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unmerged(1342)

unmerged(1342)

Corporal
Feb 28, 2001
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Hi all,

I'm hoping some of the verterans will be willing to share some 'pointers' for running England.

I have tried 5 GCs and I think I have a fair grasp of the mechanics, but I'm obviously missing something basic.

1) I can't seem to get my economy going, at least not up to the numbers I see being posted to this forum. By the Mid to late 1500s my total income (per month according to the dialog is in the 40-50 range.) This despite converting to Protestantism in 1516 and establishing trading posts in roanoke (level 5) Manhattan, etc. and having a single colony in Ponobscot (sp?). I also have top billing in the 7 top Cots (not a monopoly). I one game I even control Flanders, and I still have money woes.

2) Is it really best to convert in 1516? Any $ spent on diplomacy is wiped out, as are all RMs. I almost always get sucked into a war with France or Spain which diverts my research money from trade/infranstructure/naval and land tech to troops and stability. This leads to falling behind the tech curves and b/c I can't seem to get the economy rolling I can never catch up.

3) In one of the AARs there is mention of england in the 1500s marching troops across North America. I have yet to see/obtain an explorer this early (besides the Cabots), so I imagine that this player obtained level 11 land tech by the mid-1500s.

I admit to invoking the 'montezuma' cheat (to test maximum research rates) and maxing land tech research and I could not obtain level 11 land tech by the mid 1500s. So I am puzzled here as well.

Any advice/suggestions welcome!

Thanks
 
Keep @it!

Micro-Manage your merchants....trying for near monopolies untill your trade level gets high enough to get them.

The real cash doesnt start flowing untill you can maintain one...and then it POORS in.

It's worth converting for the bonus settlers.....colonisation (rather than trade posts) is where the money is....North American tobacco, African Ivory and FarEast Spice.
 
I'm only in my first GC, and as England and am around 1660. I've done well with the economy. Other than a couple of trading posts in the 1500's (in Newfoundland) I geared up around 1600 with level 6 trading posts in the tobacco provences, combined with a monopoly in Anglia. Nice money. I made Chesapeake a colony so I could have a base of operations for defence. During a protracted war with France I put a trading post in Tobago (later a colony), and a number in (ex) French Africa cost (Ivory is good). France knocked me out of most of those, but I still have a couple.

It seems to help income (how, I don't know) to get colonies/cities up to the levels indicated on page 62 of the US manual. The manual states, and impirically seems true, that crossing each threshold is good for the economy.
To your question, my overall economy steadily increased from 300 to 1000 a year (sometimes). If (when) I max the slider for Treasury, I'm usually getting 40-60 a month. This at stability +3. Income drops a lot at lower stabilities. I also engage in trade wars with my enemies during a war - I just posted on a different thread my technique - it's very lucrative during a war.
 
1) It's important to build a large number of trade posts or colonies and get the COTs for those areas. The far East, especially, can provide lucrative income.

2) It often makes sense for England to wait a bit before converting. In part, this is because you need to make sure that you will have allies and will not have to fight alone against a Spanish or French alliance. Also, if you wait until the Calvin religious event, then you can convert from Catholicism -> Protestant -> Reformed and suffer the stability penalty only once instead of twice.

3) There are random events that give you explorers and conquistadors. Plus, you can always steal Spain's maps.
 
1) India is the place to be, not North America. Concentrate on trying to get around the Cape of Good Hope - put a colony on the west coast of Africa, one in Ciskei (on the Cape), and one on either Reunion or Male (in the Indian ocean) and that'll provide you with some staging posts to keep attrition rates down en route to India. Once there, get 1 city going (Trinovandum (sp?), on the southern tip of India, is good for that) and expand from there.

I tend to send Raleigh over to India, and wait until the arrival of Smith to explore N. America.

When the CoT opens in Anglia (1567 in my current game), grab yourself a monopoly there asap. That will bring in plenty until you can get a stranglehold over the Far East.

I would also question the benefit of having highly-upgraded trading posts. I've tried them a couple of times and I figure they produce less income than a city would - has anyone else found this to be the case?

