Is connecting the Arabian Sea and Yemen a good idea? I ask because the Arabian Sea (already a strategic space) is now all the more important adjacent to 7 sc's, the greatest of any space in the game and the nearby Southern Ocean is next to 6. While I like how the fewer spaces allows for fast interaction, it feels like there needs to be a FEW more sea spaces (not a slew more but a strategic few here and there, including the islands)

And the only other "concern" I have is in India where it seems like there needs to be a BIT more empty spaces between centers. (or maybe one less power?) People are really on top of one another there, strategic "empty" spaces allow fewer stalemates later in the game. I did not take the time to really think through the comments, the way i usually evaluate is just like this, a quick perusal and what jumps out to me. If something jumps out it usually needs further evaluation? That's just me, but it seems to work for me and I don't want to seem overly critical by any means!

Yes, maybe it's an idea to move the South Indian (Vijayanagar) partially or completely to Sri Lanka (Kandy) and make provinces accordingly if necessary. However, this makes this nation insanely overpowered, (so maybe undo 3?). But, it creates more space, something India really needs and at the same time forces players across the board to talk/involve each other in their own game.

Regarding the latest comments...

Tomahaha, going from 6 bordering dots to 7 isn't *that* big a deal, especially since there are 66 dots total, rather than 34. That said, I'll think about adding a water province or two, but enlarging southern Ocean was done specifically to foster east-west interaction, and Arabian Sea was extended to Yemen specifically to compensate Bahmana for the increased competition it may have on Seylac. By the way, realism-wise, since Madagascar was first settled from Indonesia, I don't feel bad extending the Southern Ocean to Somalia. While the Supply Center provinces in the west are somewhat close, overall the density there is barely greater than Standard. There are a lot of non-Supply Center edge provinces. I can't see removing a Power or making significant changes in the heart of the western half of the map. There has been a lot of play in that half of the map (in the Maharajah's variant, or I should say subvariant, at this point), and the Powers are quite well balanced.

Carpenter, moving Vijayanagar that way would be totally non-historical. In fact, the capital was located in the non-Supply Cent Honavar province, so that won't be happening. I actually think Vijayanagar is more vulnerable on the combined map than in the Maharajah's subvariant.

P.S. I am thinking about putting the navigable rivers (but not river convoys, which are very complicated) back in, adding the Mekong as a fourth navigable river, giving Gondwana back its fleet in Sambalpur, and giving Rajputana back its fleet in Jaisalmer.

Regarding the latest comments...

Tomahaha, going from 6 bordering dots to 7 isn't *that* big a deal, especially since there are 66 dots total, rather than 34. That said, I'll think about adding a water province or two, but enlarging southern Ocean was done specifically to foster east-west interaction, and Arabian Sea was extended to Yemen specifically to compensate Bahmana for the increased competition it may have on Seylac. By the way, realism-wise, since Madagascar was first settled from Indonesia, I don't feel bad extending the Southern Ocean to Somalia. While the Supply Center provinces in the west are somewhat close, overall the density there is barely greater than Standard. There are a lot of non-Supply Center edge provinces. I can't see removing a Power or making significant changes in the heart of the western half of the map. There has been a lot of play in that half of the map (in the Maharajah's variant, or I should say subvariant, at this point), and the Powers are quite well balanced.

Carpenter, moving Vijayanagar that way would be totally non-historical. In fact, the capital was located in the non-Supply Cent Honavar province, so that won't be happening. I actually think Vijayanagar is more vulnerable on the combined map than in the Maharajah's subvariant.

P.S. I am thinking about putting the navigable rivers (but not river convoys, which are very complicated) back in, adding the Mekong as a fourth navigable river, giving Gondwana back its fleet in Sambalpur, and giving Rajputana back its fleet in Jaisalmer.

fyi, I really hate being critical please do not take my observations as criticism, you asked for comments and I tell you what I see. I am NOT going to tell you anything is wrong or you don't understand things, far from it, I am the one not understanding as much as you do. My comments are intended to simply point some stuff out that MIGHT need to be looked at. I have asked for comment son my games as well and it can be a fine line I know!

Criticism is fine! That's why I am putting these maps out there. I like to think that I am pretty good at variant design, and have my own personal preferences with regard to variants. That doesn't mean I know everything, or that someone else can't make good suggestions. The previous revisions to the Spice Islands map, and now the revisions East Indies map, are mostly in response to suggestions made here and elsewhere.

P.S. I have apparently double-posted. Is there any way i can remove that, or does a moderator need to do it?

If you are anything like me, sometimes even ideas you do not agree with get you to thinking about things in a different way so even "bad" ideas will sometimes result in good change that had nothing to do with the suggestion.

@DEC, wow, wow, I didn't mean to force you to displace the Vijayanagar outside of their respective habitual zones. I meant that instead of the South Indian you create a new one at approx. the same site (e.g. Portuguese Ceylon). But, you're the expert, see Toma's response.

Carpenter, I didn't mean to sound harsh. I try to balance historical accuracy and playability when designing variants, and while your suggestion might improve playability, it just strays too far from history for my taste.