I'm posting this elsewhere but as long as I am making the effort of doing it I might as well post it here too.
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I bought the original Colonization on GOG.com earlier today. I have played FreeCol (and had some technical problems), but never the original version until today.
I am playing as Sir Walter Raleigh of the the English on the Conquistador (Moderate) level. I have played a lot of Civ but I am not very good at them, as far as power-gaming goes. I have a vague idea of how to play the game but have not opened the manual. I don't have any interest in win-button strategies or power-gaming through this AAR, I am going to play as I want and to have fun. If you want to give advice feel free but don't be offended if I ignore it in game. :)
On the extremely slim chance that there is someone else who hasn't played this game, it is a Sid Meier game and a very close relative of Civilization. At the start of the game I will be in control of 1 caravel, 1 Pioneer Colonist (basic unit + tools) and 1 soldier (basic unit + muskets). I will be sailing to a randomly generated New World and will be joined there by French, Spanish and Dutch settlers, along with the native Americans. Each country has their own advantage: Spain is really good at raping and pillaging the Natives, the French are really good at getting along with the Natives, the Dutch are better traders and the English have more people wanting to leave that silly island and go ANYWHERE else, even across the Atlantic and into completely unknown territory.
The goal is to build up the colonial settlements until they are self-sufficient then declare independence from the home land and win a war of independence against the home country.
Our story starts in 1492 (sorry about the cursor in the screenshots, I will try to do better in the future).
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And with that Sir Walter Raleigh sets off for the Americas in 1492, and in Spring of that year his small rag-tag band reaches the New World.
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The maps we were given are very good and we approach land in a very nice looking spot. In honor of the country we hated so much we left certain we would die, we name the new land New England.
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And make landfall.
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It looks like we were right and found an very nice area to start.
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We are able to establish our first colony right at the spot we land and name it after a King that will rule in 70-some years.
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We got lucky and landed in an area abundant with game which we can use for food and their furs.
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This colony only produces 2 food so we are going to need to focus on food production pretty quickly. Each citizen working in the colony needs 2 food and I really want the fur production, so any additional workers will need to produce more than 2 food to make them worth having.
Each Colonist also produces at least one Liberty Bell and one Cross. Liberty Bells represent the colonists desire for independence and the Crosses represent the religious freedom of the colonies. As we saw in the Intro, free immigration is controlled by Crosses. We can pay for immigrants anytime, but we need the free ones, especially early.
Once we have a colony producing Liberty Bells we start building towards a Continental Congress and as it expands we can choose the Founding Fathers we want to show up.
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My intention is to play very nicely with the Natives. I won't be bullied, but I also won't be an instigator. I can't control the Indians' opinion of us, but I have no immediate intention of starting hostilities with the natives.
That being said, they are savages and we need to be careful. We choose Sieur De La Salle for his ability to provide a free stockade to every colony when they hit size 3.
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Shortly after inviting De La Salle to the Continental Congress we make our first contact with the Natives.
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Is this the game that completely ignores the African slave trade?
Indeed it does. Good game though.
You should always plow the area before you build a city. You can't do it later anymore. Also for England, I would have chosen Penn as the first founding father.
Quote from: Zanza on June 03, 2012, 03:47:52 AM
You should always plow the area before you build a city. You can't do it later anymore.
waddaya mean? I used to found the first city with the soldier, and plow the lands around it with the pioneer
Nice one, will follow this. :Canuck:
Quote from: Tamas on June 03, 2012, 03:49:34 AM
Quote from: Zanza on June 03, 2012, 03:47:52 AM
You should always plow the area before you build a city. You can't do it later anymore.
waddaya mean? I used to found the first city with the soldier, and plow the lands around it with the pioneer
If you plow the square the city is built on, it produces more food so that you can have 2 (or in the lowest difficulty 3) people in the city without a farmer.
Great game, original Colonization! :)
Is this game out yet? :unsure:
Oh, you can plow tiles? I will have to try that sometime. :blush:
And yes, I should have gone with Penn but I always seem to have more specialists early on than I know what do do with so immigration is rarely a problem. AS you will see in a bit it will be the same in this game.
In the Spring of 1496 we meet the Arawak tribe and greet them as friends.
