2+ settlement & natives

[thomascolthurst]

I've read a couple of strategy articles on this forum that advocate building a 2nd settlement (and then up to 5 settlements) as soon as possible. In all of the maps I've seen so far, this seems to be impossible without having them overlap with native territory. If I carefully scout the land and take advantage of the 1st settlement doesn't anger the natives rule, I'd say about half the time I can build another non-overlapping settlement, but nothing beyond that.

What's the best way to deal with this?
(1) Found them anyway without paying. I tried this a couple of times, and both times the natives declared war. Should I wait until I can protect each settlement with a soldier before doing this?

(2) Wait until I have enough money to pay. Often this is a big amount (1000+), so I would have to wait quite a while.

(3) Get some quick military units (soldiers? cannons? dragoons?) and wipe out the native villages whose land I want.

(4) Other?

Thanks,
-Thomas C

 

[Alsn]

Generally I find that once you've sold enough goods to a certain tribe such that they have no money left then they've pretty much outlived their usefulness and you may as well wipe them out. Selling loads of horses in the beginning of the game usually takes care of their cash reserve and incidentally allows you to buy a bunch of cannons which makes wiping them out that much easier .

 

[jacyp]

Well, what I do, when I don't wanna pay, is to settle in the area without paying. They never declared war on me doing this for the first time (not counting the first settlement, wich they dont mind), I always get a -6 diplomacy penalty for "stoling the land" and a -2 penalty for my "way of life". Then I never settle in that tribe territory again without paying. In a quite short time the -6 penalty turns to -1 and I have no further trouble with that tribe, I even get resources gifts sometimes. When I need more space again, without paying, I just settle in another tribe's land and do the same above.

So far, nothing bad happened.

But anyway, 2 cannons and 1 soldier are enough to wipe out a couple of native settlements in the early game, if you wish.

And make sure you will be forever in peace with them BEFORE trading those guns they want .

 

[TheGreatWall]

Well, what I do, when I don't wanna pay, is to settle in the area without paying. They never declared war on me doing this for the first time (not counting the first settlement, wich they dont mind), I always get a -6 diplomacy penalty for "stoling the land" and a -2 penalty for my "way of life". Then I never settle in that tribe territory again without paying. In a quite short time the -6 penalty turns to -1 and I have no further trouble with that tribe, I even get resources gifts sometimes. When I need more space again, without paying, I just settle in another tribe's land and do the same above.

So far, nothing bad happened.

But anyway, 2 cannons and 1 soldier are enough to wipe out a couple of native settlements in the early game, if you wish.

And make sure you will be forever in peace with them BEFORE trading those guns they want .

the only time i settled without pay on the easy diff. they went on the war path as soon as i settled it. if it matters it was sitting bull but that was the first and last time i pulled that trick because as u know a razed settlement does not help u out to much.

 

[vampy420]

The natives don't usually get too upset as long as: 1) you don't do it too often and 2) you don't settle directly next to one of their villages.

Trading with natives is kind of pointless as they run out of money way too soon, so once you get any specialists you need from them you can just blast em out of existence with cannons.

 

[Lord Chambers]

Capture a European colony. When the colony comes out of revolt the border pop will trigger a huge negative diplomatic modify for "you stole our land!" but I've never had that cause an attack. However, settling a colony (anger the natives) has caused them to declare war on me.