diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/aegean_sea.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/aegean_sea.js
index 50ea4e1e10..0953ced1ea 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/aegean_sea.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/aegean_sea.js
@@ -62,17 +62,7 @@ var clHill = createTileClass();
 var clIsland = createTileClass();
 var clCorals = createTileClass();
 
-var playerIDs = primeSortAllPlayers();
-var playerPos = placePlayersRiver();
-
-var playerX = [];
-var playerZ = [];
-
-for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
-{
-	playerZ[i] = playerPos[i];
-	playerX[i] = 0.2 + 0.6*(i%2);
-}
+var [playerIDs, playerX, playerZ] = playerPlacementRiver(0, 0.6);
 
 for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
 {
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/corinthian_isthmus.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/corinthian_isthmus.js
index 8f8a204013..a21588ecba 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/corinthian_isthmus.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/corinthian_isthmus.js
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ var landHeight = getMapBaseHeight();
 var waterHeight = -4;
 
 log("Creating the main river");
+var riverAngle = randFloat(0, Math.PI);
 var riverWidth = scaleByMapSize(15, 70);
-var riverAngle = -Math.PI / 4;
 var riverStart = new Vector2D(mapCenter.x, 0).rotateAround(riverAngle, mapCenter);
 var riverEnd = new Vector2D(mapCenter.x, mapSize).rotateAround(riverAngle, mapCenter);
 
@@ -102,17 +102,7 @@ paintTerrainBasedOnHeight(2, 5, 1, tGrass);
 
 paintTileClassBasedOnHeight(-6, 0.5, 1, clWater);
 
-var playerIDs = primeSortAllPlayers();
-var playerPos = placePlayersRiver();
-
-var playerX = [];
-var playerZ = [];
-
-for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
-{
-	playerZ[i] = Math.sqrt(0.5)*(0.6*(i%2) - 0.8 + playerPos[i]) + 0.5;
-	playerX[i] = Math.sqrt(0.5)*(0.6*(i%2) + 0.2 - playerPos[i]) + 0.5;
-}
+var [playerIDs, playerX, playerZ] = playerPlacementRiver(riverAngle + Math.PI / 2, 0.6);
 
 for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
 {
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/danubius.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/danubius.js
index d9a687569c..68e7a6aff8 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/danubius.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/danubius.js
@@ -311,17 +311,7 @@ if (gallicCC)
 }
 RMS.SetProgress(10);
 
-var playerIDs = primeSortAllPlayers();
-var playerPos = placePlayersRiver();
-
-var playerX = [];
-var playerZ = [];
-
-for (let i = 0; i < numPlayers; ++i)
-{
-	playerZ[i] = playerPos[i];
-	playerX[i] = 0.2 + 0.6 * (i % 2);
-}
+var [playerIDs, playerX, playerZ] = playerPlacementRiver(0, 0.6);
 
 for (let i = 0; i < numPlayers; ++i)
 {
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/english_channel.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/english_channel.js
index 97fd188c64..6f89036067 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/english_channel.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/english_channel.js
@@ -56,18 +56,7 @@ var clShallow = createTileClass();
 var landHeight = 3;
 var waterHeight = -4;
 
-var playerIDs = primeSortAllPlayers();
-var playerPos = placePlayersRiver();
-
-var playerX = [];
-var playerZ = [];
-
-for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
-{
-	playerZ[i] = 0.2 + 0.6*(i%2);
-	playerX[i] = playerPos[i];
-}
-
+var [playerIDs, playerX, playerZ] = playerPlacementRiver(Math.PI / 2, 0.6);
 for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
 {
 	var id = playerIDs[i];
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/lorraine_plain.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/lorraine_plain.js
index 7daa298874..5f73a08234 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/lorraine_plain.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/lorraine_plain.js
@@ -50,18 +50,9 @@ var clFood = createTileClass();
 var clBaseResource = createTileClass();
 var clShallow = createTileClass();
 
-var playerIDs = primeSortAllPlayers();
-var playerPos = placePlayersRiver();
 var waterHeight = -4;
 
-var playerX = [];
-var playerZ = [];
-
-for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
-{
-	playerZ[i] = 0.25 + 0.5*(i%2);
-	playerX[i] = playerPos[i];
-}
+var [playerIDs, playerX, playerZ] = playerPlacementRiver(Math.PI / 2, 0.5);
 
 for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
 {
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/rmgen/player.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/rmgen/player.js
index 55fc011f04..a020f5f1b7 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/rmgen/player.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/rmgen/player.js
@@ -139,16 +139,19 @@ function radialPlayerPlacement(radius = 0.35, startingAngle = undefined, centerX
 }
 
