New Mod Nations Game: Mods over Europe (finished)

[DrPraetorious]

I've concluded that the only way to balance a non-wrap-around map is to leave the middle unoccupied.

Unfortunately I lost the script to do this in a HD crash , but if you look at the map I did for Allegiances, you can see most of what I did (I think the map file I posted is missing some large and site-rich provinces that the script added for balance, but gives the general idea.)

Giving the people in the middle wealthier/better sites jsut makes them more attractive targets for being rended limb-from-limb.

Personally, when I'm in the middle I take the Pascal's wager policy:
* If I assume that everyone is going to ally against me, I'm toast.
* If I assume that (pick an opponent at random) may leave me alone long enough to conquer someone else, maybe I'll win.

So if I"m in the middle, I make an alliance with one of my neighbors and attack somebody - just like I'd do if I were in the corner . Preferably, I attack a person who has a corner which I can then claim.

But this has not, historically, been a terribly successful strategy. It's working out for me pretty well in Sophistry - although it turns out the player I'd hoped to ignore was probably planning to attack me, and never got around to it because he was gangbanged by virtue of being in the middle .

So, my advice to Jazzepi - you should have offered to divide my lands with Sanguinia on turn 5, and then come roaring in all death and vengeance, ignoring the possibility that you'd be attacked from behind .

Seldom works, but hey - nothing ventured, nothing gained. Chance favors the bold! Death or glory! And so forth.