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4.11.1 Objectives
4.11.2 Resources
4.11.3 Map
4.11.4 Strategy overview

4.11.1 Objective

4.11.2 Resources

4.11.3 Map

Skip preformatted map

\,--------------------------./
||       [!A] [B]           ||
||                [C] [!D]  ||
|| [?E]   [F]               ||
||     [G]    [H]   [I] [J] ||
||        [K]            [L]||
||   [M]               [N]  ||
||       [O]                ||
||   [P]     [?Q]    [R]    ||
||       [!S]    [?T]       ||
/'--------------------------'\

4.11.4 Strategy overview

You start with a well developed empire. Like everything you inherit, it will benefit from some changes and automatic trade routes. Most importantly, you start with a couple of war ships and troops. Use them immediately to defeat the two AI players that start settlements at the beginning. Frieden writes: "In the beginning two opponents' ships appear on the left top of the map. Try to defeat both. Sometimes one of them is able to built a warehouse and marketplace. Shoot down the warehouse again and again. Then send some troops overseas to talk with him."

With two competitors defeated, turn your attention to the last competitor, who is already well developed on two islands. This is a tougher opponent, and you will need to build up you military first, specifically your navy. From DemetriosX: "Smashing the computer's ships first is usually the best strategy. It keeps him from harassing you while you wipe out his watchtowers and from counter-invading one of your islands. After that wipe out his wharfs, and keep an eye on his other island(s) too. Once he figures out you're destroying any wharf he builds on his main island he'll put one elsewhere. After that, I usually wipe out anything my ships can reach, starting with shore based watchtowers and his warehouse." Arcturis_mengsk adds: "I usually take out his main island because that is his source of tax revenue then he will be left with his expensive-to-upkeep supply island."

Neferankh writes: "Taking all his ships out first is almost a necessity. What I did was build the maximum amount of ships I could and loaded them with 10 cannons each. Then I split my fleet into 2 forces. I sent one in fairly close to where the computer's ships were circling. Left the other a little out of the way. Started attacking his ships with my first fleet. As his other, more remote, ships started to come towards the battle, I moved my second fleet in and intercepted them. By splitting your fleet, you effectively split the computer's fleet. Oh, I assigned CTRL numbers to the two fleets and toggled between them during the battle to make sure all were fighting. Ships have a tendency to sit around doing nothing even if the one next to it is under attack. Net result, no ships lost. ... Sometimes, when you attack an Opponent's island, it is tempting to try to replace all his Markets as well as his Warehouse in order to keep all his Plantations and Production Workshops. If you really need the Products fast, then it is a good idea. But the computer does build sloppy and, if you don't need the Product, it may be more efficient to tear down the Plantations/Workshops and rebuild in the best way possible."