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delra

Master of Orion
35 Badges
Jan 27, 2008
26.139
546
  • Victoria 2
Hi guys,

A story. I start a hard campaign as Denmark. I send my Cutter to trade Ivory and build a Schooner in the meantime.

In June 1600 (Yes, June!) I receive 5 Galleons from the crown and a quest to conquer an Indian port by 1603. I haven't even reached India yet. I can pull it off, worst case scenario I will sell what I've taken to AI and with 100k of freebies I get (50k for reaching India and 50k for taking over a port there) I can quickly commission half a dozen of new Schooners and outpace AIs financially while they are busy struggling to upkeep their ports (they take one port each by 1603 so it's obvious everyone receives those Galleons).

I think it would be more reasonable if this mission was launched only after 1610 or even later.

I wanted to fix it myself but for the love of god can't locate where this mission is located. It's not in missions.txt nor in campaignmissions.txt.

I only found "AI_no_capture_until = 1615" in misc.txt but it's unrelated to the AIs taking over ports right at the beginning of Grand Campaign. Is it hardcoded?
 
I think, you do not get this mission, if you opt not to have the "tutorial missions" at the beginning of the campaign. It would make the game more challenging since there would be no freebies.
 
Nope. You get this mission even if you decide to turn tips and tutorial missions off. Even worse, all AIs get it as well.

Here's France capturing Abidjan in December 1601, at this point they have three trading vessels.

abijdjan.jpg
 
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Doesn't seem to convey the feeling of commercial eXploration, does it?

I think that this mission is too straightforward to entice players for true eXploration of the ports in Middle-East and India. In other thread I have suggested some kind of 'race' to 'initiate trade relations' with distant ports that would give 'early-bird' benefits, such as cheaper prices or higher value at the home port. This would result in a better early gameplay experience for the 1600-campaign.
 
Nope. You get this mission even if you decide to turn tips and tutorial missions off. Even worse, all AIs get it as well.

Here's France capturing Abidjan in December 1601, at this point they have three trading vessels.

abijdjan.jpg

Hmm... I was wondering how the AI's manage to capture ports just with trading vessels in the early game. If they get the same mission: that explains it. Nonetheless, it's weird if the AI's get the mission for Africa instead of India I tried using that galleon fleet to capture an African port while they were on their way to India, but the game told me I cannot use it for anything else than an Indian port. This means, that the AI's must get the mission targeted for African ports instead of Indian ones). That puts the AI factions at a serious disadvantage.
 
hmm.. i've never recieved such mission, but then again maybe it's because i always play free campaign >.> having a goal and limited years is just.. boring imo.

Yes, the free campaign does not get the capture mission. However, at least until 1630 (I have not played much longer yet), it is very easy to dominate AI's economy that having those missions that actually can put the player out of commission adds some spice to the game.
 
This mission happens that early on Normal and Hard, it's unrelated to difficulty. On Easy I don't know cause I don't do Easy. :)

Also, on Hard it is close to impossible to dominate that early. Port costs eat all the profit you might have so adding new Schooners is problematic. Also prices are hard on you so making a profit without trade post level 4 is very very hard even with only Schooners in your convoys.

Same Denmark game it's 1625 and I have 15 Schooners, one port in India with Spices and started building Galleons to take over some Tea port. Best AI has 2 900 000 in cargo and cash, I have 900 000. It would be much easier if I didn't have to upkeep Bombay since 1601...

Anyway, either I suck or it's not easy to dominate. :)
 
That's good to know and I think I will choose to do that from now on. Thanks for this tip Samppa. :)

I still think this mission should be moved at least 5 years into future.

Especially now when there's a 25 000 penalty for not completing it. It may not seem a big deal, one port to pay for... if you play on Easy or Normal. But on Hard it's a real PITA either way (penalty or having to upkeep a port).