Black Sea.

A toss up b/w Mid-Atlantic and Black Sea.

I didn't even think about oceans...

It depends when in the game you are and which power you are playing.

Ukraine?

It has to be Mid Atlantic Ocean. Or Switzerland, of course.

North Sea - All that Oil.

north sea, burgundy

england: North sea
germany: North Sea
France: burgundy
Italy: Ionian sea
Austria: Galicia
Russia: Black Sea
Turkey: Black Sea

North Sea. You are close to six SCs plus it is between the countries.

i vote:
1- North sea
2- Mid atlantic
3- Ionian sea
4- Tyrolia
5- Galicia
6- Burgundy
7- Black sea

England: North Sea
Germany: Ruhr
France: Burgundy
Italy: Ionian Sea
Turkey: Black Sea, Ionian Sea, or Apulia (depending)
Russia: Ukraine
Austria: Tyrolia

Overall I would have to say either Tyrolia or Mid-Atlantic. It seems that when it comes to fighting over a stalemate at the end of the game, these are the two that will make or break the stalemate and win or lose the game.

Don't forget switzerland - without it germany, france, and italy turn into idiots snapping at each other while they get eaten from behind.

So for a single territory I say its switzerland, as the balance of power gets too screwy otherwise

Heligoland Bight is vital too.

North sea mid atlantic galicia black sea tyrolia ionian and west med.

For land it's Tyrolia and Burgundy, for ocean it's North Sea and Black Sea.

North Sea

Tyrrhenian and Ionian and North Sea and Galicia. These to me seem to have universal importance and at least one every game is part of some important point of someone's strategy. Others, like BlS, are only of more local importance and only affect the entire game by the future courses of their neighboring countries (indirect, rather than direct).

Switzerland, followed closely by Caspian Sea.

A lot of yoou seem to underscore the vitalness of mid atlantic

MAO is only of local importance to England, France, and periodically some other power in the end game.

abgemacht: I was goint to say Switzerland, then Ireland, then Siberia.

but guys, switzerland is pretty damn important...
also MAO is not as important. I think North Africa is just as important then, to help one get south of spain.

england: north sea (unanimous?) or MAO (exploring!)
germany: silesia
france: burgundy or MAO
austria: tyrolia, duh
italy: ionian
turkey: black sea
russia: black sea

England: Syria

Think about it -- when have you ever seen England capture Syria and not win or draw?

England: North Sea and Irish Sea
France: Burgandy, Picardy, Mid- Atlantic Ocean, and English Channel
Germany: Heligoland Bight, Ruhr, and Baltic Sea
Italy: Ionian Sea, Piedmont, Tuscany
Austria: Tyrolia, Galicia, and Albania
Russia: Ukraine, Black Sea, and Barents Sea
Turkey: Armenia, Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, and Black Sea

Remember, for each of these powers the territories aren't listed in any particular order. Just trying to throw candidates out there.
Turkey:

Tyrolia or the Black Sea.

Sardinia, without question.

Munich

England: North Sea and Irish Sea
France: Burgandy, Picardy, Mid- Atlantic Ocean, and English Channel
Germany: Heligoland Bight, Ruhr, and Baltic Sea
Italy: Ionian Sea, Piedmont, Tuscany
Austria: Tyrolia, Galicia, and Albania
Russia: Ukraine, Black Sea, and Barents Sea
Turkey: Armenia, Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, and Black Sea

Remember, for each of these powers the territories aren't listed in any particular order. Just trying to throw candidates out there.
Turkey:

What the? Sorry.

Non-SC, hellalt. Munich is an SC.

So *that's* why hellalt keeps losing!

Ionian can be a point of contention between a strong France and a strong Turkey at the end of the game and Bur/Ruhr really can be problemtaitc for France and Germany. Of course, then you have Eng for England and France to scuffle over, Bla for Turkey and Russia, Gal for Austria and Russia, Pie for Italy and France and finally Tyr for Austria, Italy, and Germany.

the most important is actually silesia, because it's either in the middle or closest to the middle of the map (non-SC).

lol tarspaceheel +1

tarspaceheel: Ha ha ha!

hellalt: Fail.
Octavious: Care to explain...?

i actually think it is albania....in my experiences as italy i love convoying into there. albania allows you to go behind an enemy line, as albania is usually unoccupiedd

I doubt there is any truly nonimportant region on the map-they are all there for a reason.
Although obviously some regions are more important than others more often.

Clyde.

How come nobody has ever mentioned Finland.

finland has a very minimal importance...it is rarely used

"Finland, Finland, Finland, the country where I want to be."

Hard to answer without saying "it depends". In genral if I had to pick a list w/o conditions I'd lean toward North Sea, Burgundy, Baltic Sea, Ionian Sea, Tyrolia, Galicia, Black Sea, and Skaggerack (which has been decisive in many of my games).

Finland is of great importance in obtaining STP for the stalemate...about 2% of the time.

North Sea. If you are western power and control the North Sea, you are on the track to victory.

um ukraine defintely. Not counting sea places. Otherwise black sea ionian sea or north sea would take most important.

The Mid Atlantic Ocean.

Think about it; it`s huuuuuge!!

AndyBer: Long live Monty Python!