Chart & Navigation
The world map is the Governor's command table — a living chart of the archipelago where regions are scouted, rivals assessed, and most major orders issued. Mastering the map is the first step toward mastering the seas.
Combat
Espionage
ColonisationIsland and Region Views
Upon arrival, the map focuses on the Governor's home island — a close view of a single settlement and its surrounding waters. To pull back and survey the wider region, tap the open sea around the island. The view widens to reveal the full grid of neighbouring islands, their allegiances marked by coloured rings:
| Ring Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gold | The Governor's own settlements |
| Green | Allied Governors and known friends |
| Black | The Black Tide and its held islands |
| Red | Rival Governors — potential targets or threats |
| No ring | Uninhabited — unclaimed land awaiting colonisation |
Navigating the Archipelago
The archipelago is divided into a hierarchy of waters. Each island's position is expressed as a bearing — Ocean:Region:Slot — that pinpoints its exact location on the chart.
Several methods of navigation are available:
- Directional arrows — Tap the arrows at the edges of the map to sail into neighbouring regions. The world wraps — sailing north from the farthest reaches returns to southern waters.
- Bearing entry — Open the navigation dialog to enter an Ocean and Region directly and jump to any corner of the archipelago in an instant. Essential for coordinating long-range operations.
- Home — One tap returns the view to the Governor's home island from anywhere on the chart. If that holding has been lost, the chart falls back to another settlement still under the Governor's control, or to the regional view if none remain.
Selecting an Island
Tapping an island on the map brings it into focus and reveals the orders available. What appears depends on who holds the island:
Own Settlements
Selecting a settlement under the Governor's control displays its current state: structures raised, forces garrisoned, and research pursued. From here, orders can be issued to build, train, research, or manage the settlement directly.
Rival Settlements
Selecting an island held by another Governor reveals the owner's name and alliance affiliation. Orders for espionage and attack become available. If prior reconnaissance exists, the latest spy report can be reviewed on the spot to gauge the target's strength before committing forces.
The Black Tide
If the hidden sea power is active in the world, its islands are marked by name as Black Tide holdings rather than by an ordinary Governor profile. Such islands may be attacked in the usual manner. A victorious purge may free the shore back to the world, but a failed strike may place the Governor on the Tide's ledger. Read the chart carefully afterward. See The Black Tide.
Uninhabited Islands
Unclaimed islands appear without a ring. These are candidates for colonisation — a Governor may dispatch a fleet to claim them and expand the domain.
Switching Between Settlements
Governors who hold more than one island need to move between them frequently. There are two ways to switch the active settlement:
- Island selector — The dropdown above the map lists every settlement under the Governor's control. Selecting one switches the active island instantly — resources, queues, and orders all update to reflect the chosen settlement.
- Map selection — Tap any gold-ringed island on the chart to focus on it directly. This is the faster route when the destination is already in view.
Whichever method is used, all construction, training, and research orders apply to the currently active settlement. A Governor managing multiple islands should check which settlement is selected before issuing orders.
