OpenFront Maps
OpenFront ships a large, rotating map list: real-world regions, invented continents, tournament maps and a few that are not on this planet.
Quick answer: the live build carries over a hundred maps — real regions such as Europe, Asia and Africa, whole-world layouts, tournament maps, and novelty maps including lunar and Martian surfaces. Which map you get matters more than any single strategy tip, because it decides where the walls, straits and chokepoints are.
What the map determines
| Map property | Why it changes your game |
|---|---|
| Landmass shape | Contiguous continents reward land armies; archipelagos reward ports and warships |
| Chokepoints and straits | One narrow crossing can replace an entire defensive line |
| Terrain distribution | Mountain ranges act as free walls; large plains make every border cheap to attack |
| Impassable ground | Added in the v0.33 line; walls that did not exist before now close off old routes |
| Water ratio | More water means more trade routes, more naval combat, and more ways for a war to arrive |
The map families
- World and continental — one large landmass or a multi-continent layout, such as the world map, Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America.
- Regional and country-shaped — nation-scale maps where diplomacy is compressed: Germany, France, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, the United States and many more.
- Sea-heavy and strait maps — Bosphorus, Gibraltar, Malacca, the Baltic and Channel crossings, where naval control decides who can reinforce whom.
- Tournament maps — purpose-built competitive layouts designed for smaller lobbies and ranked play.
- Novelty maps — the Moon, Mars, Pluto, Titan and the Milky Way, plus mathematical shapes such as a Sierpinski-style layout and battle royale arenas.
How to use this page
- Before a match — check whether the map is contiguous or island-based; that single fact decides whether you invest in ports early or cities.
- During the spawn phase — find the chokepoints first, then position behind one. Best spawn
- Mid-match — re-read the map for the route your enemy will use, not the one you are already fighting on. Map strategy
- Custom lobbies — map choice is a lobby setting, so private games can be practised on the layout you expect in ranked.
FAQ
Common questions about this topic.
How many maps does OpenFront have?
The live build ships more than a hundred map entries, ranging from world and continental layouts to tournament and novelty maps. The exact count changes with updates.
Can I choose the map?
The map is a lobby setting; public matches rotate through the list, while custom and private games let you pick — which is what tournament and ranked practice relies on.
Which map is best for beginners?
A continental map with clear terrain walls and some coastline: it teaches both land expansion and trade without punishing either. Island-only maps are the hardest first experience.
Do maps change?
Yes. New maps are added periodically, and the v0.33 line added both new maps and impassable terrain that altered existing routes.