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Religious unrest at home has made a Master Carpenter available. Outside of a Farmer or Fisherperson (though the Fisher needs the docks the Carpenter builds) that seems to be one of the best early specialists to get. It should help get things moving quicker. I'm not sure which buildings are the best early on.
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Time for the Caravel to stop exploring the coastlines and head back home. Our soldier has also been exploring the interior of the land. The little village with the yellow star is the capital of the Arawak tribe. The wooden nickel looking thing is an unexplored ruins, hoping to find some goodies there.
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The soldier explored a ruins that are not visible on that picture and found a free colonist. He will head off to Jamestown and starting cutting timber for the Master Carpenter to use when he gets here.
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The caravel is back in Jamestown and will load the 30 furs we have stockpiled and take them back to sell in London.
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And our caravel is off, back home to sell some of our furs and bring back our Master Carpenter. We are now stuck here until it gets back.
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The soldier is moving towards the other ruins and uncovering more of the surrounding terrain as he goes.
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When he arrives he finds something we had only dreamed about, the fabled Fountain of Youth.
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Great game.
One thing you can do to get some help early on is sent bog-standard colonists to live with the natives by sending them to a village. A year (I think) later, they re-appear as farming or fishing experts. If you go to war with the natives in the meantime, though, they are lost.
You will also get friendly natives to occasionally show up and join your colony. They are better farmers and fishermen than your colonists, but cannot be trained (until much later, when a FF choice converts them to regular settlers).
Grumbler brings up good points. When you visit a village they give you gifts, maps, etc and you also find out what they specialize in. Some professions can only be learned from the Natives, sugar, tobacco, cotton planter, fur trapper. Also, if you put colonists without trades to farming those items they might become experts, but that doesn't happen very often. I always trained colonists or indentured servants with the Natives to get those four profs/trades.
Hilarious. This crowd can't stick together to play modern MMORPG for 2 weeks before getting bored, but you're all dick deep into 8-bit SNES bullshit.
Quote from: grumbler on June 03, 2012, 01:34:59 PM
Great game.
One thing you can do to get some help early on is sent bog-standard colonists to live with the natives by sending them to a village. A year (I think) later, they re-appear as farming or fishing experts. If you go to war with the natives in the meantime, though, they are lost.
You will also get friendly natives to occasionally show up and join your colony. They are better farmers and fishermen than your colonists, but cannot be trained (until much later, when a FF choice converts them to regular settlers).
This is mostly right, but not entirely.
People sent to live among the Indians are instantly trained--there is no wait-period. What you are thinking of are missionaries, who establish a mission in the camp (but are lost forever after). If good relations are maintained with the Indians (they will approach your settlement asking for food and other goods every so often--give them what they want), then they will send people to live with you.
The Indian converts are some of the most useful workers in the early game for the reasons Grumbler mentions; they are only slightly worse than expert farmers/fishermen.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on June 03, 2012, 01:43:19 PM
Hilarious. This crowd can't stick together to play modern MMORPG for 2 weeks before getting bored, but you're all dick deep into 8-bit SNES bullshit.
Pfft. This AAR will peter out eventually just like Zoup's HOI one or the latest DF attempt. Give it time.
Quote from: Habbaku on June 03, 2012, 02:46:12 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on June 03, 2012, 01:43:19 PM
Hilarious. This crowd can't stick together to play modern MMORPG for 2 weeks before getting bored, but you're all dick deep into 8-bit SNES bullshit.
Pfft. This AAR will peter out eventually just like Zoup's HOI one or the latest DF attempt. Give it time.
Jamestown. Not Jones. :contract:
Kool-Aid hasn't been invented yet.
Once news of the discovery of The Fountain of Youth reached London there were herds of people clamoring to join us in the New World, some very valuable, others not so much.
Joining the Carpenter on the docks for the caravel, the Discovery were the following immigrants:
Expert Fisherman
Expert Lumberjack
Expert Farmer
Seasoned Scout
Master Weaver
Indentured Servant
Indentured Servant
Indentured Servant
The first three are self explanatory. We don't currently have any access to cotton, so the Weaver will have to toil like the other peasants but we will need to make finding land suitable for cotton a high priority in order to take advantage of his skills. At least 2 of the Servants will go off to live with the Natives for a time, hopefully to learn some skills that can't be learned in Europe.
