peaceful strategy, one main city, dominate on revolutionary

[Levgre]

okay so I'll be starting a game and going through the turns... the last one I did, at turn 96 normal speed, I ended up with:

4 cities, size 21, 8, 3, and 3.
Main city has 50 hammers, 45 bells, 45 crosses
cathedral, college, lumber mill, newspaper, blacksmith, distillery, and ship yard
Second city has 13 hammers 18 crosses.

I've sold about 1500 finished goods, so about 13k of gold.

here's a picture of New Amsterdam


Here's a picture of my founding fathers




Will be starting the game tonight.
This is with age of discovery but I've carried out the same strategy with normal colonization.

 

[Levgre]

Turn 2.

Unloaded in Native American town. Talked to chief, got 600 gold treasure. The starting location has several key things very good for the starting town.

Good forest - 6 timber base.
At least 1 major food source, 2 fish (more than 1 is not necessary since you only need enough to support citizens, although it can be nice).

Good trade resource(5 fur tile): This is less necessary since early gold comes from natives, not trading. A citizen is more productive for bringing in extra population, in a church.
Later, cities can just transfer trade resources to the capital, so its okay if there is no trade resource in the capital's land.



Settling the city will give an ancient ruins + burial grounds. The native settlement is expert fisherman, which are very necessary in not too long.



Turn 4: Now have 1100 of ancient treasure, and map. The 1100(550 with commission) will fund rapid immigration for the first 20 turns at least. If I had not been able to get those treasures from settling, I would have sent one immigrant exploring. You really want at least 400-1000 gold as soon as your ship arrives in Europe.


1st building is church. Crosses(besides rush immigrants) are the fastest method of growing population at this moment, so getting a church up asap is priority. No surplus food, or timber, is gained. Every 3 turns or so a citizen works a fish, then goes back to work in the workshop, or getting wood if more is needed.
Ship immediately goes back to Europe.



Turn 6: Ship is in dock in Europe. Now for the first immigrant shipment. Unfortunately there are no experts in the first 3, only 2 free colonists and 1 petty criminal. But now I am going to go on a spending spree, to get bargain specialists/immigrants while they are still under 200 gold each.


We roll the dice and here is what we get, it is quite good.
2 firebrand preachers, 2 free colonists, and 1 expert rancher.



And the 2 preachers and free colonist head back to the colonies.

 

[Levgre]

Turn 9, first immigrants arrive and start working. Cotton is picked up to be sold, since no immigrants will be wasting their time manufacturing it.



The immigrants goals are the following:
Get church up asap
extra immigrants start building up wood/food stores, although these should typically be as close to 0 as possible. They are only working them so they won't need to work them later.

One free colonists sets up a mission in the native village, especially good, because the Oconostota are impressionable (+100% conversion rate).


Turn 12:
Church finished. Both firebrand preachers start there... normal immigrants would have also, for +6 instead of +12.



Note, if I had got a seasoned scout, I would have sent them exploring, as that is the most productive for them. On Revolutionary difficulty, most of the burial grounds destroy your unit, except for seasoned scouts. Although like previously said, only enough gold to keep a flow of immigrants is necessary, although more is obviously good, because then you get more variety of experts to pick from.

 

[Levgre]

Early in the game, each turn before an immigrant would be generated from crosses, check Europe for immigrants you can rush. Then you can spend 20-80 gold to chose which immigrant you want to go to the docks. Turn 13, an expert fishermen was able to be rushed for 20 gold (was almost done). If I had not "chosen" the fisherman, I may have got the petty criminal in the lineup instead(im actually not sure how it works, but this is safest). Now, since I have crosses going, gold will not be used to generate immigrant flow, just to pick and choose the ones I want.

With +12 crosses per turn, and immigrants costing about 12 crosses per turn, that is the equivalent of 200 gold of labor (current rush cost) being generated each turn, and soon, 400-800 gold worth of labor. With normal immigrants producing 6 crossed you'd still produce 100-200 gold worth of labor, basically fast enough for the ship to have a full load of immigrants waiting on the docks in Europe each time.



Turn 19: dock finished. Surplus food is being built up with the expert fishermen, but it will NOT be used to create population. It will be saved for later deficit.

