Advanced Production Chains

Advanced Production Chains

As your city flourishes and your population ascends through the social strata, the demands for goods escalate in complexity and volume. Mastering advanced production chains is not merely beneficial, but absolutely crucial for sustaining a vibrant economy and satisfying the sophisticated needs of your Patricians, Nobles, Nomads, and Envoys. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the intricacies of optimizing these advanced processes, ensuring your empire thrives.

Understanding the Foundation: Basic Production Chains

Before diving into the advanced, it's vital to have a solid grasp of the foundational production chains. These goods form the bedrock of your economy and are prerequisites for almost all advanced items.

• Occidental Basic Needs:
  • Fish: Essential for Peasants and Citizens. Produced by Fisherman's Huts. Requires coastal access.
  • Cider: Essential for Peasants and Citizens. Produced from Apples grown in Apple Plantations and processed in Cider Presses. Requires Apple fertility.
  • Spices: Essential for Citizens. Grown in Spice Plantations on Southern Islands and transported to Northern Islands. Requires Spice fertility.
  • Linen Garments: Essential for Citizens. Produced from Hemp grown in Hemp Plantations and processed in Weaver's Huts. Requires Hemp fertility.
• Oriental Basic Needs:
  • Dates: Essential for Nomads. Grown in Date Plantations on Southern Islands, requiring Noria irrigation. Requires Date fertility.
  • Milk: Essential for Nomads. Produced by Goat Breeders on Southern Islands.
  • Carpets: Essential for Nomads. Produced from Silk grown in Silk Plantations and processed in Carpet Weavers. Requires Silk fertility.

Optimizing Oriental Advanced Production: Dates, Coffee, and Perfume

The Oriental population, particularly Nomads and Envoys, has unique demands that necessitate careful planning and resource management. Two key goods for their advancement are Dates, Coffee, and Perfume.

Dates: The Staple of the Orient

• Prerequisites: Dates are the fundamental foodstuff for Nomads and a component for later Oriental goods. To produce Dates, you first need to establish a thriving Oriental settlement on a Southern Island.
• Production Buildings:
  • Date Plantations: These are the primary source of Dates. Each plantation requires fertile land, which is exclusively found on Southern Islands.
  • Norias: Date Plantations require constant irrigation to function efficiently. Build Norias nearby to provide the necessary water. A single Noria can irrigate multiple plantations (typically 4-6, depending on placement). Ensure the Noria's water radius covers all intended plantations.
• Strategic Placement:
  • When settling a Southern Island, prioritize islands with high Date fertility (indicated by green squares on the fertility map).
  • Place your Date Plantations in clusters around Norias to maximize efficiency and minimize transport distances for the Noria's water carriers.
  • Aim for a ratio of approximately 1 Noria for every 4-6 Date Plantations.
• Transport:
  • Dates are consumed directly by Nomads and are also a component for later Oriental goods like Coffee.
  • Ensure efficient transport from your Date Plantations to your Oriental Marketplaces and Warehouses.
  • Consider using Trade Ships for inter-island transport if your Date production is on a separate island from your main Oriental city, or if you are supplying multiple Oriental settlements.
  • Upgrade your warehouses and roads to handle the volume, especially as your Nomad population grows.

Coffee: The Luxury of Envoys

• Prerequisites: Coffee is a luxury good for your Oriental population, becoming essential for the advancement of Nomads to Envoys. It requires a stable supply of Dates.
• Production Buildings:
  • Coffee Plantations: These plantations cultivate raw coffee beans and require specific fertile land, exclusively found on Southern Islands.
  • Coffee Roasters: Raw coffee beans from the plantations are processed into consumable Coffee at Coffee Roasters. Each Coffee Roaster typically requires the output of 2-3 Coffee Plantations.
• Strategic Placement:
  • Just like Dates, Coffee Plantations thrive on fertile Southern Islands. Aim to establish your Coffee production on islands with both Coffee and Date fertility to streamline your Oriental supply lines and reduce inter-island trade.
  • Place Coffee Roasters in close proximity to your Coffee Plantations to reduce internal transport times. Ideally, a cluster of plantations feeding directly into nearby roasters.
• Trade Routes:
  • Coffee is a high-value good. Establish dedicated trade routes between your Coffee-producing islands and your main Oriental city.
  • use larger Trade Ships (e.g., Oriental Trading Ships or Large Trading Ships) to carry significant quantities, especially as your Envoy population grows and demands increase.
  • Monitor your Coffee stock closely; shortages can quickly halt Envoy advancement.

