A limited number of special islands scattered over the map, perhaps one in every 25x25 square. Those islands have resource pits that you "occupy/defend" to increase your income. You don't need ships to transfer those resources.
Players would have to fight over them.
If possible and to make it more engaging, those pits don't have levels. They produce a decent amount of resources so that players are eager to have them under their control.
#Resource pits on a limited number of special islands to fight over
spiral bronze
primal steeple
Nice suggestion and increases the excitement inside the game
quaint locust
Sounds a lot better then Abyssal Ambush would be cool, because game lacks of action unless you pillage all around you. Would be nice to cooparate with alliance members to defend mine and clean out while it is under your alliances flag
quartz ledge
A limited number of special islands scattered over the map, perhaps one in every...
25x25 is too big, maybe of 1 insland cluster instead
spiral bronze
That's not "special" and won't drive people to fight for it
quartz ledge
That's not "special" and won't drive people to fight for it
that wont be fair for those who are far away from these. if its in your island it will take 15 min to occupy it if its on someone whose far it will take his 2-3 hours
rain lichen
These islands have oil so everyone fights over them to give them "freedom". 😂
swift spoke
To make it more fair you might want to add that they vanish / respawn after every X Months (on different spots in that 25x25 square)