Notes on Colonies II (Beta)
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Contents:

1. Notes for Beta testers
2. General comments
3. National notes and guidelines


Notes for Beta testers
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First, thanks for giving this test copy a whirl. If you enjoy it - or think you might enjoy it given a few changes - please email me with as much feedback as you can.

Whilst compliments are always welcome <g>, it would actually be most useful to hear any areas where you feel that historical accuracy, gameplay or look-and-feel are lacking.

My name is John Ellis, and I can be contacted at netdesign@globalnet.co.uk

My first Colony scenario was insufficiently playtested and it shows. My second scenario (Bonaparte) was playtested before eventual release quite heavily. I think it's a better scenario for the experience. The guys who helped me out there are on the mailing list suggesting they may want to be Betatesters, and I have added some others who have contacted me subsequently and may be interested. If you are reading these notes from my home page and want in, please feel free to beta-test the game and send me feedback.

Any playtesters that give useful feedback that is used in the final release will be credited on the Game's splash screen (Title.gif) and in the accompanying notes. If you don't want your name mentioned, please tell me in any feedback that you send.

Thanks in advance for your efforts.


General Comments
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This scenario (Colonies II) is a descendant of Colonies, published by me last year. It is similar enough in general concept to be considered version II, but there have been many changes. If you played the earlier version, you should still definitely read this section.

This scenario requires the Conflicts in Civilization Scenario add-on, or the Fantastic Worlds add-on. This is mainly due to the sheer number of units.

N.B. Due to the way I've pushed the game engine and available memory, the scenario might error when loaded - especially if you load after closing another game, but not quitting the whole program. This error always seems to go away if you close the Civ II program and start again. Please let me know if you find differently.

As with all my scenarios, there are no Barracks or Port Facilities. I don't believe in creating units with veteran status - they have to earn it in battle. This should make you prize any veteran unit you DO possess, just as in reality.

The scenario is set in the period AD 1660 to AD 1800. Version I started in AD 1492, with Columbus' (re)discovery of America, but I found that the computer tended to ignore America until the endgame, and concentrate on the European and African theatres. This is not what I had in mind, so:

i) 	We start in AD 1660, with many European colonies already in America;
ii) 	Africa has been made more unappealing as a colony site;
iii)	European cities have some pretty formidable defences.

This seems to get the action going in America quite well.

The map is slightly smaller, but expanded in scale, so that Europe is more detailed and most of Africa and South America are off the map. North America - from the East Coast to the Rockies - is much more detailed.

The contenders have changed quite a lot. The Spanish, English and French are still there. The Dutch (United Provinces) have newly won their independence from Spain and are starting to expand into the New World. They are unique in having a Republican form of Government, which is a mixed blessing as their income and research are high (for their size), but keeping the citizens at home happy is more of a problem for them than their more autocratic rivals (who are all Monarchies). 

The Native Americans are very different now. The Civilizations of the Aztecs and Incas have been absorbed into New Spain.

The North American "Indians" are of three nations. The Iroquois and the Huron are based either side of the Great Lakes and are already in contact with Europeans (apart from Spain). The Souix Nation of the Great Plains has some tenuous contact with the Spanish.

The tech levels are pretty much the same as Colonies I, with all the Europeans starting with Pikemen (3/3/2 2:1), Arquebusiers (3/1/2 2:2) and their own type of Cavalry unit. They all have Demi-Culverins (8/0/1 2:2) for artillery. These values have been modified only slightly since Colonies I.

[The Culverin was an early cannon - very heavy and slow-firing. The Demi-Culverin was a cut down version used more often in open battle. They are best suited to attacking cities defended with a stockade. Based in a fort with a Pikeman for defence, they are good at fighting off attacks as well. Their main drawback is their low mobility - being able to move OR fire, but not both. Very much the same as the Colonies I Bombard.]

Unit strengths given here are expressed as [attack factor]/[defence factor]/[movement factor] [hit points]:[fire points]

Stockades (0/6/0 3:1) are still a military unit, non-mobile, for use in defending cities only. They do not count towards a city's happiness. They can be shipped around by sea if you like, although it's a bit of a cheat. (Pre-fab Stockades, perhaps?)

The main thrust of European research is military to begin with. All nations are researching Bayonet, which leads to Flintlock and thus to the Musketeer (4/3/2 2:2), Grenadier (6/4/2 2:2) and Dragoon (7/3/4 1:3) units. That should be the research priority, before moving on to consider Naval or civil techs. The only exception might be Naval Shipyard if Naval supremacy is important to you. Naval Shipyard allows the Man 'o War unit, (6/6/7 2:2) and requires Naval Gunnery (which all Europeans have already) and Metallurgy.