2) Don't bother to convert until after 1525. There seems to be something coded into the game which will produce a civil war in England in 1525 if you are a Protestant nation (this has happened in 2 separate games on different difficulty levels, and on the same date, so I don't think it's a coincidence). Get into a CW and you're in trouble.
 
But Dark Knight, even if you have a thousand allies they will all go away once you convert, won't they?

My point is based on that - convert as early as possible, because you cannot establish a lasting diplomatic presence as long as you are still catholic preparing for conversion.

Your chance to keep up with Spain and France hinges on you being protestant (and not reformed, I think - why would England want to become reformed - unless I am missing some vital information only the Netherlands should be interested in being reformed, what with the 30% tax cuts and all).

Go protestant ASAP, bribe France to end the war early and start building a colonial empire on which the sun will never set, and welcome all new followers of the true faith as members of your great family.
 
Originally posted by Delirium
But Dark Knight, even if you have a thousand allies they will all go away once you convert, won't they?
Click to expand...
I meant that you want to be sure that there will be Protestant and Reformed countries that you can ally with and who will be helpful in wars. England should also wait for a time when France and Spain are otherwise occupied.
 
'I would also question the benefit of having highly-upgraded trading posts. I've tried them a couple of times and I figure they produce less income than a city would - has anyone else found this to be the case?
'

Me too after some further play. At least with the tobacco provences you get the same trade income with a built up colony as with maxed trading posts. Better long term investment. I haven't looked at when the income equals versus the number of colonists placed. There might be an argument for maxing (or building up) trading posts in vulnerable areas. There could be a very good ROI if you don't loose them for a while. The premise being that you don't want to spend the effort with colonial infrastructure (forts, etc.).
 
If you're colonizing a huge area, like Siberia as Russia, you won't have enough money to place lots of colonists, so may as well build larger trade posts instead of losing colonists because you can't store more than six at a time. Also, note that research and stability costs are dependent on the number of provinces you have, so building new colonies adds to these costs without adding much income.
 
England Lutheran instead of Reformed? I think the latter is better suited for expansion: you have tax cuts, ok, but you also get plenty settlers and a good trade bonus. It served well for me, as I now (1600 AD) have settled from Nova Scotia to Carolina, in several spots in Africa, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, and now owning 10 provinces in Siberia. My net income per month is 50-60 at inflation 0.25-0.3, with taxes at around 200-250 per year. The Edict of Tolerance allowed me to bond myself to England and Portugal again. My badboy is at -5.

I highly doubt I would have expanded so far had I remained Lutheran. Ok, I only play at normal/normal, but still...
 
English conversion should be seen as an opportunity, not a crisis. I would advocate building up large armed forces before hand. Then, when the option to become Protestant appears, wait a little while (I often find Spain will declare war on the Aztecs in the same year) and convert while shipping the majority of your forces to sit in the channel. France is almost guaranteed to declare war (which increases your stability) at which point descend on French territory leaving the French to fight your rebels in Calais. A swift war can gain you 2-3 provinces or some important cash. This is a problem with the AI being a little too predictable at times.

Personally I lean towards the continental commitment and use the opportunity to continue to expand Englands dynastic French possessions. They are worth some good money in the long run and hamper France's ability to colonize which just leaves Spain as a long term colonial enemy.
 
Originally posted by Dark Knight

I meant that you want to be sure that there will be Protestant and Reformed countries that you can ally with and who will be helpful in wars. England should also wait for a time when France and Spain are otherwise occupied.
Click to expand...

Ah, yes, of course, I see what you mean. I still think you might as well be the leader of the pack as early as possible, but alright, you can still wait for a good opportunity - +3 stability, large armed forces, plenty of cash, and France in war with Spain? Go for it man!
 
As England every time I have tried to convert to Protestantism (what is the right term, Anglican????) without putting the effort into preparing a large army and navy, having sizeable forces in Ireland etc I always get totally stuffed by France and / or rebellions.

Lots of troops, lots of money, lots of forts, lots of navies and wait for France and Spain to be preoccupied with something else.

By the time you've set up for that they'll likely be other protestant nations around as well........


Patrick
 
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