[Mobhack]

But players expect the Germans to be on the West and the Russians on the East side of the map. Even though in the game, there is no East and no West, unless a scenario designer labels his map with a direction.

Its just convention, and the players are used to the Russians on the right and the Germans on the left after a couple of decades of the game being in existence.

You get used to what side is assigned for the majority that always line up the same way with a given pairing. It is really only when trying a new combination pair (or one of the few pairings that does give out random sides) that people find the "problem", and in the meeting engagement generally since the V-hexes there are all neutral.

Basically, if you are generating a random battle with a pairing that is new to you then just set up a meeter and buy the HQ only as a throwaway. Then you can see the side assigned and also in the view map screen you can try the random map assignment multiple times and see what the battle location maps are for the pair by generating 20 or so. Then exit the throwaway test and set up the actual battle.

However, if we label what the sides are in some way then this goes away.

As for your custom map - you need to know the pairing that you are designing for.

But player 1 always on one side and player 2 on the other would have been the best design decision, if it had been taken in the original SP1 game at launch, IMHO. It's sweet and simple.