Perfume: The Ultimate Oriental Luxury

• Prerequisites: Perfume is the highest-tier luxury good for Envoys, crucial for their final advancement stages and maximum tax income. It requires a complex chain involving multiple resources.
• Production Buildings:
  • Rose Plantations: These cultivate roses, the primary ingredient. Requires Rose fertility on a Southern Island.
  • Perfumeries: Roses are processed into Perfume at Perfumeries. Each Perfumery requires the output of approximately 2 Rose Plantations.
  • Whale Oil Rig: Perfume also requires Whale Oil. Whale Oil Rigs are built over deep ocean whale spots (indicated by whale animations) on Southern Islands. These are often limited resources.
  • Whale Oil Refinery: Raw Whale Oil from the Rig is refined into usable Whale Oil at a Whale Oil Refinery.
• Complex Chain Management: The Perfume chain is one of the most intricate:
  • Island 1 (Southern): Rose Production - Focus on Rose Plantations and Perfumeries. Ensure good Rose fertility.
  • Island 2 (Southern): Whale Oil Production - Locate an island with whale spots for Whale Oil Rigs and a Whale Oil Refinery. This island may or may not have Rose fertility.
  • Inter-Island Trade: You will need to transport Whale Oil from your Whale Oil production island to your Rose production island (or vice-versa, if you manage to find an island with both). Then, the finished Perfume needs to be transported to your main Oriental city.
• Trade Route Optimization:
  • Dedicated trade routes are essential for Roses, Whale Oil, and finally Perfume.
  • Due to the multi-island nature and the high value of Perfume, ensure your trade ships are well-equipped and have sufficient capacity.
  • Consider using multiple smaller ships for raw materials and a larger ship for the finished Perfume.
• Resource Balancing: Pay close attention to the input requirements. A single Perfumery needs both Roses and Whale Oil. Ensure your Whale Oil production can keep pace with your Perfumery output.

Advanced Occidental Goods: Wine, Spectacles, and Brocade Robes

For your Occidental Patricians and Nobles, advanced goods like Wine, Spectacles, and Brocade Robes are crucial for their satisfaction, continued growth, and maximum tax revenue. These chains often involve multiple islands and careful resource allocation.

Wine: The Delight of Patricians and Nobles

• Prerequisites: Wine is a luxury good for Patricians and a necessity for Nobles. It requires a stable Occidental population.
• Production Buildings:
  • Vineyards: Grapes are cultivated in Vineyards, which require fertile land. Vineyards are exclusively found on Northern Islands.
  • Wine Presses: Grapes are pressed into wine at Wine Presses. Each Wine Press typically requires the output of 2-3 Vineyards.
• Strategic Placement:
  • Identify Northern Islands with good Grape fertility. It's often beneficial to dedicate an entire island or a significant portion of one to Wine production.
  • Place Wine Presses near your Vineyards to minimize internal transport.
• Inter-Island Trade:
  • If your main city lacks Grape fertility, you'll need to establish a robust trade route to import Wine.
  • Use Trade Ships to transport Wine from your production island to your main Occidental island.
  • Ensure your trade route capacity can handle the increasing demand as your Patrician and Noble population expands. Wine consumption can be very high.

