In fact, there is unusually phenomenon you will notice which is that of all the maps, some of the maps don’t have sea options. It reminds me of the old era where some maps didn’t have trade posts (lol). I know, it sounds funny, but there was time when map maker didn’t understand to give players maximum options for strategic variety with trade post on every map. That is why extra peculiar to see the repeated same mistake repeated.
All maps should have sea
Furthermore, a right approach to promote strategic diversity and give the players maximum options in each game is for every map to include sea. If we are interested to promote balance instead of bias it must be considered quite reasonable.
Sea is underperforming
I understand there can be some who worry about sea on all maps.
They might say: “It’s true that sea promotes more strategic depth and options, but most town centers (which is what a dock essentially is) cost 500 wood, and sea-town-centers (STCs) only cost 200 wood”. That’s not a correct analysis. Furthermore, it is a wrong approach. First of all, STCs while costing 200 wood instead of 500 wood have only 2500 hp compared to 6500 hp of land town center. This means STC saves 300 wood but loses 4000 hp. Personally, I value 4000 hp more than the ability to train extra villagers. Most top players agree.
Even less correct argument it’s where people say that other mini-town-centers (villager-training-facility) (MTCs) exist for same cost and hp. Like, Hausa berber native embassy, or cree native post. In fact, these buildings is heavily different as they only ability to train limited number of villagers (5) from 200 wood building. Thus, dock is not even similar to these, and is not correct analogy at all. It’s like compare apples and orange. Serious comparisons only please.
Sea promotes better gameplay experience
Furthermore, sea play is some of the best in aoe 3 de experience. I remember for example KaiserKlein vs Kynesie long new england game on New England. Kaiser adapted to sea map and fight long, slow, sluggish attrition game 40min + to contest sea while both players boom also on land. It was very impressed to see the excellent and correct sea gameplay.
In fact, most games currently finish without long sluggish sea gameplay and this makes the aoe 3 de experience somewhat 1-dimensional.
Sure, some will say, “Ok but like in your example, to counter sea it must be contested sea, and therefore sea maps generate long, boring, attrition games and force you to make sea to compete, usually, and this is boring for me”. Actually, this is not correct. A right approach it’s that competitive mindset and full-range of rts capability enjoys making warships and docks and sending advanced dock and making outposts and making culvs and making mortars and doing things like this. Therefore, we see that bigger more variety mindset enjoys sea, and one-dimensional complainer enjoys not sea?
Sea is easy to contest
Most incorrect argument of all it’s “Sure, but if someone wins sea or has sea uncontested, they have 40-70% eco handicap advantage, and this is way to strong”.
First of all, like I showed in my example game, sea can always be contested. Don’t want to play vs 50% eco handicap? Make docks and boats and outposts and culvs and mortars and walls and advanced dock and sea upgrade card yourself. Why it’s so hard? Therefore, this complaint is a wrong opinion and not a correct approach.
Second, don’t forget sea player/winner also has powerful warship what can secure land positions and win land army exchanges. Thus, sea player/winner is requires to expend almost double mental energy deciding where to place the warship, plus extra neurons devoted to threat-awareness in case the warship requires micro or movement. Land players don’t know how much it’s a disadvantage to have to maintain this much energy to control ships, but I can just say it’s similar to how much energy is used to build walls. It really is that difficult.
Sea is not even good currently
What’s the problem 50% eco advantage for winning a portion of the map? How it’s different to any other portion of map? For example, I send my outpost to middle of map and train me 35 unit of strong caliber and army comp of the best composition. So now I won middle portion of map. In fact, my advantage there is more than 50% eco handicap because (1) line of sight advantage (2) deny resource (3) access more resource (4) even more things. In fact, when combining these things, 50% eco handicap advantage from having sea (won/uncontested) is arguably too weak and should perhaps be buffed.
Conclusion
Overall, I hope the changes can implemented with the following:
- All maps have sea option
- Sea options made larger on all maps
- Sea eco buffed to compensate for comparative inadequate benefit (see above analysis)