On this page:

4.10.1 Objectives
4.10.2 Resources
4.10.3 Map
4.10.4 Strategy overview
4.10.5 Colony development
4.10.6 Early combat strategy
4.10.7 Trading strategy

4.10.1 Objective

4.10.2 Resources

4.10.3 Map

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||                  [A] [B] ||
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|| [C]                   [D]||
||            [E]           ||
||[F]                    [G]||
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||     [H]                  ||
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||[I]   [J]                 ||
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4.10.4 Strategy overview

This tends to be the first scenario to confuse players, primarily because the objective is not clear: You must defeat the other player. The scenario requires you to work quite quickly, to fix your own economy and deal with your opponent, both at the same time. It also requires some quite complex trade route planning.

The other player was totally reliant on you for supplies. Without your supplies their impressive looking city will rapidly decay, and their population will drop to about 20% of its starting level. Their reaction to this will be to declare war on you. Fortunately for you, their economy will not be able to support much of a war. Different strategies are possible, which vary depending on how rapidly one wants war to start. These are described below in more detail.

As if the threat of war was not enough, you will have deal with several initial problems in your own empire: Colony design is poor on some islands - for example, on Ullitho, your main colony, fires tend to occur in houses that have no road access, and there are far too many Gallows in my opinion. Trade routes need to be set up to move goods around your empire, and odd selling/buying settings at your Warehouses need to be reviewed. When you set trade routes, avoid any routes that passes close to your opponent's island: Once you go to war, your supply ships will easily be destroyed if they pass too close to the enemy's island. Some production facilities are not operating efficiently, but are costing you upkeep all the same.

The criteria for conquering enemies, and hence completing the scenario, are described under How do I conquer enemies? above. Strategies for Invasions are covered in the strategies section.

4.10.5 Colony development

Large fleets and armies require population development in order to meet the requirements for buildings things like Large shipyards, and to provide a solid tax base with which to fund your military. Your initial colonies are far from this position - you have the land, but not the development or tax base. I recommend developing at least one colony to the point where it has 500+ Merchants before attempting to defeat the opponent. This gives access to large war ships and all military units (without which invading will be tough), and will tend to give enough tax revenue to support a modest military.

You start with 4 colonies that contain housing. Trying to develop all of those up to Merchant status is not recommended: You lack the space needed on most islands to build large settlements without reducing crop production, and small colonies will not generate enough taxation to support some of the high-end buildings needed to create Merchants. Instead focus on developing one or two of your colonies as population centres, and keep the others for production. Settling further islands is optional - you will probably not need any additional land, and depending on the strategy you adopt below, your opponent is unlikely to settle new land.

SandMonkey writes: "I would use the largest southwest island and/or the northeastern most island, as they provide the largest base population to start, and the most room to expand. All of the other islands are either out of land, or are better used for purely production needs." Budgie adds: "You should concentrate your efforts on one city - and yes, wipe out the others in good time."

4.10.6 Early combat strategy

This strategy involves doing as much damage as possible to your enemy at the start of the game, by denying them a navy. If your opponent has no navy it will be impossible for them to invade you. You can build up your empire in relative peace, prior to attacking their island. Rapidly gather up all (or almost all) of your ships and destroy all of their shipping - they won't have many ships initially. Then move some of your fleet to near the enemy's shipyard. One can wait for new ships to be produced, and attack them as they leave the shipyard - they are very vulnerable if you attack them before they have a chance to load additional Cannon. Alternatively destroy the shipyard itself. The other player will keep on trying to produce whatever they lost, so you will need to keep watch. However, since they only produce one shipyard or ship at a time, you will not need to keep your entire fleet engaged in this activity. Gradually their resources will be depleted, and they will be less able to repel land forces when you attack them later in the game.

Maddoc writes: "If I destroy his shipyard, he will soon build another one as soon as he can. Most of the times he will choose another place for the new shipyard. That way, I kind of have to chase his shipyards around until he does not build any more. So what I do is, I don't destroy them. Instead I put a large battle ship with 14 cannons right in front of his shipyard, just out of reach of his cannon towers, if he has any around the shipyard. Then from time to time I get a message 'Your opponent has built a new ship'. Followed immediately by 'Your opponent attacks one of your ships' (or the like). That's ok, my guarding ship will sink him with ease, as he has only few or no cannons. This is totally automatic, I don't have to bother with his ships, I have total control over his fleet, I get points for sinking ships permanently, and he thinks everything is fine. One thing that may happen, though, is that he builds cannon towers near the shipyard after I posted my ship. This can be dangerous, so keep your ship at a safe distance, but close enough to intercept his ships. Someone noticed that the computer's ships start with a few cannons right from the shipyard. Normally they then turn towards the warehouse to load more cannons. Get them before they arrive there."

From Zomby Woof: "First clear the ocean, try to pick the opponent ships one after another with 3 of your ships that minimizes your losses. Don't forget to repair. Next destroy the shipyard and take care that your opponent isn't building a new one. Then destroy as much as you on the coastline with your warships especially the towers, marketplaces and the warehouse. Next are the enemy soldiers, try to lure them to the coast so you can destroy them safely with your ships. This works if you land one of your own soldiers on the enemy coast, one soldier will arrive to fight him. Take your soldier quickly back into a ship and kill the enemy with your ships. You can repeat this until the opponent runs out of soldiers. Now you can start the invasion with the complete army."

4.10.7 Trading strategy

This strategy involves supplying your opponent with enough of what they need to remain peaceful, and using the profits to build up your army. Sir Henry writes: "In this scenario you could as well keep your opponent peaceful by trading with him. Deliver what he needs. You may pay him some tribute from time to time as well. Just observe his thumb in the diplomacy menu and keep it horizontal. When you are strong enough to build big war ships and cannons you may take revenge."

From Günter: "Don't raise your own population too quickly but wait for your neighbor first, even if your people are crying for goods. Trade them rather with him as much as you can, even at the risk that your own supplies are short, and return him your trading profit as tribute." Kopeister suggests constructing a Gold mine early in the game, and profiting from the sale of Gold and Jewellery.

FrankB comments: "Try to trade with Blue as long as you are weak - you can get a nice profit from that. However, that's not easy, and Blue will probably declare war early in the game. You may then try to suggest a new trade and peace treaty to get some time - but I think you cannot give him all he wants (your own economy has a higher priority). ... It's impossible to satisfy his demands completely; sooner or later he will declare war on you."