The Discovery arrived in London with her small load of furs.
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Even though Discovery had set sail in order to bring the Carpenter back, he didn't make the first trip. We decided the Farmer and the Lumberjack were more important at the moment. We will need the food and the Carpenter can't do much without any Timber.
The colonist that was rescued from the ancient ruins had arrived in Jamestown and set to work building up the timber supply. Unfortunately Jamestown doesn't produce enough food so the trapper had to start working the farm fields in order to feed both workers.
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Once the Farmer and Lumberjack arrive there will be plenty of food. The one colonist can go back to trapping for furs while the second colonist will set off to establish a second colony.
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The Discovery had a quick turn-around in New England, loaded another small load of furs and headed back home. After selling the furs the carpenter came aboard and they brought aboard a load of tools. The Fisherman can't be put to work until we have built a Docks and we will need plenty of Timber and a Carpenter to do that.
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While the Discovery was sailing to and fro relations with the Natives were improving. The Arawaks twice stopped by with small gifts.
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In return we honored them by not looting and destroying one of their burial sites.
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Shortly after proving our cultural superiority to ourselves it was confirmed as we made contact with our first other Europeans. Oui, Oui.
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Our English Soldier is still exploring the interior of the new continent.
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Shortly after emerging from stealing beads and trinkets from an abandoned teepee our Soldier came across a French Scout. The Frog insisted we withdraw all forces from the vicinity of some silly French outhouse colony.
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Like good Englishmen we told him to go eat cheese. The Frog immediately back-tracked and offered to partition the new lands between us.
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We didn't like this idea either so we started insulting the Frenchman's mother and he folded like a cheap suit.
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:D
I had no problem extorting money so I took the payment and used it to purchase a second Caravel, the Godspeed. The Godspeed loaded the Weaver and an Indentured Servant and set sail for New England. At the same time the Discovery had returned to London with a full load of Timber. The Expert Lumberjack was cutting wood too fast and we were going to lose the excess since we didn't have a warehouse built yet. The lumber wasn't worth much but it is better than getting nothing for it. The Fisherman and Scout boarded the Discovery, ready to head to Jamestown.
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The Arawaks, awed by our handling of the French came bearing more gifts hoping to not meet the same fate.
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Once the Scout made landfall he set off at top speed even further into the interior and just northwest of where the Soldier made contact with the French, the Scout ran into a Dutch trader.
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The Dutch seemed to think this land was theirs to do what they wanted with and we made it clear that we disagreed.
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The Dutch Trader then offered a similar partition deal as the French.
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Of course they backed their demands with more backbone than the Frogs and when we said 'No', they said 'War'.
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You should send the scout exploring when you get to him, scouts tend to get better results from "goody huts".
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Any strange moods yet?
Quote from: sbr on June 04, 2012, 07:00:18 PM(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F31_leaving_london_carpenter.png&hash=75daa766e26e9b5f409014f52c5e6249d683f080)
If you want to save space on your caravel, you can just give the tools to the carpenter in London (there should be menu option for that) and take a second settler with you.
I liked whenever you built something your dudes would cheer.
I'm waiting for the AAR for Oregon Trail, people. 16-bitards.
Oregon Tail?
Quote from: CountDeMoney on June 05, 2012, 03:16:14 PM
I'm waiting for the AAR for Oregon Trail, people. 16-bitards.
We have already done that. Jaron or Ed Anger did it I think.
Reading through this convinced me to pull the trigger and purchase Colonization and Conquest of the New World, another favorite.
Quote from: Valmy on June 05, 2012, 03:20:32 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on June 05, 2012, 03:16:14 PM
I'm waiting for the AAR for Oregon Trail, people. 16-bitards.
We have already done that. Jaron or Ed Anger did it I think.
J-Dawg did that I think.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on June 05, 2012, 03:16:14 PM
I'm waiting for the AAR for Oregon Trail, people. 16-bitards.
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Haters gonna hate.
Quote from: Habbaku on June 05, 2012, 06:52:05 PM
Haters gonna hate.
In CdM's honor, I am considering a Languish-themed old-school X-COM: UFO Defense AAR.