 /**
- * Returns an array of percent numbers indicating the player location on river maps.
- * For example [0.2, 0.2, 0.4, 0.4, 0.6, 0.6, 0.8, 0.8] for a 4v4 or
- * [0.25, 0.33, 0.5, 0.67, 0.75] for a 2v3.
+ * Returns player starting positions located on two parallel lines, typically used by central river maps.
+ * If there are two teams with an equal number of players, each team will occupy exactly one line.
+ * Angle 0 means the players are placed in north to south direction, i.e. along the Z axis.
  */
-function placePlayersRiver()
+function playerPlacementRiver(angle, width)
 {
-	let playerPos = [];
+	let positions = [];
+
 	let numPlayers = getNumPlayers();
 	let numPlayersEven = numPlayers % 2 == 0;
 
+	let mapCenter = new Vector2D(0.5, 0.5);
+
 	for (let i = 0; i < numPlayers; ++i)
 	{
 		let currentPlayerEven = i % 2 == 0;
@@ -156,10 +159,12 @@ function placePlayersRiver()
 		let offsetDivident = numPlayersEven || currentPlayerEven ? (i + 1) % 2 : 0;
 		let offsetDivisor = numPlayersEven ? 0 : currentPlayerEven ? +1 : -1;
 
-		playerPos[i] = ((i - 1 + offsetDivident) / 2 + 1) / ((numPlayers + offsetDivisor) / 2 + 1);
+		positions[i] = new Vector2D(
+			width * (i % 2) + (1 - width) / 2,
+			((i - 1 + offsetDivident) / 2 + 1) / ((numPlayers + offsetDivisor) / 2 + 1)).rotateAround(angle, mapCenter);
 	}
 
-	return playerPos;
+	return [primeSortAllPlayers(), positions.map(p => p.x), positions.map(p => p.y)];
 }
 
 /***
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/the_nile.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/the_nile.js
index 14ffb39ede..0aec27bdfb 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/the_nile.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/the_nile.js
@@ -61,16 +61,7 @@ var clPond = createTileClass();
 var clShore = createTileClass();
 var clTreasure = createTileClass();
 
-var playerIDs = primeSortAllPlayers();
-var playerPos = placePlayersRiver();
-var playerX = [];
-var playerZ = [];
-
-for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
-{
-	playerZ[i] = playerPos[i];
-	playerX[i] = 0.30 + 0.4*(i%2);
-}
+var [playerIDs, playerX, playerZ] = playerPlacementRiver(0, 0.4);
 
 for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; i++)
 {
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/the_unknown/unknown_common.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/the_unknown/unknown_common.js
index cb8553e8d7..53d6491804 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/the_unknown/unknown_common.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/maps/random/the_unknown/unknown_common.js
@@ -317,17 +317,7 @@ function unknownCentralSea()
 
 	if (g_PlayerBases)
 	{
-		playerIDs = primeSortAllPlayers();
-		let playerPos = placePlayersRiver();
-
-		for (let i = 0; i < numPlayers; ++i)
-		{
-			playerX[i] = playerPos[i];
-			playerZ[i] = 0.2 + 0.6 * (i % 2);
-		}
-
-		if (!horizontal)
-			[playerX, playerZ] = [playerZ, playerX];
+		[playerIDs, playerX, playerZ] = playerPlacementRiver(horizontal ? Math.PI / 2 : 0, 0.6);
 		markPlayerArea("small");
 	}
 
@@ -370,18 +360,7 @@ function unknownCentralRiver()
 
 	if (g_PlayerBases)
 	{
-		playerIDs = primeSortAllPlayers();
-		let playerPos = placePlayersRiver();
-
-		for (let i = 0; i < numPlayers; ++i)
-		{
-			playerX[i] = playerPos[i];
-			playerZ[i] = 0.25 + 0.5*(i%2);
-		}
-
-		if (!horizontal)
-			[playerX, playerZ] = [playerZ, playerX];
-
+		[playerIDs, playerX, playerZ] = playerPlacementRiver(horizontal ? Math.PI / 2 : 0, 0.5);
 		markPlayerArea("large");
 	}