A cathedral is being started. At this point there would have been several options... school is a good option because it doesn't require supplies to build, but I don't have much spare people to teach right now, and I'll be getting enough specialists from Europe. If the option is not clear at this point a school is always a good choice.



Printing press would be another option. Political points are needed, but its better to make bells with a bonus, than only 3 bells each. If I had got an elder statesman early, I would have more likely build the printing press.

Cathedral is rarely a bad choice since it increases immigration so much, but it is much better with the firebrand preachers.


Here is the European docks at turn 19. There are 2 seasoned scouts coming up, perhaps the most needed units at the moment. If one was not coming with the next shipment, I would have sent off a normal colonist exploring. There is also an expert ore miner coming, which is useful. A master fur trader is also coming, for when the fur trade starts up in the not too distant future.

 

[Levgre]

turn 20: Switch free colonist from fish to 2nd spot in carpenter's shop, because I can always get more food, but my production is capped at 7 until I get a master carpenter or build a lumber mill (very expensive).

Turn 22: Pick up master lumberjack, ore miner, and seasoned scout in Europe, head back to New Amsterdam. Great Fisherman emerges from native settlement, now have +13 food, so enough to support 7 more people, or 14 total.

Turn 25: Immigrants arrive in New Amsterdam.
Ore miner works ore mine (will need supplies later)
Expert lumberjack works forest, now have huge wood surplus.
Seasoned Scout goes off exploring to bring in the loot and scout out later city locations.
Again, take cotton back to Europe.



Priorities are:
Master carpenter for faster production
Another ship for faster ferrying of people
elder statesmen for building up bells.

Turn 29:
Get converted Native
Ship in Europe, I rushed a master carpenter for 210 gold, so I could take him on this boat.



I refund the two seasoned scouts on the docks to get 600 gold total.
The native starts gathering furs, 6 per turn.

I am going to get another ship from Giovanni, and spend money on an elder statesman, which colonists will then be taught to become more elder statsemen.

I also need to save up money for a warship for protection.

 

[Levgre]

turn 32: Get another shipment of immigrants, start working 3 citizens in town hall.
Turn 36: Finish cathedral, start printing press. Now getting 24 crosses per turn with the 2 firebrand preachers, 30 if i have another colonist.
Turn 39: Next shipment arrives. Blacksmith joins shop.... the other two are going to go start a settlement on the northern tip, and start gathering food and furs, with the forests and clams, since there are no useful slots left in this colony. I load the 42 coats and 21 cotton and head back to europe.
With the large wood surplus, whenever nearing 100 wood, the lumberjack switches to furs for a bit of time.



turn 43: Bought a ship for further carrying, so the political points will not go to the founding father who gives a ship. Was too slow in getting the points for him. Now, the docks will finally start to empty, with 2 ships going rather than 1.



Fort Orange will just be gathering resources in the north, fur and food for the capital. It is building a dock to assist in this. It has 3 clams and a total of 16 furs available without lodges and expert trappers.



A school is being built in New Amsterdam. Specialists wanted are
Another master fur trader, master carpenter, and then a firebrand preacher. Expert fishermen are needed for the 3 clams up north, but they can be taught in the village.

The northern village will likely spawn some free colonists, with a low population and high food surplus.

Turn 44: Turn down 3 free jesuit missionaries, accept Minuit, who gives -25% cost to units in Europe. Imo one of the very best founding fathers, considering his price. We fortunately have an expert fisherman and expert fur trader incoming in Europe... although still no elder statesman. Looks like it will still need to be purchased.

 

[Levgre]

Turn 47: 6 immigrants arrive. Weaver starts producing from the cotton, 1 fills up empty spot in cathedral, and carpenter's shop. 2 will join the school next turn. The expert silver miner goes north to fort orange, to gather fur/food.



We now have 1 soldier defending, because the indians are not liking us(at -4). Also going to build a stockade next. First ship sets off with 461 gold of fur. Next turn the other one (out of movement) will, with 9 fur and 9 cloth (the free colonists heading for school made some goods while they waited).

Turn 48: am offered a free ship, or +1 cross per church, from founding fathers... turn down both. The two free colonists enter school. The seasoned scout, in his exploring, has got absolutely no money, most of the ruins were gone already it seems, nor were the tribal villages giving us money.

