Diary of a Mad King - An Imperialism II AAR

[Thorn]

Diary of a Mad King - An Imperialism II AAR​

In honor of Imperialism II turning 10 years old this year I have decided to create this AAR. Well, that and not many people are voting in my 'Next AAR' poll and I really want to do an AAR. It has been a while since I've played a complete game of Imperialism II and I was never any good when I did. I don't really expect to win but I will certainly try. If you haven't played either Imperialism, shame on you! They are both fantastic, addictive games. I hope you enjoy this AAR and it will inspire you to try one of them (or both).
p.s. Please check out my signature and vote!​

The setup:
Country: England
Random events: ON
Food economy: Complex
Luxury economy: Complex
Extra income from Royal Estates: ON
Foraging Rules: OFF
Custom Difficulty Level: 52 (Somewhere between Easy & Normal)
Victory condition: Own 32 Old World provinces
There are many, many more setup options, most set to normal.

London, England 1502ad​

The Old World (note: grey scale countries are minor powers, the rest are major powers)​

The priority when starting any game of Imperialism II is to build up the economy. I need to acquire timer and iron ore fast so I can start making lumber and cast iron. Paper and fabric are also needed. Not to mention more food so I can get more workers and soldiers. All while building up my army and navy. And then there's diplomacy that I need to conduct with the other major powers. And the minor ones too. They may have resources I need. Also, those science guys need direction in order to discover new technology. Oh, and I forgot to mention- I need to exploring the New World. Sigh.

This King is indeed going to go Mad very soon...

[Chapter 1 coming soon]
please be patient if I don't update as often as you would like

 

[Thorn]

Map of England
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16

 

[Yeekim]

That was a great game!
I usually played the "real" old world map and managed to bag a few wins as Portugal...
From what I remember, being the first one to get Musketeers and Galleons (I suppose they were Galleons ) was instrumental to victory.

 

[Maniacal]

I tried to play it, but the download speeds off of Home of the Underdogs are absolutely awful and then the file didn't work >.>

 

[Captain2]

I tried playing this game once but I really really sucked at it

I look forward to seeing how its done properly

 

[Kyriakos]

One of my favourite games, along with imperialism 1

 

[Thorn]

I tried playing this game once but I really really sucked at it

I look forward to seeing how its done properly

You may have to wait a few more games. I'm not very good at it either.

 

[Thorn]

Chapter 1 - 1502 AD​

Right now meat isn't a problem. I need 5 and I'm transporting 8. Grain's a different story. I need 5 and I'm only transporting 4. To grow the workforce and army I will need more of both but right now I need more grain. I'm going to send my explorer south to the mountains and hills. Hopefully he will find iron ore somewhere near the grain fields down there. I'll have my engineer start building a road in that direction as well (roads allow good to be transported back to my factories). And my builder will build a farm on the closest grain field in that direction. There's even horses down there!

See my specialists at work.​

I still need lumber and cast iron so I think I'm going to bid on timber and iron ore. I'll also bid on fabric since I need more of that. You can bid on a max of 3 items. The capital of Denmark (minor power) is near a lot of lumber so I'm offer them a 10% trade subsidy. I might even try to assimilate them into my empire with grants and treaties. Before I do anything, though, I need to open up a Trade Consulate there. Later I'll open an embassy. I probably need to court other minor powers but I'm going to hold off a little to try to get a better picture of what's going on. Risky, I know, since the (awesome) strategy guide says this game can be lost in the first 20 turns! I believe it.

The world market.​

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

I've decided to start researching Diplomatic Expertise, Merchant Companies (so I can build Merchants), and Seed Drill (level 3 grain gathering). I haven't set a research goal yet but I probably should.

The Academy of Sciences​

I'm going create another Builder to help out. That costs 3 paper. I'm going to need more paper! I've decided go ahead and recruit two more peasants. Note it costs fabric. The game warns me about food again. I have to get grain or my new peasants will get sick! As for my existing, meager workforce I start them building lumber and cast iron. You need lumber and cast iron to build roads, farms mines, etc.

You're hired. Go build.​

Ah, more peasants for my amusement.

