(I threw this in the idea database too but I really wanted to foster some discussion on the topic so I thought I'd post here about it as well...)

Does anybody think we could use a good way to get rid of "unfun" tables quickly? By unfun I'm not only referring to tables that take a lot of skill out of the game (I know theres luck in kdice and all so this doesnt bother me) but just tables who have a layout that honestly makes the game not much fun. "Ljkfjn" 1600 table would be a good example. I'm thinking particularly tables that have some of the following features:

- A large main body and then a looong stringy peninsula across one edge that only connects to the mainland through one terrtiory. Four out of five times the player who starts with 2-3 territories on the peninsula has the game in hand right from the outset. Short peninsulas of a few countries are fun and create strategy choices. Long chains of nine to ten countries lead to some pretty degenerate situations.

- Too many peninsulas splayed out all around the various sides with one main landmass in the center. This seems to frequently lead to 3-5 players each staking out a medium strength position in the various corner peninsulas and a player who might do a great job controlling the center at first, but he is the only one everybody else can go through, making any kind of meaningful truce or parlaying of advantage impossible.

- Maps that are basically split in half between two huge continents with only one or two countries forming a small land bridge between them. It's like playing two separate games. It can frequently lead to player frustration when truces are made in light of the situation on either half of the table and then later are difficult to honor to both parties' satisfaction when bridging the gap becomes an issue.

Anyway, I'm not trying to bitch about skill or luck with these tables here, just well, I think we can all agree that a lot of times these quickly lead to lame games. I'd love to see some kind of system where a player can vote against a table as being one that does not make for enjoyable games and after accumulating so many votes, it goes back to the bin to be replaced by a fresh table which is hopefully more fun.

Barring that, it might be nice to start seeing discussion in the forums of particular, specific unfun tables where maybe we can just bring some of the worst offenders to light and maybe ask about them on a case by case basis. I'll start: The "ljkfjn" 1600 table is liquid lameness. Anyone else agree?