Cygnus
04-29-2004, 5:00 PM
Alrighty here's my thoughts on the new variant of 1600. I think it corrects the problems Poland had in the first game (by making it easier to defend). But it opens up a two new cans of worms: a new, even weaker Russia as well as making Turkey too powerful.
Interestingly enough Russia's problem is Sweden. In the essence, by seperating Denmark's SCs, as well as condensing the Denmark SCs, from Sweden SCs which I assume is what the creater had in mind, to prevent a conflict over the creators doomed Russia. By preventing conflict between the Danes and Swedes the force Sweden to go east, even more so than in version 2.4. With Poland a little less threatened now, because of a larger country, he can safely join in with the Swedes for a crushing blow against the Russians.
Turkey is now interesting, give giving Turkey another unit, as well changing the position of some SCs, Turkey can almost double it's size (especially if Russia is being crushed by Poland and Sweden). Almost no other nation, other than the Hasburgs has this ability and on top of that it's a corner power (unlike the Hasburgs who quickly have to protect all their borders).
The problem can't be easily solved either. If one gives Russia a more defensible position or decides to give Russia another unit it unbalances the game more. Let me explain in more depth.
If you give Russia a more defensible position (something similar that happened to Poland, which was a good idea) you pretty much defeat the concept of Poland or Russia attacking each other. So now Poland is safe to turn west, which in turn weakens the Hasburgs. Sweden also losses out because if you just give Russia more land to cover he can't really invade anyone to expand... something no other nation has to experience really. If you give Russia another unit, everyone on the Russian border really loses out. Turkey's too busy expanding northwest to stop the Russians, Sweden could get be stopped and then destroyed by Denmark, the Poles would also be stuck in a bad position now as well, because Russia can now send a unit there way even if the Swedes attack the Russians, opening up Poland (like version 2.4) to be ripped apart by Russia, the Turks, and the Hasburgs.
So basically it comes down to altering the positions of the SCs in Scandinavia as well as the map there.
Turkey is the difficult choice. You remove an SC and he's weak as he was before in version 2.4... alter the positions of SCs and the Turks could be heading toward Russia, thus defeating the point of altering the map to allow for a more balanced game. So what should we do?
Thoughts, opinions, ideas?
Interestingly enough Russia's problem is Sweden. In the essence, by seperating Denmark's SCs, as well as condensing the Denmark SCs, from Sweden SCs which I assume is what the creater had in mind, to prevent a conflict over the creators doomed Russia. By preventing conflict between the Danes and Swedes the force Sweden to go east, even more so than in version 2.4. With Poland a little less threatened now, because of a larger country, he can safely join in with the Swedes for a crushing blow against the Russians.
Turkey is now interesting, give giving Turkey another unit, as well changing the position of some SCs, Turkey can almost double it's size (especially if Russia is being crushed by Poland and Sweden). Almost no other nation, other than the Hasburgs has this ability and on top of that it's a corner power (unlike the Hasburgs who quickly have to protect all their borders).
The problem can't be easily solved either. If one gives Russia a more defensible position or decides to give Russia another unit it unbalances the game more. Let me explain in more depth.
If you give Russia a more defensible position (something similar that happened to Poland, which was a good idea) you pretty much defeat the concept of Poland or Russia attacking each other. So now Poland is safe to turn west, which in turn weakens the Hasburgs. Sweden also losses out because if you just give Russia more land to cover he can't really invade anyone to expand... something no other nation has to experience really. If you give Russia another unit, everyone on the Russian border really loses out. Turkey's too busy expanding northwest to stop the Russians, Sweden could get be stopped and then destroyed by Denmark, the Poles would also be stuck in a bad position now as well, because Russia can now send a unit there way even if the Swedes attack the Russians, opening up Poland (like version 2.4) to be ripped apart by Russia, the Turks, and the Hasburgs.
So basically it comes down to altering the positions of the SCs in Scandinavia as well as the map there.
Turkey is the difficult choice. You remove an SC and he's weak as he was before in version 2.4... alter the positions of SCs and the Turks could be heading toward Russia, thus defeating the point of altering the map to allow for a more balanced game. So what should we do?
Thoughts, opinions, ideas?