Getting ready for first serious game, a few questions.

[RedArrowsFan]

I've been playing a bit to learn the game mechanics etc, get an idea of what works and what doesn't and am now ready for a serious game.

I'm playing on the easiest setting at Marathon speed using the AO2 Mod as the Spanish with San Martin as the leader. I have the game saved near the start, a couple of turns in that has a pretty good starting area, 12 fish available for pop growth; if i mess up big time have a good starting point at least.

I've found I generally sell the guns and tools to the natives and use that money for a quick immigration boost at the start, no plans to sell guns again; as the Spanish will later on in the game go for the Natives.

What is a good tactic with the taxes, in the learning games I've been refusing all of the demands for money outright and refusing the tax hike on raw materials; accepting it on finished goods I plan on exporting. Is it better to accept the initial tax increases and then later start refusing them; say just before ramping up production?

Planning on having one or two population centres if I find another good spot for growth and hopefully cities specializing in one product, Cigars, Rum for exports; with a couple of ore/tool producers and one specialized lumber if I can with a gun factory fairly central to the rest for quickish dispersal. Is this workable normally or is it better to seperate resource and finished product production?

I've taken Juan Ponce de Leon as on of the Founding Fathers in the test games so far, get so much treasure it's crazy though. Does me taking him realy adversely affect the unit xp from the ruins or as I need 50% less exp for promtions not realy a biggie?

Looking forward to realy starting to play though.

 

[blizzrd]

What is a good tactic with the taxes, in the learning games I've been refusing all of the demands for money outright and refusing the tax hike on raw materials; accepting it on finished goods I plan on exporting. Is it better to accept the initial tax increases and then later start refusing them; say just before ramping up production?

I accept all the King's demands until I am ready to declare independence. I find that once you start saying no, the demands seem to come faster. I haven't enough understanding of the coding in the game mechanics to be sure that this is the case though.

Planning on having one or two population centres if I find another good spot for growth and hopefully cities specializing in one product, Cigars, Rum for exports; with a couple of ore/tool producers and one specialized lumber if I can with a gun factory fairly central to the rest for quickish dispersal. Is this workable normally or is it better to seperate resource and finished product production?

The strategy that worked best for me was specialising production in the cities with the biggest food reserves. These cities can then support all the specialists required (Masters) to work in the various buildings. One or at most two of these is all I needed. The rest of my cities just produced raw materials after building a warehouse and maybe a dock and my wagon trains carried the various materials, including lumber, to the specialised production cities.

I've taken Juan Ponce de Leon as on of the Founding Fathers in the test games so far, get so much treasure it's crazy though. Does me taking him realy adversely affect the unit xp from the ruins or as I need 50% less exp for promtions not realy a biggie?

Can't really help you much with this question. I usually aim to get all the FFs which give military bonuses, including Juan Ponce de Leon, regardless of which civ I am playing.

 

[dalgo]

I've found I generally sell the guns and tools to the natives and use that money for a quick immigration boost at the start, no plans to sell guns again; as the Spanish will later on in the game go for the Natives.

I continue to sell guns and horses to the indians as it is such good cash at the start. Your Spanish advantages should be enough to beat them, but make sure you have plenty of cannons available.

What is a good tactic with the taxes, in the learning games I've been refusing all of the demands for money outright and refusing the tax hike on raw materials; accepting it on finished goods I plan on exporting. Is it better to accept the initial tax increases and then later start refusing them; say just before ramping up production?

It works fine to just refuse every cash demand from the king. The only benefit from keeping on his good side is that you can buy cheap military from him, but it comes with a hidden cost. The REF will increase in proportion to the money you spend (this only relates to cash paid to the King, not soldiers bought from Europe). I generally find it doesn't help to turn down a rax rise as he just comes back with another straight away.

Planning on having one or two population centres if I find another good spot for growth and hopefully cities specializing in one product, Cigars, Rum for exports; with a couple of ore/tool producers and one specialized lumber if I can with a gun factory fairly central to the rest for quickish dispersal. Is this workable normally or is it better to seperate resource and finished product production?

If you can build your factories on top of their raw materials it will save on transport. Don't spread your colonies too far apart though. I usually try for CxxC. In particular, plan for your dragoons to be able to reach every potential landing site from a single staging post (with roads and the right FF they will be able to move 6 tiles).

I've taken Juan Ponce de Leon as on of the Founding Fathers in the test games so far, get so much treasure it's crazy though. Does me taking him realy adversely affect the unit xp from the ruins or as I need 50% less exp for promtions not realy a biggie?

Ponce de Leon is nice to have but not at the expense of Peter Minuit.

Good luck.

 

[RedArrowsFan]

Thanks for the advice, greatly appreciated. I'm a few turns into the game now, around 1513 with the second city established. Galleon got real quick and two Privateers so far. Only hurried a few units from the docks, 2 seasoned scouts which was great and finding an Indian Settlement that trains seasoned scouts was even better. The indendured servant I got trained as my third scout.