Here's a map of the known world... I put on culture because one Portuguese city is only visible with culture.


Looking at the top 5 cities, population is quite lopsided.



Turn 51: Start warehouse, because New Amsterdam is going to be overflowing with furs. Sell goods, up to 1k gold. Saving for either frigate (3k gold), or elder statesman (1.5k gold).
Pick up 6 immigrants, including master fur trader and expert fisherman.
There are two master carpenters and 1 master lumberjack coming up also.
Now the dock is only occupied by 3 petty criminals.

Turn 52: I turn down Pocahontas. Normally she can be very beneficial for a peaceful playstyle but I am not around many tribes really.

Turn 53: Start newspaper in New Amsterdam. Start wagon train in fort orange, because it is going to be shipping food and fur to new amsterdam.

Turn 54: Next 6 immigrants arrive in New Amsterdam.


Expert Fisherman joins New Amsterdam instead of going north to work clam, because food is needed in NA right now. Send free colonist and indentured servant to indian village to become fishermen. Maybe the last time before they declare war, at -6 diplomacy right now. Fur trader makes furs. Finally having surplus tools, I make the master weaver, who has woven everything for the time, into a pioneer.

Seasoned scout, master tobacconist, and a converted native from the village head north to fort orange. 1 ship carries the 72 finished good to Europe, the other will carry supplies from orange to NA, then go to Europe.

Turn 55: spot a privateer in the Portuguese port, although it is wounded. Decide to take unfinished furs to Europe also to sell immediately to buy ship.

Turn 57: Graduation of free colonists is postponed, due to money issues. Fresh colonists are put into the school, exchanging spots with the 1 turn to learning colonists.

Turn 60: End up with 2695 after selling... enough for privateer, but not enough for frigate. Decide to wait, send ships to port in fort orange to keep a safer distance from Portuguese privateer.

Turn 61: Get wolfe to join, for +25% food in all settlements.

Turn 62: Veteran soldier arrives on docks. Sell his guns for 600 gold, and buy the frigate for 3k. Free colonist goes west of NA, to start settlement.

Turn 63: Enemy privateer enters waters.

Turn 64: Destroy Portugese Privateer at 95% odds.... -3k gold for them.

 

[Levgre]

Fort orange is now getting pretty busy, with population 9. It is mostly only gathering raw resources to be sent to New Amsterdam, but it is also starting a church so later it will be able to expand cross production, and eventually become a major city.



Turn 67:
Ship picks up hardy pioneer and unarmed veteran soldiers at dock... dock now empty for the first time.
Founding father which reduces land purchasing cost -50% offers, tempting, but I refuse and take Samuel Adams, +% for bells according to tax rate. Right now that is +5%, not close to the +25% to bells another founding father would give, but it will grow over time.
Master Carpenter and Expert Fisherman graduate in NA. Expert Fisherman comes from village. Now I will have an expert fisherman working every crab tile in the north.
I clear specialty for master rancher, and put him in school to be something useful.
With 700 gold available now, I put one of the "1 turn from learning" free colonists in school, to become my 3rd firebrand preacher. Although now it is curiously 2 turns. I guess they gradually unlearn.

Turn 68: Church finishes in orange, start school. Since I'm low on tools, it is building infrastructure which does not require tools.

I have built 2 very minor settlements, W and S of new amsterdam. Neither has food so neither will likely grow very big.



The West one produces 3 ore and 3 fur per turn. The Southern one produces 3 ore and 2 silver per turn. So they are both worthwhile investments, for only using a single petty criminal. All their goods will be sent to New Amsterdam.

Although I wont be suprised if the southern one is razed by the Indians... but is just 1 petty criminal, not a large investment by any means.

 

[Levgre]

Turn 72: Soldier and Pioneer arrive in NA... Soldier takes the only guns in the colony and sets up watch against the Indians. Pioneer gets to work improving country side. Ship picks up 77 coats and goes back to Europe. Now 1 ship is sufficient to do ferrying, so the other Fluyt goes exploring for additional settlement locations.

Expert Lumberjack graduates. Lumberjack chosen because of what will happen in turn 73.