Spectacles: The Mark of a True Noble

• Prerequisites: Spectacles are a high-end luxury good for your Nobles, unlocking their final advancement stages and contributing significantly to their happiness. This is one of the most complex chains.
• Production Buildings:
  • Quartz Quarry: Quartz, a key ingredient, is mined from Quartz deposits, usually found on mountainous Northern Islands.
  • Glass Smelter: Quartz is processed into Glass at a Glass Smelter. This building requires a significant amount of Wood and Coal as additional inputs. Each Glass Smelter typically requires 2-3 Quartz Quarries.
  • Optician: Glass is then crafted into Spectacles at an Optician. This building also requires Gold as an input. Each Optician typically requires 1-2 Glass Smelters and a steady supply of Gold.
  • Gold Mine: Gold Ore is mined from Gold Ore deposits, also found on mountainous Northern Islands.
  • Gold Smelter: Gold Ore is processed into usable Gold at a Gold Smelter. Each Gold Smelter requires 2-3 Gold Mines.
• Complex Chain Management: The Spectacles chain is one of the most demanding, often requiring resources from multiple islands:
  • Island 1 (Northern - Quartz/Glass): Focus on Quartz Quarries and Glass Smelters. Ensure good Quartz deposits. You'll need to import Wood and Coal here, or produce them locally if the island allows.
  • Island 2 (Northern - Gold): Focus on Gold Mines and Gold Smelters. Ensure good Gold Ore deposits.
  • Island 3 (Main City or dedicated production island - Opticians): This is where the final Spectacles are produced. It receives Glass from Island 1 and Gold from Island 2.
• Trade Route Optimization:
  • Due to the multi-island nature and numerous intermediate goods, efficient and robust trade routes are paramount.
  • Consider setting up dedicated routes for:
    1. Quartz (from quarry island to glass smelter island)
    2. Wood & Coal (to glass smelter island, if not local)
    3. Glass (from glass smelter island to optician island)
    4. Gold Ore (from gold mine island to gold smelter island)
    5. Gold (from gold smelter island to optician island)
    6. Spectacles (from optician island to main Noble city)
  • use larger ships and ensure sufficient warehouse capacity at each transfer point to prevent bottlenecks. Monitor these routes constantly.
• Resource Balancing: Pay close attention to the input requirements for Glass Smelters (Wood, Coal) and Opticians (Gold). You may need to establish additional production chains for these basic resources to support your Spectacles production. A shortage in any one component will halt the entire chain.

Brocade Robes: The Ultimate Occidental Luxury

• Prerequisites: Brocade Robes are the highest-tier luxury good for Nobles, essential for their maximum happiness and tax revenue. This chain combines Oriental and Occidental resources.
• Production Buildings:
  • Silk Plantations: Silk is cultivated on Southern Islands. This is the same Silk used for Oriental Carpets.
  • Weaver's Huts: Silk is processed into Silk Garments at Weaver's Huts (Occidental building). This requires Silk fertility on a Northern Island, or imported Silk.
  • Dye Works: Brocade Robes also require Indigo Dye. Indigo is grown in Indigo Plantations on Southern Islands and processed into Dye at Dye Works (Oriental building).
  • Brocade Robe Manufactory: Silk Garments and Indigo Dye are combined to produce Brocade Robes at a Brocade Robe Manufactory (Occidental building). Each Manufactory typically requires 2-3 Weaver's Huts (for Silk Garments) and 1-2 Dye Works (for Indigo Dye).
• Complex Chain Management: The Brocade Robe chain is arguably the most complex, spanning both cultural spheres:
  • Island 1 (Southern - Silk): Focus on Silk Plantations. Export raw Silk.
  • Island 2 (Southern - Indigo): Focus on Indigo Plantations and Dye Works. Export Indigo Dye.
  • Island 3 (Northern - Silk Garments): Import raw Silk from Island 1. Produce Silk Garments using Weaver's Huts.
  • Island 4 (Northern - Brocade Robes): This is typically your main Noble city or a dedicated production island. It imports Silk Garments from Island 3 and Indigo Dye from Island 2. Here, Brocade Robe Manufactories produce the final good.
• Trade Route Optimization:
  • This chain demands an intricate web of trade routes. You will need routes for:
    1. Raw Silk (Southern Silk Island to Northern Silk Garment Island)
    2. Indigo Dye (Southern Indigo Island to Northern Brocade Robe Island)
    3. Silk Garments (Northern Silk Garment Island to Northern Brocade Robe Island)
    4. Brocade Robes (Northern Brocade Robe Island to main Noble city)
  • Given the high value and multi-stage nature, invest heavily in large, efficient trade ships and monitor these routes meticulously.
• Resource Balancing: The balance between Silk, Indigo, and the processing buildings is critical. A bottleneck at any stage will halt the entire production. Ensure your Southern Islands are producing enough raw materials to supply your Northern processing facilities.