Get to work!

Finally, I'm going to send the carracks CK Cerbel and CK Wochmeds to seek the New World. My third carrack will stay on merchant duty.

Sailing. It takes them away.​

I started out with $12,000 (that should be pounds, Frog City!). It costs money to build, research, open Consulates, etc. etc. I've set the option to receive $400 per turn from my royal estates. It will help a little but I'm going to need more money. I can sell surplus materials on the world market. Also, the New World will offer all sorts of financial opportunities if I take advantage of them.

I may not give as many details as the game progresses but I think this might double as a kind of tutorial for those who aren't too familiar with Imperialism. Feel free to ask questions. If I can't answer them the strategy guide I own probably can!

 

[Yeekim]

IIRC, navy was kind of overpowered in this game, because:
1) You could block another country's entire commerce and transport between colonies by simply blockading their main port:
2) You could grow the power of your navy exponentially by capturing ships.
3) I am not sure, but couldn't you capture goods these ships transported as well?
4) AI would be incompetent enough to use weak transport fleets for ferrying troops. I quite often lucked out in sinking armies that would have been real pain once landed...

So, privateering FTW!

 

[Olav]

I have never tried Imperialism before, but this AAR is nevertheless very interesting! I like the tutorial style. Good luck with your future endeavors!

 

[Maniacal]

Found the full game, patched up, NO-CD, it's freeware

Only problem is you have to join a yahoo group to get access to the links as the download's server has a 2 gig per day bandwidth.

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Imp_list/

 

[Thorn]

Found the full game, patched up, NO-CD, it's freeware

Only problem is you have to join a yahoo group to get access to the links as the download's server has a 2 gig per day bandwidth.

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Imp_list/

On my site as well. I also have two graphics mods for the first Imperialism if you can't stand the original 'washed out' look.

 

[Yeekim]

I am probably late pointing this out, but why Seed Drill? Does it lead to something good?
I don't remember it ever being a research priority, possibly because IIRC all it does is enable upgrading of farms to lvl 3. However, even considering cost of roads, 3 lvl 1 farms are much, much more cost-effective than 1 lvl 3 farm. It will take ages before you have upgraded all your farms to lvl 2 and need to start building another tier...

Where raw material production is concerned, horizontal expansion should always be preferred to vertical one.

 

[Polycrates]

Oooh! I used to love this game! Excellent choice!
It's crazy hard, since you have to balance your whole economy on a knifeedge just to get your country developed out of the dark ages. And it has some fairly broken mechanics too, but damn if it isn't a lot of fun. Haven't played for a while, but I'll offer what thoughts I have from memory...

Anyway! Is there any chance of seeing the landscape of the rest of the country? It looks at the moment like you could be pretty well sorted for potential ore, but a bit lacking in decent timber supplies. Might have to empty the coffers a bit to develop favoured trading status with a nation or two so you can get that infrastructure going...

As far as research - my memory's a little hazy but I think you need to develop better roads before you can transport level 3 resources, so I'm not sure seed drill is the best way to spend your valuable research right now. All those level 2 resource techs look much more tempting to me (especially level 2 timber and ore - think you're gonna need them! Maybe level 2 wool as well so you can trade excess cloth). Also lancers! These guys don't upgrade well (or at all, I think), but they're really dominant for the time and the perfect troop for carving out a nice slab of the Americas. They can neutralise archers quickly and easily, and they're perfect for chasing down fleeing units, which is really important - since broken units that flee successfully will just make the next province more of a pain to conquer. And you've got horses right there!

As far as research goals - ARTILLERY! It's so dominant it's crazy, and you really need the most advanced artillery tech to have a chance at taking any well-fortified provinces. It's kinda sad that this game ultimately boils down to who gets the best artillery first, but there you go.


Anyway, look forward to seeing how this one goes! Best of luck!

 

[Maniacal]

Roads only go to level 2, railroads are needed for higher (but I've yet to get around to actually using them, been busy with more important things).

