here is my idea, and next map, I hope, about 17. century and colonize the world. the map is builded on parallels and meridians and "windows"/"squares" which they made. these squares are areas with colonies, carracks (trade ships - near coastal) and on the ocean/sea squares are galleons - war ships. the red colonies are English, blue - French, orange - Dutch, green - Portugal, yellow - Spanish, dark red - Danish.
gameplay:
carracks and colonies could attack each other in the same square, carracks could attack others carracks and galleons in the adjacent square. galleons could attack one square up others galleons, carracks and bombard colonies.
the crosses of parallels and meridians are not borders, so attacks will looks as:
red lines attacking by galleons, blue lines attacking by carracks
bonuses:
for holding two colonies and one carrack in the same square, unite North American English or French colonies, unite South American Spanish or Portugal colonies, unite Dutch Indonesian colonies, unite Danish North Atlantic colonies. I also think about East Indian Trade Company, Hudson Bay Trade Company...
some things must be done, I think about pirates (bucaneers), but the biggest quandary is about Europe. you can see the capitals of each "imperium" but what about add there Ottomans - their possesion/colonies should be on the North Africa, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and add Russia also... or leave Europe?