Quote from: Tonitrus on June 06, 2012, 12:30:22 AM
Quote from: Habbaku on June 05, 2012, 06:52:05 PM
Haters gonna hate.
In CdM's honor, I am considering a Languish-themed old-school X-COM: UFO Defense AAR.
:punk:
Do it.
Hey sbr:
Is there some trick to making the GOG site work? I was motivated by your gripping AAR to download the game, but when I click add to cart and/or sign up I get Jack. Done. Clickclickclick. Done.
Took a look at Steam but they didn't have this game or Civ II available.
Yi, make sure you don't have a pop-up blocker on when you do that. Buying a game from Gog.com requires you to register and you may be missing the account-registration log-in/set-up pop-up.
Quote from: Habbaku on June 06, 2012, 10:03:33 PM
Yi, make sure you don't have a pop-up blocker on when you do that. Buying a game from Gog.com requires you to register and you may be missing the account-registration log-in/set-up pop-up.
Thanks, but still no go. Turned off the blocker and I get no pop up.
Hm. Try a different browser? I use Chrome and it works great.
Interestingly that's the exact same recommendation the dude at the InTrade help desk gave me. And I'll give you the exact same response I gave him, which was it has reached the point in the process where it's no longer worth the effort.
I can't think of anything Yi and I dont have time to get on my pc to play around this morning. I can look this afternoon.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 07, 2012, 12:54:48 AM
Interestingly that's the exact same recommendation the dude at the InTrade help desk gave me. And I'll give you the exact same response I gave him, which was it has reached the point in the process where it's no longer worth the effort.
Are you at least using IE8? :unsure:
You can play Free Col.... it's a cleaned up version of the original Colonization, with better graphics and several repairs... and you can even play with the Portuguese or the Russians.
I had some problems with freecol, don't remember what now but it was enough to put me off the game.
Quote from: sbr on June 07, 2012, 10:46:27 AM
I had some problems with freecol, don't remember what now but it was enough to put me off the game.
Ditto. As I remember it, Freecol broke some important things, like trade routes, and I gave up after two or three tries.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 07, 2012, 12:54:48 AM
Interestingly that's the exact same recommendation the dude at the InTrade help desk gave me. And I'll give you the exact same response I gave him, which was it has reached the point in the process where it's no longer worth the effort.
:ike:
Yi : My car doesn't work?
Mechanic : Does it have gas in it?
Yi : We've reached the point in the process where it's no longer worth the effort.
Harsh toke dude.
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 07, 2012, 01:34:15 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 07, 2012, 12:54:48 AM
Interestingly that's the exact same recommendation the dude at the InTrade help desk gave me. And I'll give you the exact same response I gave him, which was it has reached the point in the process where it's no longer worth the effort.
:ike:
Yi : My car doesn't work?
Mechanic : Does it have gas in it?
Yi : We've reached the point in the process where it's no longer worth the effort.
:D
Quote from: sbr on June 07, 2012, 10:46:27 AM
I had some problems with freecol, don't remember what now but it was enough to put me off the game.
Last time I played the tax rate skyrocketed every game, and would quickly hit 50%+
Quote from: HisMajestyBOB on June 08, 2012, 09:16:53 AM
Quote from: sbr on June 07, 2012, 10:46:27 AM
I had some problems with freecol, don't remember what now but it was enough to put me off the game.
Last time I played the tax rate skyrocketed every game, and would quickly hit 50%+
That sounds vaguely familiar.
Just after the declaration of war our newly arrived Seasoned Scouts were ambushed by the very unit that carried the message and were quickly beaten.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F43_dutch_win.png&hash=9c2eefc3ee31559200f2a373c0d374709cb322da)
We will make them pay.
