[Abandoned] Pirates and Merchants - V9 - Pg 1&13

by **iAmCaffeine** on Wed Dec 18, 2019 5:28 pm

Same. I really enjoyed this map at first, but now I if I see it in random I'm just disappointed. I've had too many games where I only drop merchants and from there it's an automatic loss unless your opponent is brain dead.

by **zimmah** on Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:07 pm

iAmCaffeine wrote:Same. I really enjoyed this map at first, but now I if I see it in random I'm just disappointed. I've had too many games where I only drop merchants and from there it's an automatic loss unless your opponent is brain dead.

Yeah if DiM comes back we may be able to balance it but idk if he will come back or not.

by **IcePack** on Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:17 pm

He did just post recently.

by **zimmah** on Tue Jun 15, 2021 11:09 am

IcePack wrote:He did just post recently.

after which he disappeared again, let's hope it won't take another 7 years for him to return this time :lol:

by **mark74** on Mon Jul 26, 2021 1:40 pm

Merchants are at a disadvantage on this map, as they are limited to attacking harbors, while Pirates can attack all coastal regions (including harbors). I recommend that Pirates ships may attack all coastal regions EXCEPT harbors, as they will always have the advantage.

by **DarkDepths** on Tue Aug 03, 2021 2:34 pm

I have some serious game play concerns about this map.

I'm currently playing the map in two different games with (mostly) the same set of players. In one game (Game #20397631: 6 Players, Standard, Escalating, Sequential, Chained), we are up to round 129, and the next set of of spoils turned in are worth 94,670 troops.

That game became stalemated, so we started a second game with some different conditions (Game #21022325: 5 Players, Standard, Nuclear, Sequential, Chained, 50 Rounds). Currently 3 of the 5 players have been nuked off their ships. When that happens, all bonuses cease for that player except those related to number of regions held (in other words, province held as well as port/treasure bonuses all cease). In order for game play to be meaningful in this map, it seems that spoils should NOT include ships - this would mean no bonuses for ships held (since you can only hold your own ship, and cannot take others, this makes sense), no zombie-fying ships and no nuking ships.

The victory conditions for different players seem more challenging for some than others. Holding 14 regions in some combinations of settings is nearly impossible, for example.

by **jonesthecurl** on Wed Aug 04, 2021 9:52 am

Losing the bonus for provinces makes no sense. But ships must be vulnerable in some way, or stalemates are far too probable. If you could foe maps as well as players, this one would be on my foe list.

by **sm8900** on Sun Feb 06, 2022 9:25 am

mark74 wrote:Merchants are at a disadvantage on this map, as they are limited to attacking harbors, while Pirates can attack all coastal regions (including harbors). I recommend that Pirates ships may attack all coastal regions EXCEPT harbors, as they will always have the advantage.

yes, that is a good point.

by **sm8900** on Sun Feb 06, 2022 9:26 am

DarkDepths wrote:I have some serious game play concerns about this map.

I'm currently playing the map in two different games with (mostly) the same set of players. In one game (Game #20397631: 6 Players, Standard, Escalating, Sequential, Chained), we are up to round 129, and the next set of of spoils turned in are worth 94,670 troops.

That game became stalemated, so we started a second game with some different conditions (Game #21022325: 5 Players, Standard, Nuclear, Sequential, Chained, 50 Rounds). Currently 3 of the 5 players have been nuked off their ships. When that happens, all bonuses cease for that player except those related to number of regions held (in other words, province held as well as port/treasure bonuses all cease). In order for game play to be meaningful in this map, it seems that spoils should NOT include ships - this would mean no bonuses for ships held (since you can only hold your own ship, and cannot take others, this makes sense), no zombie-fying ships and no nuking ships.

The victory conditions for different players seem more challenging for some than others. Holding 14 regions in some combinations of settings is nearly impossible, for example.

I'm playing this map as well. those are good points.

by **iancanton** on Wed Feb 09, 2022 7:07 pm

DiM and zimmah, as this map continues to generate some interest, do either of u object to the xml being tweaked slightly to amend the starting troops, without changing the graphics?

ian.

by **sm8900** on Sun Feb 27, 2022 2:15 pm

yikes. I just realized, if the original spaces for each player can actually be played in a set, in a game that is zombie AND a team game, then that is the only way that a ship space could be eliminated; worse; it would mean a player could defeat their OWN team!!

can anyone please assist with this? we would greatly appreciate it. thanks!!

by **sm8900** on Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:44 am

for the "Fearsome Dill" player goal, what is considered an "island" on this map? is it any physcial island? or is it only an entire region that consists of islands? I'm truly not sure. thanks.

by **Tin Trumpet** on Fri Apr 19, 2024 4:16 am

quetsion, not played this before, but why does Telefomin, not linked to Amanab (top left). they appear to border, but its not an attack route....

by **plurple** on Fri Apr 19, 2024 7:31 am

Tin Trumpet wrote:quetsion, not played this before, but why does Telefomin, not linked to Amanab (top left). they appear to border, but its not an attack route....

I think it is blocked by a river but yeah is hard to tell as the river colour is fading by that border

by **SoN!c** on Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:30 am

Well this is such a great design.

It should be revived / discussed. Way too good for not doing anything. Let haul this diamond out of the recycling box for all CC.

This is such a masterpiece that just needs a little fix for balance.

Such a shame to have it in the "The final resting place"... (unless you recycle)..

So what if pirates cannot attack harbors for balance? Harbors are well protected so a pirate ship can't just walse in there afterall..

And for re-balance if they cannot attack ports , why not add 2 more treasures (to Gloucester and Cupiano)?

Then Red Beard's objective is way easier then the rest so why not change it from 7 tot 10?

Zimmah last visited:Wed Aug 28, 2024..but he said himself

"Yeah if DiM comes back we may be able to balance it but idk if he will come back or not."

(DiM last visited 2021) so i think they would want the better balance

V10discussionmap:

Is it possible to recycle this with new xml? It would be a great asset to CC - sometimes you need to think out of the box. And 4 years waiting for someone is long enough to just go ahead in good faith and with lots of respect honouring them for the rough superdiamond they made. Fucking awesome!! =D>

by **TrafalgarLaw01** on Sat Jul 26, 2025 11:17 am

SoN!c wrote:Well this is such a great design.

It should be revived / discussed. Way too good for not doing anything. Let haul this diamond out of the recycling box for all CC.

This is such a masterpiece that just needs a little fix for balance.

Such a shame to have it in the "The final resting place"... (unless you recycle)..

So what if pirates cannot attack harbors for balance? Harbors are well protected so a pirate ship can't just walse in there afterall..

And for re-balance if they cannot attack ports , why not add 2 more treasures (to Gloucester and Cupiano)?

Then Red Beard's objective is way easier then the rest so why not change it from 7 tot 10?

Zimmah last visited:Wed Aug 28, 2024..but he said himself
"Yeah if DiM comes back we may be able to balance it but idk if he will come back or not."
(DiM last visited 2021) so i think they would want the better balance

V10discussionmap:

Is it possible to recycle this with new xml? It would be a great asset to CC - sometimes you need to think out of the box. And 4 years waiting for someone is long enough to just go ahead in good faith and with lots of respect honouring them for the rough superdiamond they made. Fucking awesome!!