Global Triumph

May I offer another idea on balancing Big/Small nation war? (don't reply to just to say "no" ok.  lol)



*TERRAIN BASED FACTORS (non-economic)
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I'm new to the game so my apologies if this has already been discussed. But what about incorporating defensive, offensive, or travel speed bonuses/penalties based on a terrain?  I'm thinking 4 basic types
A- Plains/Desert
B- Mountains
C- Swamp/Marshes
D- Jungle/Forrest



EXAMPLE 1: Defensive/Attacking Bonus/Penalty (non-economic)
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- Smaller/newer countries (rebels) could hold out against super powers in mountain ranges that limit the effectiveness of tanks OR in Jungles that do the same for air strikes.  Sound familiar? (Afghanistan,Vietnam?).
-  Infantry and land vehicles would likewise be subject to a disadvantage against air strikes when crossing places with little cover like plains or deserts.

EXAMPLE 2: Logistical Advantages/Disadvantages (non-economic)
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- A superpower that blitzes plains/deserts with tanks would have to consider the time it would take to march across mountains or around swamps in addition to the raw distance factor.  Whether by bonus or penalty, the effect would be the same:

Vehicles would dominate plains, slow down in mountains and jungle/forrest, and be completely restrictive in marshes where only infantry can tread.  Infantry might be able outrun vehicles in mountains and might have better cover against ait units in jungle/forrests.  And air units which are subject to no terrain could become more relevant supporting units in difficult terrain.  Can you see it?

EXAMPLE 3: Base Security Considerations
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This same feature would also create a strategic benefit for the placement of bases.  Instead of arbitrarily dropping a base along the way, placing it in or around a mountain range or plains area might add an indirect defensive or offensive benefit depending on the strategy or military units of the players in the area.

EXAMPLE 4: General Military Deversification and Specialization WITHOUT adding new units
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Creating a world using as little as 4 terrain types would encourage and discourage the use of certain units in respective areas.  Units or combinations of units that dominate a terrain in one place may not be able to overrun other areas with the same force.  This would force expanders to diversify not only according to the enemy's units, but to their relative placement.


IN CLOSING...
I think this non-economic game feature lends itself to everyone.  It has the potential to balance battle between different size nations and introduces a simple but realistic strategic element we can all understand.  It would also make it so that you don't have to put water everywhere just to create a barrier.  I dare say it would even make choosing a spawn more interesting.

Then again, what do I know.  lol.  I'm pretty new here and am just getting excited.

What do you guys make of the idea?


GholaMaster