Etang de Berre
English version (description disponible également en français)
>Updated ressources and added missing electricity connections
Caution: This is my first map and I haven’t had time to test it yet. I’m sharing it for anyone who might be interested, and I would love to hear about your experience with the map so I can improve it. This map is based on the Étang de Berre, near Marseille (in Provence). It represents a territory with a rich industrial history spanning nearly three centuries. The early start DLC inspired me to make a map with a long and changing industrial history.
The map already includes some infrastructure to help you get started with this highly decentralized map. I’ll introduce the history of the area, and the map should allow you to recreate the current state of industry. However, I’m curious to see how each of you reimagines the territory.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AREA
This region saw the rise of coal mining, followed by the world’s first industrial aluminum production in 1856 after the discovery of bauxite in the area. The "Baux de Provence," about 30 km from the Étang de Berre, are the origin of the word bauxite—a red, iron-rich earth sample from there was studied and turned out to be Europe’s first known source of aluminum hydrate. Until 1913, France was the world’s leading aluminum producer.
The area also hosted the chemical industry for soda production. The Marseille region was a world leader in producing Leblanc soda ash (sodium carbonate).
Thanks to access to the Mediterranean, crude oil from the Middle East could be imported, and the area became a hub for oil refining in the early 1930s. Oil refining and steel production became the territory’s main industrial activities.
Today, the territory is heavily polluted from centuries of intensive industry. Yet, it remains a very beautiful region, neighboring the Camargue Natural Park to the west of the refineries, and the French Riviera just past Marseille to the east. With its idyllic natural scenery, and proximity to Marseille, Avignon, and the Camargue, it could become an ideal tourist destination after the closure of the last refineries and site clean-up… An idea for late-game?
GAMEPLAY
In terms of gameplay, I’ve focused the map around the Étang de Berre to strike the right balance between the territory and the game’s buildings (approximately 1:2 scale). The map is centered around the large lake, which divides the various industrial zones and towns. The topography surrounds the lake, and smaller lakes will limit the size of cities and industrial hubs you can build.
Resources
The map has no oil or uranium resources and only a small amount of iron. It is rich in wood, stone deposits, arable land, bauxite, and coal.
To the north of the lagoon, you’ll find salt flats and large, flat plains where agriculture historically developed.
To the east, you’ll find coal and bauxite deposits. Iron will be much scarcer.
Outside Connections
Oil and iron can be easily imported in large quantities through the existing port at Port-de-Bouc, located at the mouth of the lagoon. The central presence of the lake, its access to the map’s edges, and the very few external connections all encourage exporting your goods by sea. A railway loop surrounds the lake, connecting all your industries and allowing for worker transport. Of course, you’ll need to modernize and expand this network to cover long distances efficiently.
For gameplay purposes, the land connections to the rest of France are soviet bloc while the sea connections to other nations are Nato.
Have fun and feel free to share your feedback on the map 🙂
Required items:
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Rural Waterfront — Steam Workshop
Simple Container Port — Steam Workshop
Port Infrastructure Collection — Steam Workshop
Industrial Embankment — Steam Workshop
Light Industry Collection — Steam Workshop
Conveyor Road & Rail Crossings — Steam Workshop
