Thanks for your suggestions.
Here are some comments.
Opening Phase:
- you want a spot with lots of fish / crabs (as we all do!). But how long do you search for this? (Every turn you spend exploring with no Colony costs you both income and crosses on the European Docks.)
- my first Colony has never gone above 10 (smaller colonies get Rebel Sentiment quicker)
- if your Colony is close to a Native Village, your Cultural Expansion will eliminate it (unless you allow it to survive).
- if you sell your initial guns, another European Power can easily take out your Colony.
Exploration:
- if you stockpile treasures, you will lose money when the King raises the tax rate.
- you can 'Save Save Save for my first Galleon', but the money can be spent elsewhere. Early on, this makes a big difference.
Yes, you pay 50% tax otherwise, but until you have exported 6000gp worth of treasure, you're not even making a profit.
- 'I really like to buy Elder Statesmen and Jesuit Priests'. But if you buy just one Elder Statesmen, you can train many others in a School for just 500gp (instead of buying them for 2000gp each). Also Criminals and Servants can be converted to Missionaries, which is a fine way to make use of them.
Independence:
- 'Declare independence when you have 75% or more rebel sentiment '. Well that's nice of course, but the King builds more troops because this alarms him.
I've found 60% to be fine.
- 'I generally prefer more soldiers than Dragoons as I like to fight a guerilla war.' Dragoons are best in my opinion. Also I've never lost a Colony - since I attack the King's troops as soon as they land.
I generally win around 1650 (although just for fun I won a Pilgrim game in 1576.
)