Okay, how about this for an MA Terrain?

[Sabre]

This is just a start, mind you.  "C" stands for country, and "Z" for zone (i.e. strat-zone).  Thus, C1Z1 = Country 1, Strat-zone 1.  The black dotted lines bisecting main continents represent zone boundaries.  Channels between continents would be about a 1.5 sectors wide at their widest points.  Each country would have at least six fleets, three CV fleets (2xCV + 4xDE) and three CA fleets (2xCA + 4xDE).  Mountain ranges would lie roughly along zone borders that devide main islands, but with passes through them to be controlled at either end by vehicle bases.  Rivers with (I hope) bridges may take the place of some mountains to divide zones.  Next step is to lay down a grid to scale and start laying out possible base/strat sites.  Any comments?  Thoughts? Suggestions?

[NUTTZ]

I Like it! ( but then again I like beer on my cornflakes)

The ONLY problem I see sofar, and i understand this is just a rought sketch. You may want to "skew the left side up" the right side can have CV's go behind it undetected,While upper and lower left side cannot sneak around to the back of the "mainland" other than that it's workable. It resembles My "COFFEE" map to some extent. IF you would like to see it and fly in it sabre, Fire me off an email and i'll send you the URL. It's Still under construction but coming along nicely. I just don't want to send it out to the masses yet:)

NUTTZ
DFlora@GraphixOne.net

[Sabre]

Okay, good points, Nuttz.  Here it is, reproportioned as you suggested, squared up, and with a 25mi by 25mi grid.  This makes it roughly 512mi by 512 miles overall.

[CptTrips]

Sabre,

It looks like you're off to a good start.  You also are approaching it in the smart manner by starting with a design drawing first.  I can't emphasize enough how important this is.  This lets HT make change requests early on that cost you nothing more than redrawing a picture.  The absolute worst way to approach it is to hand him a finished terrain and expect him just to recognize your brilliance and beg to use your terrain in the MA.  Its “possible” to get it right the first time without his input, but highly improbable.  Getting HTC involved early in the design process will make everyone’s job a lot easier.

OK.  I have a couple of comments since you asked for them.  These aren’t even necessarily my opinion, but I’ll try and give you a preview of what HT might say based on our dealings with him.  

1.   He’ll prolly want you to fill in the corners a little with some more islands.  He wants to utilize as much of the terrain real-estate as possible.  Our original pizza pie was in the center of a square map with open ocean in the corners.  He asked us to fill it in a bit.  Our corner islands eventually became an entire ring of land, but for you some islands would suffice.  I think you’ll find that you also need that extra land mass to fit in all your 255 fields.  You should strive to use all 255 fields so the map has room to grow and support larger customer numbers.  You start running out of land quick given the spacing requirements.

2.   I notice you are placing a HQ icon on each of the islands.  I don’t know if you are representing actual HQ’s or the master field for the zone.  However, FYI, There is still only 1 HQ per country.  Also, the “zone”  (not the fields)  in which HQ resides (the “Primary Zone” ) is uncapturable.   So take that into account in your design.  Also, when you actually are laying them down in the editor, the 3 primary zones must be zone 1,2,3.

3.   All the zones for each of your counties are in a contiguous block.  HT will prolly prefer you to mix them up a bit more.  This will increase the “combat surface area” by giving you more borders with enemy zones.  You want to avoid choke points.  You want to provide as many fields as possible in direct contact with enemy fields so as to spread the action out around the map.
   
You’re on the right track though.  This is a “doable” task if approached in the right way.  It’s also important.  Maps this size take a long time to complete.  Its is one area that the community could take some load off HTC so they can concentrate on core development.  I’d like to see a cadre of MA terrain builders that can provide a finished map every tour.  There’s no way HTC could come close to that given their resources, but I think it’d be great for the game to enjoy that kind of variety.

If  I can be of further help, please let me know.

Regards,
Wab

[Sabre]

Thanks, Wab!  Good feedback.  I wasn't aware of the "one HQ per country" deal.  I was under the impression there was an HQ in each zone, so that you couldn't knock radar down for the entire enemy country with one strike.  I'll look at adding some more islands in the corners.  The main thing I was concerned with is allowing a bit of manuevering room for fleets, but I can see I've probably got too much H2O in the corners.

All the zones for each of your counties are in a contiguous block. HT will prolly prefer you to mix them up a bit more. This will increase the “combat surface area” by giving you more borders with enemy zones.

Hehe...I used to play a lot of "Risk" when I was younger, and you would always try to get as big a contiguous block of territories as possible when selecting your initial territories.  An isolated territory was a territory you were going to loose early.  So when I laid out the starting positions, I followed that old boardgame's precepts.  Definitely some room for shuffling those around a bit.  Perhaps keeping contiguous zones, but insuring the large central islands are split between two countries.  That would provide a long front line while still keeping some internal integrity to each empire.

The next step I contemplate is laying out some initial field/port/base/strat positions, then firing the drawing off to HTC for review and feedback.  Whom should it go to initially?

