Islands

On Islands every player starts on their own land mass with no land connection to opponents. The entire game is decided on water: fishing-ship economies, Galley wars, transport raids, and eventually Imperial Age dock pressure. Top water civs — Vikings, Italians, Portuguese, Malay, Japanese — completely dominate. Civs without water bonuses are essentially unplayable here. Map control is measured in fish boats and Demolition Ships rather than military units on land.