The bounds of these changes are limitless… I could see good cause for a 6th and 7th player… Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In terms of Jihad, certainly they are two of the major players in the theater. This would involve extending the Africa coast to include centers like Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and the ones you listed below for the Arab coast. Given all the waterways canals, etc, it has the potential to be a great map.


From: Former Trout [mailto:former.trout(at)gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 8:48 AM
To: DC125 Forums
Cc: JAFA; Michael Sims; Jonathan Kudlick; Bruce Ray
Subject: DC125 - Trouts Opinion - Map Notes


Heya guys,

Some map notes - purely based on my own selfish opinion.

1. With the Arabian Desert as an impassible space, the Iraq / Israel truce is almost an inevitability. There is no incentive for the two to attack each other, as easier centers lie in the opposite direction for both nations. With a blue fleet in the Persian Gulf and a green in the Red Sea then naval movement is completely blocked in either direction. This renders the whole southern edge of the map as dead-space, and creates a strip of neutral provinces right up the middle that serve as a natural DMZ.

My question is that since this variant is based in modern times, what is the oil-rich Arabian peninsula doing out of the mix? It should be in play...

SUGGESTION: Add the Saudi Arabian Peninsula to the map and five new provinces:
- Saudi Arabia (supply center)
- Oman (supply center)
- Qatar
- United Arab Emirates
- Yemen (supply center)

Add at least four new water zones:
- Horn of Africa
- Gulf of Aden
- Arabian Sea
- Indian Ocean

This will drastically open up play on the southern edge and give Israel and the Eastern powers far more of an incentive to conflict with each other.


2. The island of Cyprus. Right now it is bordered by only one water zone and therefore a unit there cannot be dislodged. In addition, unless the Israeli player is an idiot he will win, hands down, in any race between him and Turkey to get there first.

SUGGESTION: - Move the East Med / GOI water border north so that it contacts Cyprus.
- Start Turkey off with a fleet in Adana

3. The Iranian position is possible weaker to start out with than even the Turkish one. None of Iran's home centers can mutually support each other - which is a MAJOR disadvantage if the chips are down and the position under-fire.

SUGGESTION: - Connect Aze and Teh along the Caspian Sea

4. The distance between Iraq and Israel. Right now, all other neighbouring nations are seperated by only one or two spaces - in some cases the home centers even border on each other. However, Iraq and Israel have three or four spaces between their home centers. Once again, this creates a situation where it makes no sense for one to attack the other - the other player would see such an attack coming a mile away

SUGGESTION: Redraw the middle provinces to reduce seperation between Iraq and Israel.

I have more thoughts, of course, but those are the four that come to mind first.. Cheers,

Trout