While the Dutch were busy showing the lessons they had learned from the treacherous savages of the land one of our civilized colonists had been busy clearing forest and plowing land in preparation for our second English colony in the New World. In 1526 Plymouth was established, just south of Jamestown.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F44_found_plymouth.png&hash=93035a8a58afebcceda8e062852a1bb93bd05a26)
Plymouth will have trouble producing food until we get a Docks and Fisherman on site, but should give us some nice sugar, furs and ore. The Master Carpenter has finished his work on the new Warehouse in Jamestown and is now building our first Wagon Train. Once he is done with the wagon he will move his operation down to Plymouth and start work on those Docks.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F45_first_plymouth.png&hash=89056f5ced867c4300e689dd93341d17a8c5b3fe)
Here is a view of the English colonies.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F47_1529_map.png&hash=20d6c6e1dc98216c53ab5f511c178c0ef4e5964c)
In response to the second settlement the King sends news of a tax increase. We consider responding by dumping a load of our most important export to date, but lumber is much to important for such a silly gesture.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F46_firsttax.png&hash=4fe545f116fbae0256196edee36658dca20f004b)
The fact that lumber is our most important export product so far is a little troublesome so one of the newly arrived Indentured Servants is sent off to live with the Arawak tribe to see if he can learn any native skills.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F48_enter_village.png&hash=4a50f30df4821155d60f473144b2dd58e9397406)
This Servant is apparently some sort of genius because he returns almost immediately as a Master Sugar Planter. He shall head to back to Jamestown and begin practicing his new craft.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F49_first_sugarplanter.png&hash=7c6ab20be4425c0f924b78da98bee75ed65c7a77)
Shortly after the founding of Plymouth our first Founding Father, Sieur De La Salle arrives. De La Salle will coordinate the defense of the settlements and will provide a free Stockade in every medium sized settlement.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F50_delasalle_arrive.png&hash=de62ac05e5d8e484ec3f1cfde2d33bbb33e6e8fb)
The Arawak don't really know what that means to them but realize it seems important and come bearing gifts to the celebration.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F51_arawak_gifts.png&hash=1eafb02f4b83dd76cb83359a558140d35308abfa)
In the Spring of 1534 we are again ambushed by a Dutch Dragoon. This time they make a mistake and instead of attacking an armed peaceful Scout they met an armed Soldier. The Dutch are not skilled enough horsemen to press their advantage and the outcome is rather obvious.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F52_first_combat_dutch.png&hash=52d613ffe23abe0d37aa4994921e3935989a823c)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F55_soldiers_hard.png&hash=853d649953cb456f1d2b907c87da68083e3fa671)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F56_defeatdutch.png&hash=5f920bffceba3f438fa9aaff1e3c9bd079fb1cce)
The English soldier is much better trained than the silly Dutchman and using the wooded terrain to his advantage waits for the next attack. Of course the Dutch Soldier can't help himself, attacks into the forest again and again loses. Now that the enemy has lost the advantage of horses and muskets the English soldier captures the helpless colonist. This new "colonist" will make its way back east to the new England and begin a life of hard labor.
The two Caravels had been making regular trips back and forth from England, carrying the rest of the Fountain of Youth inspired immigration wave to New England and sending back the few valuable export items we have been producing so far, mostly furs from Jamestown. On one of those trips back to London we heard news of a Master Silver Miner who was looking to make his way to the new World and would join us for nothing more than free passage across the ocean.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F54_silverminer.png&hash=d2acef8a9bf0ec07a13f618e7ae52dcc62328b8f)
We don't have access to any Silver yet but this seems to be too good of a deal to pass up so we send him aboard. Hopefully we can find some Silver to take advantage of his valuable skills. If not we will continue to keep him locked up in the fur trader's house to make fur coats.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F57_silverminer_coats.png&hash=de339661862eb6ed8a20bac6ee22f206a2bdfd8a)
The year 1537 brought many bits of interesting news; some good, some troubling.
First The Master Carpenter finished the Wagon Train. This will allow us to trade with the Indians, our own possible future inland settlements. This also allows the Carpenter to move to Plymouth and begin work on the Docks. There is a serious food problem in Plymouth and a Dock and a Master Fisherman will go a long way toward fixing that.
Secondly we had a second Servant learn Sugar Planting from the Arawaks. This should give us a second source of income, along with our decent fur trapping industry.
Thirdly we have another Founding Father on the way. This time Thomas Paine. We didn't have a shot at Penn this time.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F53_paine.png&hash=cec29cd8548db2f6f30d7c86e37e372d8d7fb567)
Lastly, the tension is starting to build between us and the Arawaks. We have gone out of our way to play nicely with them but they seem to have a problem with our "overuse" of the land. What is the point of new colonies if you can't rip every shred of value from the land, sea and air?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F58_first_arawak_tension.png&hash=0ef69da161c13e40610b673b0977c198f9202c96)
Intriguing to follow the progress. I just finished up a game myself last night. Ended up having an awesome resourced continent/big island to myself and shared it with the natives as the French before winning my independence in the 1660's. Now time to work a little Conquest of the New World in, then back to Colonization!
