A dummies guide to colonies

[Emperor of Europe]

Hi

Can somebody please give me a quick tour of colonisation strategies? I'm a bit at a loss here, since the manual seems a bit vague. Here are - some - of my questions:

1.
Colonies are far more expensive than trade posts, but it seems that trade posts actually generate more money. That seems rather weird since a colony would include a trade post.

2.
Why would I want to upgrade my trade posts? Is it worth it? How much will it increase the trade value?

3.
What factors influence whether my colonisation attempt will be a succes or not? Should I slaughter the natives first? Or start out with a tradepost?

4.
What factors influence the cost of establishing a colony?

Regards,

Holger

 

[unmerged(199)]

1. Colonies can not be burnt and will if they have positive population growth rate (regions in Asia do not have this) eventually grow into cities on their own. Colonies provide a harbor for your ships!

2. I think you improve their trade value, but I've not played with any power having enough colonists to check this out.

3. Each colonists placed in the province (tradepost or colony) improves the chance of success. From what I've seen, having an army in the province as well. Slaughtering all the natives also improves chances.

4. Don't know exactly - usually seems that the better chance of success, the lower the cost.

 

[Leprechaun]

To point 3:
It's true that slaughtering the natives raises the chance of success, but if their aggression is below 5 or 4 you sholdn't kill them, because they become citizens of your colony when a populaton of 600 or 700 is reached!

------------------
Pour dieu et mon droit

 

[Emperor of Europe]

Originally posted by Leprechaun:
To point 3:
It's true that slaughtering the natives raises the chance of success, but if their aggression is below 5 or 4 you sholdn't kill them, because they become citizens of your colony when a populaton of 600 or 700 is reached!

Uh oh, I've been bad... ;-)

thanx/emp

 

[unmerged(388)]

Originally posted by Leprechaun:
To point 3:
It's true that slaughtering the natives raises the chance of success, but if their aggression is below 5 or 4 you sholdn't kill them, because they become citizens of your colony when a populaton of 600 or 700 is reached!

Actually - it can be quite allright to allow the natives to live even if they are aggressive. I have had significant success in Asia putting 5-10k with some cavalry into a province with 20.000 natives, sending in 7-10 colonists (depending on luck) and thereby having a colonial city with 20.000 inhabitants, an income of 40/60 and if lucky - a trade centre popping up (Da Lat,1700(900) in 1600)...

Say 14 colonists(BAD luck) at 60 dukats, it is paid back faster than any other investment I have seen Bankok is a beauty!!!

It also gives great bases for later development of the area, or colonial warfare.

Martin

 

[Emperor of Europe]

Thanks for all the help, but I still got one important remaining question.

When I upgrade a province from being a trading post to being a colony, will it actually increase my income or not? I mean: don't I in fact exchange a huge trade income with quite low production and tax income?

confused/emp

 

[unmerged(199)]

Originally posted by Emperor of Europe:
When I upgrade a province from being a trading post to being a colony, will it actually increase my income or not? I mean: don't I in fact exchange a huge trade income with quite low production and tax income?
confused/emp

Look at it in the bigger picture - the income from one trade post is not likely to be that big a piece of your total income.

Besides, in the long run (once your colony becomes a city), the city will be worth more than the trade post (as well as providing you with troops).

If you only have a few colonists (like Denmark) though - it can often pay off to just have trade posts and conquor other nations colonies instead. Also, you'd probably wipe out natives every chance you get, since you can't afford to use 14-16 colonists to build a city.

/Strategy

 

[Emperor of Europe]

Originally posted by strategy:
Look at it in the bigger picture - the income from one trade post is not likely to be that big a piece of your total income.

Besides, in the long run (once your colony becomes a city), the city will be worth more than the trade post (as well as providing you with troops).

If you only have a few colonists (like Denmark) though - it can often pay off to just have trade posts and conquor other nations colonies instead. Also, you'd probably wipe out natives every chance you get, since you can't afford to use 14-16 colonists to build a city.

/Strategy

Thanks Strategy,

I'm playing Russia in the GC right now and have my very own colonial backyard in Siberia. My tradeposts - and colonies in the provinces with gold - have spread all over, and now I'm just wondering what to do next.

Reading your post, it seems that the best strategy would be to send upgrade the trade posts one of a time all the way up to city status. Hopefully such an expansion will give me the necessary economic strenght for the inevitable showdown with Sweden.

Regards,

Emp.

 

[unmerged(199)]

This would definitely sound like your best bet to me if you can't expand any more.

 

[unmerged(315)]

I just got the EU yesterday, and I am struggling through the German and quite confused. When you say

'it can be quite allright to allow the natives to live even if they are aggressive. I have had significant success in Asia putting 5-10k with some cavalry into a province with 20.000 natives, sending in 7-10 colonists...'