Huron and Iroquois research is directed at Flintlock. If you can acquire it in exchange for Native Lore with a European Civilization before you discover it anyway, it will give you a head start on whatever you choose next. You will get it eventually anyway, and it allows the  useful Indian Musketeers unit (6/3/3 2:2).

The Souix are researching Indian Cavalry, which nobody else can. It's only useful to them, anyway, giving the Mounted Braves unit (8/1/6 2:2).

The only Native tech of use to the Europeans is Native Lore, without which they cannot get Extra Food Production. This is the old Refrigeration tech, and allows farmland (which you can create straight away if you like) to produce extra food. As each citizen easts 3 food, this could be quite handy. Cut down forest and you get grassland, however, which when irrigated can produce 4 food anyway.

It took a lot of time and rules.txt fiddling before I could get the national versions of these units to work properly so that the computer could build them too. The Designer's notes go into more detail. Tell me if you think the effect of the pretty uniforms was worth the effort!

National notes and guidelines
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The Spanish
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The Spanish are the protagonists of this scenario - which means everyone should be out to get them! They start with easily the biggest empire, controlling the Caribbean, the north coast of South America (the "Spanish Main") and most of modern day Central America and Mexico. They also have a foothold on the Morroccan coast and the Spanish Netherlands (modern day Begium).

They might find Lisbon a tough nut to crack. (I should bribe it out), but otherwise, there are plenty of feeble Barbarians (Independents) to persecute.

They require 70 points for a marginal victory and 100 points for a decisive one. This is a reasonable target for a human player, but hard for the computer. If you play the Spanish, you should try Viceroy (Emperor) level straight away.

Africa is an easy target, but doesn't have many victory points on offer. I shouldn't bother trying to attack most European cities to begin with, as they all have city defences (Vaubin Fortresses) designed to stop anything less than a Siege Train (Artillery) or huge quantities of Field Batteries.

[Vaubin was a French military engineer of the late seventeenth century. He revolutionised siege warfare both in attack and defence. As he was copied by all nations, you'll find examples of his work everywhere in Europe. Only the English didn't build many.]

The French
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The French have some impressive natural resources and a largish army. Their main weakness is their position surrounded by competitors in Europe. This should not be too much of a problem prior to Artillery, and they have considerable scope for expansion in Canada. Probably the Iroquois should be your first major target.

Any score over 60 is quite good. A score of around 100 should be your ultimate goal. You start off Allied to the Huron.

The English
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The main English asset is their island position and their first target should be Scotland. Even when taken, though, Scotland is liable to generate periodic unrest, so don't weaken your garrisons there too much. Your economy is weak (as are all Europeans' except the Dutch) so you'll need to get some trade goods moving, to generate periodic cash sums.

Try to ally with the Iroquois to protect your North American colonies in their early, vulnerable, days. To expand, plunder the Spanish Main and Spanish territory generally from your base in Jamaica (Kingston). Push further into North America only when your first colonies are safe.

Scores of 50 and 90 are good and excellent, repectively.

The Dutch
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A real challenge. Your Fortresses should keep you safe in Europe until Artillery, but there is no room for expansion there (except at Antwerp?). You're also limited with your existing colonies so choose a weak victim and concentrate on them. 

Establish a few new colonies as bases for expansion - perhaps into Louisiana and Texas?

Any score of over 40 is very repectable.

The Huron
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The best any of the Native civilizations can hope to achieve is to push all the Europeans back into the sea. That, rather than a VP total, should be your ultimate goal. The Huron begin allied to the French, and this alliance should be nurtured carefully, at least until you're strong in musketeers of your own.

Mass enough troops and you can take a Stockade-defended colony, and prior to Flintlock, your warriors are better fighters than the Europeans anyway. The main limitation is the time it takes you to replace battle casualties.

The Iroquois
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Your best potential ally is the English. With your eastern flank safe you can expand quicklt elsewhere. It is possible to make peace with the Huron, but really they're your natural enemies - and the easiest route to expansion. They view you in the same light!

Otherwise, much the same as the Huron. You are a bit stronger, but your geo-strategic position is weaker.

The Souix
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A different ball-game here. No musketeers, but Mounted Braves instead. These move like lightning and hit hard - but are useless for defence. Your main strategic options are peace or Blitzkreig.

Until you get Mounted Braves (which should appear around 1750) pick on the weaker targets and try to pacify the Spanish.

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That's it, really. The sounds are not yet fully done, so some units will make the Civilization default sound. This will be fixed before the final version, which I hope to post some time in September.

John

