The only problem I see with this board is that I'm not ranked number 1 anymore!

I was thinking of retiring it once Barren came on-line.  ..and especially Unit Range, which promises to change the whole supply-line paradigm, but what I could do instead would be to turn the current board into a "Classic" scenario, and then create a new scenario using the new designer tools.

Barren is already on line...

tom wrote:

Barren is already on line...

Yeah, I know.  I said I was "thinking"..  But really it needs UnitRange more than Barren.   Not a big deal -- Some people like it as it is.