I don't understand. I send my army into a province, it gets attacked, I win. In doing this, did I just wipe out the natives? Do I do something in addition to this if I want to wipe out the natives?

Sorry for my ignorance, but I'm just getting started here, and the manual in German is pretty much beyond me.

 

[unmerged(234)]

Originally posted by Beorn:
I just got the EU yesterday, and I am struggling through the German and quite confused. When you say

'it can be quite allright to allow the natives to live even if they are aggressive. I have had significant success in Asia putting 5-10k with some cavalry into a province with 20.000 natives, sending in 7-10 colonists...'

I don't understand. I send my army into a province, it gets attacked, I win. In doing this, did I just wipe out the natives? Do I do something in addition to this if I want to wipe out the natives?

Sorry for my ignorance, but I'm just getting started here, and the manual in German is pretty much beyond me.

No, you have probably just quitened them down and killed a lot of them. Clicking on your army unit, do it have an option 'Eingebone angriffen' (or similar, may german is not god). There are still natives there to attack, hit the button and you will keep doing that after each time you beat them and you will wipe them out after a while.

 

[maurice]

Colonisation strategy depends on the country you are playing, for example-
Early in the GC, the nations with easy access to the Atlantic need to grab land. This is cheaply done by establishing trading posts (ivory, tobacco, spices).
Also, establish a naval base (port colony) in key locations e.g. cape of good hope.
Note that upgrading a trading post to a colony does not necessarily mean much extra income - it can cost more than its worth. Although trading posts are defenseless, you will usually be able to rebuild lost trading posts even after a lost war. This is important info for Portugal.
India and South-East Asia are very valuable, but without conquistadors and an already healthy income, you won't be very successful in colonisation or conquest.
South America has a few good tobacco provinces - good income for little investment. However the rate of colony growth is poor, so don't waste much effort.
North America has a lot of good colonies - those south of New York. Historically New England was poor farming ground and it is in the game.
Use colonies to fund European expansion - manpower is the true measure of a country's size & European wars are the only way to gain increases.
Goal 1: Establish enough trading posts to allow you to set your tax rate to nil.
Goal 2: Then save some money and build armies.
Goal 3: While this is going on identify your main threat/opportunity.
Goal 4: When your main threat/opportunity is at war with someone else, attack in Europe and his main income-generating colonies.

p.s. you need to keep sending colonists until the colony population is > 1000 to minimise the attrition percentage



[This message has been edited by maurice (edited 17-12-2000).]

 

[unmerged(199)]

If you have an explorer (or Conquistador and have access), sail south and wipe out the incas or aztecs before the Spanish get there (or just take a few of their provinces). This is very easy, even with 3-4000 men - grab a few gold provinces before the Aztec or Inca main armies arrive and then offer them peace in return for the provinces. It's not too hard too do, and well worth the risk and expenditure.

 

[unmerged(258)]

Originally posted by maurice:
p.s. you need to keep sending colonists until the colony population is > 1000 to minimise the attrition percentage

[This message has been edited by maurice (edited 17-12-2000).]

Does this mean the negative growth rate of a region can be reversed if you get enough colonists in it? How do you deal with the negative growth rate otherwise? Will your colonies eventually be reduced to nothing?

It's a pain playing a country who has to wait for Naval Tech Level 21 before you can start exploring & sending out colonists ...

 

[unmerged(199)]

Once a colony reaches a population of >700 (i.e., becomes a city), it's negative growth rate is not important, since it can not be reduced below 700.

It's a pain playing a country who has to wait for Naval Tech Level 21 before you can start exploring & sending out colonists ...

I usually declare a quick little war against either Spain (very risky) or Portugal (a bit easier), and conquor their capital (best solution - guaranteed to give you maps) or just go for their ships.

 

[unmerged(258)]

Thanks for the tips. In this game I got a bit of help by winning a sea battle against Poland (?!) who knew of most of the New World. I guess through their connections with France.

The AI nations are very reluctant to trade maps, even if I can offer 250 provinces for the 3 they know. Even then, it is rare for them to trade.

 

[unmerged(372)]

Even if I start out as a nation with no special knowledge, I can get cool maps by playing off my knowledge against that of others. For instance, playing as Baden, I trade maps with the africans and arabs. Then I trade with Sibir. I now have some knowledge that the big guys like france and spain would really like to know, so I trade with them. The only thing that might stop you is bad diplomatic relation and the occasional country that just WILL NOT TRADE, no matter what.

 

[unmerged(258)]

Hmmm could be that my good relations as Sweden are only with German minors that know nothing I do not. Thus no on else will trade with me - though even the ones a +/- ) don't seem willing.