Turn 73: Lumbermill finished. Three carpenters reside in NA, so now all three can be carpenters. Together they produce 37 base production per turn. With bonuses (rebel dissent, +25% for leader), they produce 60 per turn.... but at a defecit of 23 lumber per turn. So basically they will produce any lumber that goes into NA within a matter of turns.



Turn 74: Master Weaver pioneer returns to NA, to weave, and because his 50 tools are needed. The hardy pioneer will do the work now. Another privateer is hounding near our waters.

Fort Orange is starting to become rather sizable.


Turn 78: Finish college in NA, start Fur Trading Post, as 150 fur is stored up that would be nice to get manufactured. Graduate an expert Lumberjack, and have one coming from Europe. Should be enough for NA to produce at least 2 carpenters nonstop, and the other one partly employed.

 

[Levgre]

Turn 81: Finish Fur trading post, and have a master trader graduate. Now producing 36 coats per turn. Start a University. Ship goes off to Europe with 100 coats and 36 cloths, which will purchase our much needed statesman, and fund the education for 2 more. Send a Tabacooist from Orange, to clear his speciality and retrain as elder statesman, so have 2 in the process of learning now.

Turn 82: Tax rate rises from 5% to 9%, and so does Samuel Adams bonus to bell production rate. It is now known there is only 1 landmass. Any expansion would be awkward, creating much longer shipping lanes, and is being postponed for now.

Turn 84: -50% supply cost, +3 bells per town, are offered, and turned down. Printing press finished in Orange.
Turn 85: Warehouse finishes in Orange, cathedral starts. Ship which had been exploring heads to Europe with 2k worth of goods. Native settlement is 91% dutch, now, with a -7 diplo penalty.

Turn 86: Get another converted native, send it to Western settlement. I sent 90 food there from Orange, so it has stores for labor for awhile.

Turn 87: Statseman, missionary, and petty criminal arrive in NA. Criminal goes to school, only 10 turns with college. Missionary works to make tools, until there is an opening at school.
Ship heads off to Europe with 1700 worth of goods, silver, cloth, and coats.

Turn 88: Graduate blacksmith, not enough money for statseman until next shipments. We get the coveted John Jay, for +25% bells in all settlements. Bells are now produced at +144%, 9 from tax rate, 25 from JJ, 100 from buildings, and 10 from rebels.
Fur Traders are running low on fur, so the 3rd goes west to work in the woods.

Turn 90: Tax Rate up to 14%, as is bonus to bells. Graduate statesman for 900 gold, pretty expensive.

Turn 91: Sell other large shipment of goods, back up to 3k. Buy a cannon to assure safety. Switch production from university to Blacksmith's shop, because 116 ore is sitting stored up from the small W and S settlements.

Turn 92: Ship drops of 1 immigrant, sets off with 1600 gold of goods. Blacksmith's shop done, now producing 27 tools per turn.
Turn 94: Cannon and immigrant dropped off, 750 gold of goods sent to Europe.

Turn 96: Sell goods, buy a cannon, back up to 2.6k. Get 3rd elder Statesman, now doing 45 bells per turn in New Amsterdam.

Turn 97: Tax Rate/Sam Adams bonus up to 18%.

Turn 98: Finish University, start drydocks. Statseman graduates, sent to Orange. Sell goods with near 20% tax rate, back up to 2.6k.

Turn 99: Finish Drydock in NA, finish cathedral in Orange. Start armory in NA, newspaper in Orange. Elder Statesman graduates, sent to Orange. I accept John Jacobs Astor, who gives +50% fur in all my colonies.
Send 1k of goods back to Europe, have 2nd cannon arrive, begin to re-educate farmer immigrant.

Turn 100: I didn't go out far enough so the stupid Portuguese privateer takes out my ship and 1k of goods. 1500 gold loss. But then I take out his privateer.

 

[Levgre]

TURN 100 summary

Picture of colonies



General Domestic Advisor



Production advisor



Building Advisor



New Amsterdam City Screen



Fort Orange city screen



Fort Nassaeu city Screen



Continental Congress



Strategy summary and general thoughts will be done later. At this point, to win I'd either expand militarily, or build up rebel setiment (probably get gun production bonus for tax rate), and build up a huge defense force, or even create a defending fleet.