Suggestion "Swap" Threads

[Okkeus Dainlei]

Alright y'all, I was looking at the map and thought of a unique idea. Put this together in about 15 minutes, so it is still pretty rough. I would love feedback on it. Thanks!

"Swap" Threads
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What is a "Swap" Thread?

A "Swap" Thread is a new type of thread that will affect the map game, similar to Dominions. Instead of gaining a new hex through a Dominion, a Major Faction may choose to "swap" one of it's hexes located in its influence cloud for a hex that is outside of their influence cloud. But while doing this, they will lose that previous hex.

Spoiler: Example

Here is an example of a "Swap" Thread. As shown here, the SJC are taking the orange hex and swapping it with the yellow hex. Once the thread is complete, the orange hex will be removed from their influence cloud, and the yellow one will be added.

How will this add to story?

"Swap" Threads allow Major Factions to pull out resources from one area of their influence cloud and use them in another area. If you have part of your cloud that has no threat near it, why not pull some of your hexes away from their and put them where they can reinforce your side at risk.


What are the rules for these types of threads?

Lots of text incoming

• "Swap" Threads are allowed to be used once a month, and will not take up any Dominion spots. Smaller than Dominions though, "Swap" Threads will require a minimum of 25 posts from the faction. If a MF wants to do a multi-swap (removing one hex and gaining two), they must have a minimum of 100 posts. Once the thread it complete, the MF can submit it to the map changes, where it will be judged and possibly added to the map. ​

• No hexes may be gained from "Swap" Threads that will be from a free hex. Different from other types of threads, you cannot gain free hexes durning these types of threads. This rule is only in place to prevent Major Factions from purposely moving hexes just to gain free ones.
  Spoiler: Example

  

  Here is an example within the Bryn'adul cloud. The orange represents their current hex, while the yellow represents an unclaimed hex. This would be an illegal "Swap" Thread since they would be gaining the green hex for free. Not hexes may be gained from "Swap" Threads except for the hex being swapped to.

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• Any hex that has been lost to by an invasion cannot be chosen for a "Swap" Thread. If a hex were to get nulled in the middle of your cloud due to an invasion, the Major Faction that is in that cloud cannot swap for that hex. This rule would prevent invasions becoming useless since a MF could just swap and gain their hex right back. Still with the normal rules, those hexes an be gained back through Dominions, but not "Swap" Threads.

• Hexes that have been recently gained through Invasions, Dominions, Junctions, or Diplomacies cannot have a swapped hex attached to them. With this, it will prevent Major Factions trying to rush into taking another hex. A minimum of 30 days must occur before a hex attached can be swapped.

Spoiler: Example

Here, we are going to say that all three hexes on the red line were recently gained through Dominions in the last 30 days. If you wanted to do a "Swap" Thread, the swap could not be placed on any other the yellow area. The green area is free game for swaps, since they have no hexes attached to them that went through change in the last 30 days

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• Hexes surrounding a Major Faction's capital may not be a part of "Swap" Threads. This rule is in place so that if an Invasion were to have recently happened, close a MF close to a capital, they could not just jump ahead and swap a nearby hex.

Spoiler: Example

Say hypothetically that TSE surrounded all of the MU, and they were preparing to take them out. All of the yellow hexes cannot become swapped thread, since they are connected to MU's capital hex. However, all of the blue hexes are fair game for them, since they are not connected.

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I think that is all the basic info. Again, kinda threw this together, so there might be some stuff that needs to be fixed. Let me know what y'all think!

 

[WelshPsych]

So, this swap thread idea. Not sure I see the benefits? Why lose a hex to just gain another that you could have just use a Dominon to gain it that month?

I am personally just not sure this is adding anything or providing enough reward personally to see it being used by Major Factions. Sacrificing a hex is a big deal in my opinion and just swapping for a different hex you could just Dom, not sure it is worth it?

Just my thoughts on it all but maybe I am missing something here!!

(This is just my view!)

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

Hello WelshPsych , thanks for the feedback!

One thing that instantly comes to mind for me with these is preventing being cloudbroken.

For example, say that the Bryn'adul really wanted to keep the mini arm they have on the TSE outskirts. But, they know that TSE wants to invade the pink hex, as they are trying to cloudbreak them. If they were to complete a swap, moving the green hex to the yellow hex, then they would have extra support.

Even if they lost that invasion on the pink hex, that new yellow hex would save that mini arm.

Hope that was a good example! Just found one real fast.

 

[WelshPsych]

Okkeus Dainlei

Okay, but this is sacrificing a Dom a month to swap this hex. My point would be, could they not keep the hex they would swap and just Dom the hex to protect themselves from a cloudbreak?

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

WelshPsych

Well, my original idea with this was to have these as an addition to Dominions, but that just seemed like a little much. So I do see your point, and that part I wrote in was working off of the original draft.

Does 3 Dominions and 3 possible Swaps per month sound like too much?

 

[WelshPsych]

Personally, that feels like something more weighty, maybe just 1 swap thread a month. Can make a Faction think about it. That's just my personal view but yeah not replacing a Dominion could make it more interesting.

 

[Fatty]

It is an interesting concept, but I don't think these rules allow it to florish.

As has been pointed out, you can pretty easily fulfill the purpose of this with a dominion and not lose anything at all.

The only way this would be attractive is if the post count were at discount ("we want to shore up defenses quickly!") Say at 25 posts instead of 50. Or, if the reward were larger ("We sacrifice one hex here to gain two hexes there, for 50 posts").

I would limit this type of tread to once a month, and eat in to the number of dominions that can be completed

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

WelshPsych Fatty

Alright, I have taken both of your ideas and edited the idea.

“Swap” Threads can only be done once a month, and will not take up a Dominion slot. A minimum of 25 posts is required. But if a faction wanted to do a double swap, like Fatty mentioned, then a minimum of 100 posts is required.

What do you guys think?

 

[Fatty]

I love that you're taking feedback on the idea.

I think with the double up, you're still running into the previous issue where it can be accomplished with two dominions without losing anything.

I think, personally, it would be one or the other.

Either it is a discount dominion that sacrifices some less important territory. (Net 0, but it is accomplished faster)

Or, you exchange a hex for two for the normal 50 posts. (Net gain of one)

I wouldn't recommend having the ability to choose either or, again, in my personal opinion.

 

[Tefka]

I don’t think this warrants a completely new ruleset. As others have mentioned, the effect can already be achieved.

We’ve added a lot of complexity to the rules for the “Age of Chaos” era, I’m not currently in the market for any further expansion unless it’s a Flashpoint idea or tweaks to existing rulesets.

Love the creative takes and thinking outside the box, though.