[shatner]

I've played a couple of quick trial games on the new map with 8 players and that map gets really crowded really fast. My normal mode of play involves more provinces per player so I'm accustomed to expanding for longer before the border skirmishes begin. That said, the trial games I've played have turned into crowded dog-piles really quickly and I'm not sure whether that's because this game map is genuinely overcrowded with 8 players or it just feels that way because I'm playing outside my comfort-zone.

I'd appreciate a second or third opinion on playing this map with 1 water and 7 land nations before we start the game and commit to a map for good.