General Strategies for Advanced Production Chains

Mastering these complex chains requires more than just building placement; it demands strategic oversight and constant optimization.

1. The Production Overview (F7)

• Your Best Friend: Regularly check the Production Overview screen (accessible via the F7 key). This invaluable tool provides a real-time snapshot of your entire economy.
• Identify Bottlenecks: Look for goods with a red or yellow indicator, signifying a shortage or an impending shortage. Conversely, green indicators show a surplus.
• Adjust Ratios: Use the overview to determine if you need more raw material production (e.g., more Date Plantations), more processing buildings (e.g., more Coffee Roasters), or better transport.

2. Efficient Layouts and Infrastructure

• Warehouse Placement: Strategically place Warehouses and Market Buildings to minimize the travel distance for goods between production buildings and consumption points.
• Upgrade Warehouses: Upgrade your warehouses to increase storage capacity and, crucially, the number of carts available for internal transport. More carts mean faster movement of goods.
• Robust Road Networks: Invest in a comprehensive and well-maintained road network. Paved roads significantly increase the speed of carts, leading to quicker delivery and reduced bottlenecks.
• Clustering: Group related production buildings (e.g., vineyards and wine presses) together to reduce travel times for raw materials.

3. Trade Ship Management

• Dedicated Routes: For complex, multi-island chains, assign dedicated trade routes for specific goods. Avoid mixing too many different goods on one ship, as this can lead to inefficiencies.
• Ship Capacity and Frequency: Adjust ship capacity and frequency as your population grows and demands increase. Don't be afraid to add more ships to a route if goods are piling up at the source or running out at the destination.
• Cargo Slots: use the cargo slot management feature on trade routes. Prioritize high-demand goods and ensure ships aren't wasting space carrying low-priority items.
• Balance Imports/Exports: When setting up trade routes, carefully balance the amount of goods bought and sold. Over-importing can drain your treasury, while under-exporting can lead to surpluses and wasted production.

4. Island Specialization and Fertility

• Fertility Maps: Before settling new islands, always consult the fertility map. This is paramount for advanced goods. Look for islands with multiple desired fertilities (e.g., Coffee and Date for Oriental production, or Grapes for Occidental Wine).
• Island Specialization: Consider dedicating entire islands to specific production chains. For example, one Southern Island for all your Date and Coffee needs, another Northern Island solely for Wine production. This simplifies logistics and allows for maximum efficiency.
• Resource Deposits: Pay attention to rare resource deposits like Quartz, Gold Ore, and Whale Spots. These are finite and often dictate where you establish certain advanced chains.

5. Anticipation and Scaling

• Anticipate Needs: As your population levels advance, their demands will change dramatically. Proactively plan and expand your advanced production chains to meet these future needs. Don't wait until your Nobles are complaining about a lack of Spectacles to start building the chain.
• Overproduction (Slightly): It's often better to slightly overproduce a good than to constantly face shortages. A small surplus provides a buffer against unexpected demand spikes or temporary disruptions.
• Monitor Population Growth: Keep a close eye on your population growth. Each new house of Patricians or Nobles will increase demand for advanced goods. Scale your production accordingly.

6. Financial Management

• Cost-Benefit Analysis: Advanced chains are expensive to set up and maintain. Always consider the financial implications. Ensure the tax revenue generated by your advanced population outweighs the production costs.
• Selling Surpluses: If you find yourself with a significant surplus of a valuable advanced good, consider setting up a trade route to sell it to other players (in multiplayer) or to neutral traders like Lord Richard Northburgh or the Grand Vizier Al Zahir for additional income.

By diligently applying these strategies and constantly monitoring your production, you will master the intricate world of Anno 1404's advanced production chains, leading your empire to unparalleled prosperity and prestige.