Promote use of sea

[Tantali]

The sea is often quite under-utilised compared to land, the balance 'amount of rules' vs 'usage' is currently at the side of more rules.

A suggestion in a test-game was to allow naval battles. This was raised as a improvement for the historical accuracy, but might be interesting to investigate to promote sea usage.

Jens:

+ it would simplify the rules a bit - I think this would make the sea less powerful because it's then possible to stop an attacking threat (and steal a move token) at sea.

I'm thinking to make a naval battle viable, it would probably need equal or more rules for it than we have now. But if it makes the sea a full-fledged part of every game, that would be fine I guess.

With that in mind some options:

• easiest rule-wise would be to make it a region as any other, but would still require quite some exceptions to keep it balanced probably
• somehow still allow multiple factions on the sea, but still have some fights? e.g. have the option to be at sea peacefully or use your move to launch an attack while remaining at sea? -> sounds interesting to me, but I don't see anything here that would promote the usage of seas

[317070]

The issue I see, is that you would get 'frontlines', i.e. lines with regions and sea with a lot of units, and inside all countries with 1 unit because they are safe. I like the current view on seas where they can be treated like a highway.

If you would want to use them more, I would opt to make them cheaper. For instance, what if units on the sea at the end of the turn don't need to be paid a wage?

[317070]

Given our last games, I actually doubt the problem still exists. Are the seas really under-used?

[Tantali]

If we leave the road-rule as we've done it in the experimental branch, then I guess this ticket is obsolete. But especially with newer players I often see the sea being completely unused.

[317070]

It was not only with the new road rule. Last game in Gent was also having a lot of sea movement.

I guess for new players it might indeed not make complete sense why the seas are useful. But then again, I think that is a good thing. It simplifies the first games for them.

[Tantali]

But then again, I think that is a good thing. It simplifies the first games for them.

Fair point

[nymanjens]

If we leave the road-rule as we've done it in the experimental branch, then I guess this ticket is obsolete.

This is done now.

But especially with newer players I often see the sea being completely unused.

The beginner scenarios now start with units in the sea, which should help with this.

Closing this ticket because it's obsolete!