Expansion Methods

Expansion Methods

There are three main methods used to develop an economy and expand a territory. Each expansion method relies on specific resources and will generally be the focus of early production.

Trade

Trading for essential resources allows for a very effective economy, without the need for extensive production.

Branch Building

Export Office

Special Units

Hawker
Salesman
Merchant

Important Resources

Wool
Cloth
Garment
Jewelry
Horse
Wheel

Bribery

Hawkers, Salesmen, and Merchants can be used to capture neutral sectors by enticing defending armies with Coin. The amount of Coin required varies based on the strength of the defending army and whether the sector is equipped with fortifications.

Trading Outposts

Initially, the Marketplace and Port only offer a few trades. Establishing new Trading Outposts should be the primary focus of any player using the Trade. Each Trading Outpost displays the trade offered, the traders required to claim it, and available routes to other Trading Outposts. Once a Trading Outpost has been established, the new trade becomes available from any Marketplace or Port on the map.
Each Trading Outpost can be claimed by only one player at a time, but occupied outposts can be bypassed for a small cost.

Technology

Technology improves the efficiency of virtually all aspects of an empire.

Branch Building

Church

Special Units

Novice
Brother
Father

Important Resources

Plain Food

Fancy Food

Grain

Beer

Book

Jewelry

Proselytism

Novices can be used to capture neutral sectors by convincing defending armies to abandon their posts. The number of Novices required varies based on the strength of the defending army and whether the sector is equipped with fortifications.

Technology Research

Technologies offer a wide variety of improvements to production and combat.

Animal Husbandry: The production time of Pig Breeders, Horse Breeders, and Shepherds is decreased to an average of 45 percent.
Aquaculture: Non-depleted Fishing Grounds hold more fish (+5) and recover. The production time of Fishers is reduced to 44 percent.
Architecture: Constructors work twice as fast and all building upgrades cost less.
Ballistics: Long-range attacks of Musketeers, Cannons, and fortifications cause 33 percent more damage.
Charge Attack: Melee units deal out more damage (Pikemen +40%, Cavaliers +50%).
Dictionary : The amount of clerics needed to research Technologies is reduced by 33 percent.
Exercise: Armies regenerate five times faster and remobilize twice as fast. Your Prestige is increased by one level.
Engineering: Your workers don’t need Tools anymore.
Forced March : Troops move twice as fast. Your Prestige is increased by one level.
Forestry : The production time of Foresters, Woodcutters, and Sawmill workers is reduced to an average of 55 percent. The time trees need to grow to full height is reduced to 40 percent.
Geology: The production time of Stonecutters is lowered to 40 percent, while Miners do their work in 60 percent of the usual time.
Hygiene: Residences offer more living space (Residence +2, Noble Residence +4).
Ornamentation: Your Prestige is increased by two levels.
Piecework: All work yards on Residences and Noble Residences operate twice as fast as average.
Purity Law: Instead of only one Coin, you get two Coins for your Beer at the Tavern.
Spyglass: The enemies’ armies and economies reveal essential information.
Reinforcement: Fortifications withstand 50 percent more damage.
Scarecrow : Grain Farmers and Millers work twice as fast, and the time until Grain Fields can be harvested is cut in half.

Each Technology displays the clerics required to begin research. While a Technology is researched, other players may bid additional clerics to take control of the Technology. Once research is complete, that Technology becomes unavailable to all other players.

Warfare

Investing in Warfare provides advanced soldiers to be used for both offense and defense.

Branch Building

Stronghold

Special Units

Pikeman
Musketeer
Cavalier
Cannon
Standard Bearer

Important Resources

Plain Food
Fancy Food
Coin
Wood
Iron
Coal
Weapon
Horse
Wheel

Combat

Soldiers can be used to conquer sectors by overwhelming defending armies with superior strength. Soldiers can conquer both neutral and enemy sectors, but Musketeers and Cannons are required to overcome fortifications.

Generals

New Generals are available at the Tavern and can be hired to lead additional armies. Specialized Generals also can improve the performance of the soldiers they command.
Bertram the Bonecrusher: +50 percent close combat damage
Philipp the Prudent : +25 percent close combat damage, +25 percent long-range combat damage
Theobald the Tactician : +50 percent long-range damage
Hugo the Hotspur : +25 percent close combat damage, +25 percent siege damage
Cuno the Cool-Headed : +25 percent long-range damage, +25 percent siege damage
Siegfried the Specialist: +50 percent siege damage

Either a Stronghold or Export Office must be available before a second General can be hired. Upgrades to these buildings provide vacancies for additional Generals.