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 07, 2012, 01:34:15 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 07, 2012, 12:54:48 AM
Interestingly that's the exact same recommendation the dude at the InTrade help desk gave me. And I'll give you the exact same response I gave him, which was it has reached the point in the process where it's no longer worth the effort.
:ike:
Yi : My car doesn't work?
Mechanic : Does it have gas in it?
Yi : We've reached the point in the process where it's no longer worth the effort.
:D
The King begins the year 1547 with another tax increase. Once again cooler heads prevail and we don't bite off our own nose to spite our face.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F59_tax_2.png&hash=158b35354d6b8db77d1c0cc9f99b687706ad3a3b)
This bad news is offset a bit by some good news. Our Free Colonist has learned some new tracks and has become a Fur Trapper. This will greatly increase our fur production, but we still have a bottleneck at the end, with the Silver Miner making Fur Coats.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F60_furrtrapper.png&hash=879e7773825f474b2230f53757c66b4c5f69702b)
In 1550 we hear our first news of the fourth Old World country here in America. Spain is terrorizing the natives again. I'm pretty ambivalent, not being a huge fan of Spain or the Arawak at this point.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F61_spainburn_arawak_1.png&hash=38a1cc7473322f903aa0849a27dee5889d52827c)
In the years since the war with the Dutch started we have armed two Dragoon units and they are now exploring the northwest, very near the Dutch settlements. In 1552 we have a run in with the Dutch and they don't attack us. Apparently the war had been over and again they request a partition of the land in the New World. Again we say No, and again the Dutch declare war. This time the ambush backfires and the English Dragoon defeats the Dutch Dragoon. The English Dragoon again steals the Dutch soldiers' guns and horses, then captures the remaining colonist.
The next year an English colonist establishes the third English settlement in New England. It is landlocked, but we need to start pushing inland before the other Europeans can bottle us up.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F62_landlocked.png&hash=2ae5f07f7e9371f0e9de2655ed5fe1935dc65ec6)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F63_map_roanoke.png&hash=20ee659e1f2ad25e637fd373f303f90358f9fe0f)
In the ongoing War with the Dutch v2.0 a Petty Criminal turned Dragoon is making quite a name for himself.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F64_criminals_promoted.png&hash=6d3009a0e72ce83561342939a1d9578344aec696)
This is the next picture in line and I have no idea what it is supposed to be showing. It is of Plymouth. Maybe it is the newly arrived Lumberjack who is looking for some wood to cut.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F65_plymouth_notsure.png&hash=873275f01fc9b1f571737490948f0acd10e76439)
The Arawak seem to have gotten over their whining about us overusing the land, as they bring us more ore from their strip mining operation.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F66_arawak_gifts.png&hash=39484cddb0c91efcd6cca2c1a29f46eb3c945745)
The majority of our trade with London is fur related. We are selling some Fur Coats but we are collecting furs faster than we can use them so we are also selling some raw furs as well.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F67_coatsinlondon.png&hash=27f526e181004ebbec26801ad93a4637872f69c5)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F68_fursinlondon.png&hash=c55a61ed5ae2ca86a9ab7c6b0964fe2863f34654)
You can see that the price for muskets has doubled recently. With the war with the Dutch continuing and the Arawak getting uppity it is time for New England to start its own arms production. We hire a Gunsmith to send back to America.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F69_london_gunsmith.png&hash=52ab30a04cff686803ce49cc2ec46c37a4e5e8d1)
And in 1555 we finally meet the Spanish settlers. The routine is the same. Except they are more afraid of the English than the French were. :D
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F70_meet_spain.png&hash=f0bf76eabb5743ec08f05a529285f1198c16eca7)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F71_partition_no.png&hash=df623af03926c7df0a5a1f32f14459d3c4317fa2)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F72_spain_folds.png&hash=5dc11d5e0e42d3b12b7747593fbf539648e0512f)
1556 starts with a nice message, the people are starting to catch Independence Fever.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F73_10libertybells.png&hash=381b44ad566219e01833ea6c23f9e65d8731e751)
The Arawak help us celebrate with sweets.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F74_arawak_gifts.png&hash=1bed693f097310986b09c689796a438693106505)
The Spanish and Apache have a little run in. I would love to see the Spanish and Indians beat each other up while I deal with the Dutch and expand our holdings.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F75_apache_spain.png&hash=9e1b01a847e07bb73cafaaae8ad29de281d80974)
The roads and terrain improvements are coming along nicely. You used up all the tools, on purpose!