[CptTrips]

Hehe...I used to play a lot of "Risk" when I was younger, and you would always try to get as big a contiguous block of territories as possible when selecting your initial territories. An isolated territory was a territory you were going to loose early. So when I laid out the starting positions, I followed that old boardgame's precepts. Definitely some room for shuffling those around a bit. Perhaps keeping contiguous zones, but insuring the large central islands are split between two countries. That would provide a long front line while still keeping some internal integrity to each empire.

Keep in mind that what you'd prefer as a member of a country and what would be best for the arena gameplay might not be the same thing.  The zones are prolly more defendable than you think.  The new supply system makes it difficult to hold fields in an enemy zone, and easy for the defender to close them back down (unless its the master field you capture).  Also, think carefully about the scale.  EACH zone in the new map is the size and has the resources and number of fields of an ENTIRE country in the current map.  If fact HT told us to visualize 4 separate current maps grouped together.  Not just for reasons of scale but in the alternating distribution of zone ownership.  Our layout changed that around a little, but if you look carefully at the starting positions,  EVERY zone in each country has one or more of its edges adjacent to another enemy zone.  There are no “internal” zones completely surrounded friendly zones (thus wasted).  By “contact”  I mean a certain number of fields are within 1.5 sectors of enemy fields.  
Shrug.  Do as you wish.  Run it by HT.  He's the one you have to satisfy not me.  

The next step I contemplate is laying out some initial field/port/base/strat positions, then firing the drawing off to HTC for review and feedback. Whom should it go to initially?

I would strongly recommend getting your rough land mass layout and high level zone layout approved FIRST before starting to layout fields.  Getting all the fields laid out with the proper spacing and balanced distribution is a fair amount of work in itself.  Since it is directly and significantly effected by the land mass layout agreed upon,  you might be well advised to get that solid first to save you self unnecessary rework.

Regards,
Wab

[cajun]

Looks pretty good, though I like geographic maps much better than made up worlds, it looks like it would be an interesting map to play on, what are the requirments for a MA map?

[Roscoroo]

I think it may need a larger island in the middle . and pehaps more out on the corners .

Also pay attention to the CV's they need room to hide, manuver and  to attack under stealth at times ...  (the Pizza map doesnt have that room or the cv's are trapped in corridors)

As for placing Bases this becomes important to as in what size of field and where . (to many large fields  are a strong point in that area of the map ) along with the altitudes of the fields . (the guys on top of the hill always have an adv.

As in the ND isles map you notice the main islands with each countrys HQ's have large fields  and the center isles have mostly smaller fields the small flds changes hands alot and the large one become long prolonged battles. (In my opinion i think this is the best map in the main for 3 sided play )
the SFMA map isnt bad either but it seams to get steam rolled now and then. the other two maps have a country adv to them .

[CptTrips]

Sabre,

Concerning zone ownership...

I think simply swapping ownership on the following zones would greatly increas your combat surface area:

C1Z3 <---> C2Z3
C1Z4 <---> C3Z3
C2Z4 <---> C3Z4

Just a suggestion.

Wab

[Sabre]

Hmm...not a bad idea, Wab.  It keeps two core zones back-to-back but provides much longer fronts around them.  Those isolated zones would be more vulnerable, but equally so for all three countries.

[CptTrips]

>Those isolated zones would be more vulnerable

Perhaps.  You can look at it in two ways I suppose.

1.  Those zones are isolated and vulnerable.

2.  Those zones are excellent beachheads to spearhead your attack into someone elses backyard.

Depends on which type of commander you are.

Wab

[Sabre]

Here's the next iteration, with the HQ, cities, and ports placed.  I've not shuffled the zones around yet, as AKWabbit suggested. I'd like to hear from HiTech on that issue.  I personally like the starting positions to be contiguous zones.  It makes for smaller front lines, but only to start with.  Once the fronts begin to move, they will spread out considerably.  I'ld also like to hear from HiTech on the issue of trying to use all 255 bases.  As AKWab notes, the less amount of land mass compared to the Pizza map would make it difficult to cram all 255 onto this map.  Rather than forcing it, I'd like to just put as many fields as possible, while mainting the general field separation of 1-1.5 sectors.

[hitech]

Only thing I see at the moment is C1 has 4 zones touching boudries while c2 and c3 have 3.


Starting with how you want the zone ownership to go is fine.


On if you need more land mass. some ilands can be added if needed during field layout.

Other than that looks intersting.

[Sabre]

Thanks, HiTech!  Jarbo made the same comment regarding one country having more fronts than the others.  A quick fix.  I'll start laying out fields next, and post again.  One of the things I'm planning is to have either mountain ranges with a few deep valleys running through them or rivers running along the dotted lines that divide zones on continents and large islands.  Not towering mountains...just modest ones to act as chock points along the initial fronts.  The canyons that peirce the mountains will have opposing vehicle bases guarding them, while rivers will have opposing v-fields dotted along opposite banks to allow cross-river assaults with LVT's and PT boats.