Not sure if this is really the proper thread for this, but since the map creator is on here, I figured it'd be a good spot to discuss the map in general.
Overall, the map feels more than a bit...unusual I guess (for lack of a better term)? Some points to note about it:
1) The map description says SC locations (and starting locations) were based on population figures. Is this a wise way to balance a map? It seems like we come up with some very weird situations because of it. For example:
Italy -
a) Italy as a power can guarantee a +3. They are the only power that can guarantee a doubling of their size. And one of two powers where no other power can threaten a home SC in year 1 (Ukraine is the other. And while Ukraine has no threats, they can't guarantee a +2 as only VRN is a guaranteed capture). This will seemingly lead to Italy being a leading power most of the time.
b) Along with this, Italy has undisputed control of the central Mediterranean early on. With Athens not being able to reach CMS, and Marseille not being able to reach TYR, Italy can safely go +3 and also dominate the near waters with little threat almost every time.
c) Contrast (b) with other nations.
- Both of Greece's starting SCs can be threatened by Ottomans via AEG and THR.
- Ottomans has IZM threatened by ATH/THS from Greece, and IST threatened by ATH/THS from Greece, BTM from Georgia, and BCH from Romania.
- Romania has CLJ threatened by KRA from Poland and NVS from Serbia, and also BCH threatened from IST (Ottoman) and BTM (Georgia).
- Serbia has NVS threatened by CLJ from Romania.
- Georgia has BTM threatened by IST (Ottoman) and BCH (Romania).
- Ukraine has no threats to home SCs.
- Russia has STP threatened by OUL/HSK (Finland) and STK (Sweden).
- Lithuania has KAU threatened by WAR from Poland.
- Poland has WAR threatened by KAU (Lithuania) and KRA threatened by CLJ (Romania) and BRN (Czechia).
- Finland has both home SCs threatened by STP (Russia) and STK (Sweden).
- Sweden has STK threatened by STP (Russia) and OUL/HSK (Finland) and GTB threatened by HAM (Germany).
- Czechia has BRN threatened by KRA (Poland).
- Germany has HAM threatened by GTB (Sweden) and AMS (Netherlands).
- Netherlands has both home SCs threatened by LON (UK) and AMS threatened by HAM (Germany).
- UK has LON threatened by both Netherlands SCs and MAN threatened by both Irish SCs.
- Ireland has both home SCs threatened by MAN (UK).
- France has Marseille threatened by Barcelona (Spain).
- Spain has Barcelonia threatened by Marseille (France) and Madrid threatened by PRT (Portugal).
- Portugal has PRT threatened by Madrid (Spain).
Overall, there are 20 nations. 2 have no SCs threatened, 8 with 1 SC threatened, and 10 with 2 home SCs threatened. Of those 10 with 2 SCs threatened, 8 are 2 SC powers (Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Romania, Greece).
Contrast that to "classic" Diplomacy where England has 1 threat, France has 2, Germany has 2, Russia has 2, Italy has 1, Turkey has 2, and Austria can unfortunately have all 3 threatened. The key is that there's no power that's completely safe, whereas we have 2 here, and of those two, Italy has other benefits near it (points A and B). Perhaps it will play out different than an outside analysis, but that doesn't seem to bode overly well for general balance of the map.
Other interesting things:
Portugal and Spain seem like they're destined for conflict nearly every time. Unless there's implicit trust before the initial builds/moves, the need for the small powers to grow rapidly to stay relevant will likely push them into conflict.
Lots of conflicts over single sea zones right off the bat. UK/Ireland, Greece/Ottomans, France/Spain, Russia/Finland/Sweden, Germany/Sweden, Netherlands/UK, and Romania/Ottomans/Georgia all have immediate conflicts over overseer zones. If the intent is to cause immediate war, that works, but if that's not the intent, it gives those powers who don't have those conflicts a major advantage, as they have the ability to play kingmaker while the conflicting powers have to worry about backdoor stabs. Especially England, Sweden, and Ottomans who all have 2 different sea zones they have to be concerned with that threaten 6 of their combined 8 home SCs to start. Contrast this again with Italy who has 0 conflicts and a guaranteed +3 if they want it.
Without going too much into other things since this is already a novel, I feel like some minor tweaks on SC locations or adjacencies for territories could alleviate some of these issues and is something that shoudl be considered as we see data come in.