[archaeolept]

cramping has to do w/ expansion, w/ getting out of an area. black has that in spades, especially the south. there is no other nation w/ a start like it. It is different from everyone else on the face of it - such a situation should red raise flags w/ someone trying to create a balanced start. an exit 2 wide? sorry who else has that? its completely buggered - and then I am directly against two enemies, and cannot bring my own ally to bear? I am flabbergasted that this was set up as it was. 2 against 1? wtf? My desire to engage in a hincked game is rather low.

I offered to exchange starts w/ any other teams. its no surprise no one expressed even theoretical interest in this.

cramping has to do w/ the lack of possibilities of movement out of my area. no one else has anything even remotely similar. In a random map start, that's the way the cookie crumbles, but when start positions were determined by hand, its pretty shocking, as the position is self-evidently different from anyone else's. And having fewer options in how to expand or fight a war is always detrimental. geography is destiny, and my unavoidable destiny is to be curbstombed by having to go one against two head-on. There is no other way this game can go, come turn 16.