 

[Thorn]

I am probably late pointing this out, but why Seed Drill? Does it lead to something good?
I don't remember it ever being a research priority, possibly because IIRC all it does is enable upgrading of farms to lvl 3. However, even considering cost of roads, 3 lvl 1 farms are much, much more cost-effective than 1 lvl 3 farm. It will take ages before you have upgraded all your farms to lvl 2 and need to start building another tier...

Where raw material production is concerned, horizontal expansion should always be preferred to vertical one.

Excellent question! And it's never too late. The best answer would be 'To see if anyone is paying attention!' but sadly, that isn't the case. Yeekim is quite correct to point out the madness here. Seed Drill will eventually lead to more grain (which I need now) but until I get Early Steam Engine and railroads it won't do much good. I've switched to Superior Hull Design instead. It won't do much good now either but it does lead to Navigation and that leads to better ships. Hmm, maybe I'll post the tech tree at some point.
Keep 'em coming. Questions like this one are welcome, appreciated, and downright embarassing!
Hey, I never said I was good at this game.

Anyway! Is there any chance of seeing the landscape of the rest of the country?

Great idea! Here you go: Map of England

 

[Thorn]

Chapter 2 - 1506 AD​

Ireland is the first to offer fine lumber for sale to us. We happily accept. As you can see below, without a Consulate there the trade will do nothing to improve relations with Ireland. And with only one ship on merchant duty I can only transport so much. Other offers of lumber from other countries are rejected for now.

England:Thanks for the wood! Ireland: Whatever...​

And while I chose to open a Consulate in Denmark, the other Great Powers picked Italy and Scotland. They always seem to know more about who to befriend so those minor nations are probably worth a second look.

News from Around the World​

Sure enough, Italy has a source of tin. Tin, along with copper, is another one of those important resources that must be acquired fairly early in the game. Scotland seems to have a source of iron ore.

Pushing Tin in Italy​

I still hope I will find plenty of metals in all of those mountains and hills in southern England but I go ahead and open a Consulate in Italy anyway.

The English World. Now With Two Consulates!​

In 1506, the CK Wochmeds discovers the New World! And as an added bonus, the Aztec capitol is spotted. Sometimes the capitol of a tribe is inland and hard to find. You can't do a whole lot with a tribe (friendly-wise) until you find the capitol.

Hey, look! There's Montezuma! I wonder if he's as crazy in this game as in Civ4?​

The CK Wochmeds also reports that there is cotton and sugar cane to the north of the Aztecs and tobacco to the south. I have to decide soon if I want to take some New World land by force. The other Great Powers will waste no time taking advantage of the riches in the New World. You need certain of these New World resources because trained workers will demand them. Spices, silver, gold, diamonds and gems can be converted directly to cash.

What to do...​

As far as my search back home for iron ore or any metal for that matter, no luck. I'll continue to search around for them. I also need to consider building another explorer to start mapping out the New World. Like I said, the other Great Powers will move fast. Another consideration is a spy. If I start falling behind in research that could come in handy. Also, spies can be used to scout enemy strength.

 

[Olav]

Does minor nations improve their lands? Or will Italy stay like the way it is now?

Yeah, you sure do have a lot of mountains and hills. How will you judge your territory? Too little of forrests and cattle? Regarding cattle and fish, what are they required for (if you don't have complex food option turned on)?

 

[Maniacal]

Fish and cattle both provide meat and are needed to grow your population along with wheat (together they present some knid of cap on population, have too many workers, and they will start to eat up your food supply and starve).

 

[Yeekim]

I've switched to Superior Hull Design instead. It won't do much good now either but it does lead to Navigation and that leads to better ships.

From what I can recall, this sounds like a better research priority.

Great idea! Here you go: Map of England

Man, this does not look too good. Forests are terribly few and far apart. IIRC, every improvement needs timber, and so do ships. This really sucks. At least you've got some swamps, you can hope to find tin there as well.

As for natives, I can't recall ever using them in any other way than cannon-fodder... trading with them never seemed especially lucrative, compared to even one single diamond mine one could hope to find in their deserts... Finally, notice that keeping your conquests from other great powers is much easier if you can find a continent/island you can hope to capture entirely for yourself.