forum.webdiplomacy.net is the place to discuss variants, definitely

Problem is: Gilgatex an me didn't invent the variants on our own. We just take a map we like from the variantbank and make them webdip-ready. We both don't have much knowledge in map balancing and many maps have a long history of changes already. Also many of the original authors don't have valid e-mail-accounts any longer. I tried to contact them to ask for permission on using their map on webdip, but didn't get a reply (only the Imperium variant has a author still involved in diplomacy).

The problem of fixing variants is simpkle a job for testers.

I would suggest using Goondip for testing, tweaking and only putting tried and tested maps here. (like fleet rome, or milan, Sail-ho, ancient med...) some very good options.

I think that is the direction Gilgatex wants to push his site and the direction Kestas wants to push his.

i want to say that Europe is pretty much weaker than its neighbours. Russia can take safely 3 sc, egypt 2 sc while europe can safely take only 1.

I am no expert, but a few games have occured on this map over at goondip so it might be worth sounding people out there who have already played it a few times. I am in one using this map at the moment but it has been too messed up by lots of NMRs (due to the holiday period) to be a decent test for map balance. However, I think common wisdom is that some countries (Europe, Oz, South Africa) are relatively weak and have a problem of getting stuck on about 4 centres and that some other countries (Frozen Antartica) have generally done reasonably well in all games so far. Having said that it is a fun map - and a 17 player game is certainly interesting to try.