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F76_pioneer_notools.png&hash=2280fe12d8dccbca54a791d0af5d87ea829e2473)
In 1559 we make contact with a new Indian tribe, the Cherokee. Again we swear to play nice as long as they do.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F77_meet_cherokee.png&hash=2f14e1bc9af9e35f4b89ed86f66bf5c21410fa1a)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F78_cherokee_peacepipe.png&hash=f9ed29319446fd4d53fe8d79dd588bb3e0e1e426)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F79_cherokee_visit.png&hash=9d9026603926ac9938d2c73d078f192bc1d9bc2b)
And the Arawak send us more Ore. Maybe they realize they need to be nice now that we have other Indian friends.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F80_arawak_gifts.png&hash=fd1ebe62f02feecf64cb0ea05d8228b2b2da22a2)
The bribe the Spanish gave us, along with our limited trade in furs, coats and rum have given us enough money to bring a Distiller aboard. With the two Sugar Planters Rum should start becoming our most important export.
And we can hope to get the natives hopelessly addicted to booze and then steal all their stuff.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F81_master_distiller.png&hash=5d3da123a428a9ae211d05566aef8d6a3aecdf74)
We also buy a load of Trade Goods for trade with the Indians, I cannot confirm, nor deny, the presence of blankets among the Goods.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F82_leavinglondon_tradegoods.png&hash=639111fb89cde563799f4eb22f1f28a625414a47)
The King realizes the profit potential in our nascent bootlegging operation and becomes worried. He increases the size of the Expeditionary Forces.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F83_king_increase_military_1.png&hash=e95208810c370a4fec132da1fa480ce1d17ce639)
I'm not sure where we started, but this is the first increase, and this is where we are now. It seems Independence Fever is waning.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F84_new_royal_military.png&hash=f09b7ede77715291d9e0bb33d942742fce55c713)
In the meantime the second war with the Dutch has been raging. Or rather just trickling along. I have completely defeated 2 more Dutch Dragoons, reducing them to colonists and then capturing them.
Another Petty Criminal turned War Hero. We are becoming a regular Dirty Dozen here.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F85_crimial_promoted.png&hash=b9330354a7ed39de4b8fa10692d065e84e21f88c)
Then in 1563 the unthinkable happens, we lose a battle. Our Dragoon is routed by a Dutch soldier.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F86_dragoons_lose.png&hash=c90a32481be5f1582e955fed66d9d51671dbe333)
The Soldier makes a nice comeback and defeats the Dutch Soldier, and is promoted again.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F87_servants_promote.png&hash=f8bdd7d2a616484991da11b737088bfe35c5cdc0)
The next turn something weird happens. Not sure why the Soldiers get a demotion for capturing an enemy. Must be a strength of schedule thing.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi195.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz133%2Fsbr32%2Fgames%2Fcolonization%2F89_wat.png&hash=a038da903ac66011eaacc19c65c2416852164f78)
Here is a another shot of the map. I'm not sure if there was something specific there I wanted anyone to see. The battles with the Dutch have been in the area in the far west, where the English Dragoon is.
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The next years starts with news of another tax increase. Again we bend over and take it.
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The end of the year brings worse news.
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The soldier who was demoted was the captured Dutch one.
I seem to recall that getting lumber and tool production up were the most important early goals, rather than sugar/rum or furs/coats. Tools and muskets get expensive in Europe pretty quickly, but you can capture and re-use muskets, so you don't need that many.
Grumbler is correct. The Ore->Tools->Muskets chain makes the world go 'round. You need tools for your pioneers to maximize the terrain, to build more complex buildings, to build artillery and ships, and to make muskets.