Is it possible to dig deep enough to create a river? Or dig on the coast and create a canal right to the doorstep? We could build fortresses with a water filled ditches all around the palisade
it's only a suggestion a lot of rules can be applied to such new option given the presence of boats and ships, it would be easier to make some trade routes or just some "passable" rivers for the ships it can be quite time consuming, but that's why we're here for, aren't we?