I'll be happy to answer strategy questions while I work on a guide

[Percinho]

Hello all. Having played Civ in all its incarnations, I've picked up colonization for the first time recently. To say I'm struggling a little is an understatement, but as it's a brand new game to me I shouldn't be that surprised. This thread'sbeen a great help so far so thanks to all who#'ve taken the time to give hints and tips!

I think the real problem I've had so far is knowing where to put my cities. From civ days I want tehm to be self sufficient and productive, but I'm getting the impression that that's not what this game is about. It seems more to do with being able to shift your resources between cities so that they work to support each other, including making enough money to buy in what you need from Europe. Is that anywhere near the mark?

Liberty bells are used to exapnd your borders, but this also increases the REF that you'll need to fight in the end-game, is that correct? If so is it wiser to keep the LB production down and just work with small cultural borders?

For info, I am playing on the easiest level with only 5 other tribes as I am trying to get to grips with the game.

Cheers.

Edit to say I didn't play the first Col either, so I'm completely new to the game

 

[macmert]

LB's are expanding borders that is true, but I am not sure what good that does... as borders expand, but the expansion doesnt increase the BFC of the colony... working the area with pioneers are increasing the production but you cant work the area cause it is not within your BFC... so I am not so sure what is the purpose of expanding your borders...

 

[Refar]

You can "convert" the land from natives with expanding borders - within your boarders you can settle without paying for the land.
You get some "- Your Way of Life" in diplo, but it's less than you would get for Stealing the land.
Not terrible useful.

Producing LB's will give you Production Bonus form Rebel Sentiment in your cities and Political Points for FF (These you can get from Building Points in cities as well, tho LB give more).
It will also increase the REF.

Delayng LB production untill you are ready for indipendance is a common strategy.
It's usefull - and probably the most efficient way - but it's not mandatory - you can fight a huge REF and win (Provigind you got enought time to kill all of it...)

City placement is far less important in Col than in Civ - the terrian is more or less uniform anyway.
And you can not really have cities beeing fully autonom anyway.
So if your producution city is short on food, just ploink a small Farming settment somewhere nearbye and ferry food with Wagon trains. Same goes for other ressurces.

 

[HmJ]

Hello all, I'm new to this forum. I wonder whether it's more efficient waiting to have a full batch (100) of any goods before sending it to Europe, or whether we can send smaller shipments, but more often.

Why I ask this: as time goes by, taxes get higher and prices get lower step by step. Is it fixed by the number of deliveries (in this case we should always deliver the biggest possible batch size, 100), or by the total delivered quantity (in that case, small or big batch size don't have any effect).

Thanks, I haven't found time yet to experiment it

 

[Refar]

For both taxes and prices it is slightly more usefull to trade in bigger batches.
(I.e. if you happen to be just short before Tax/Price change (which you can hardly know for sure), selling a big bunch of goods to the old Price/Tax gives you a few % advantage)

However there are also other conciderations - which to me usually are more important:
Early in the game - when my production is not really high and it would take say another 5 turns to get the ship full, i usually just take what i get, so i can sell it and come back with a new colonist/migrant instead of waiting.
Somewhere midgame the question usually goes away on itself, as my stores get full faster than my Galleons can ship it away.

 

[dalgo]

There is another consideration. If you are appeasing the king by giving in to his cash demands then you don't want too much surplus on hand. If you are saving for a big ticket item like a galleon then you can keep your cash low as you build up enough goods. Then take them to Europe to sell, and buy the galleon immediately.

Of course the natural rejoinder will be 'don't kiss his $*#% ring!' It's just that I like to get those cheap vets early in the game.

 

[HmJ]

Ok, thank you.

 

[coko]

I rarely give him money because it isn't much of a penalty not to, and doesn't always affect the tax rate growth. I find with a galleon you can stop caring about getting the kings troops!

 

[Refar]

These are usefull if you want some early military action - destroy some native culture, bully around a european neighbour - the veteran has minimal advantage and can accumulate some XP.

But they come at a high price so i rarely buy more than the fitst one.