Anno 1404
Anno 1404

Resource Gathering and Production Chains

Establish efficient production chains in Anno 1404. Learn initial resource acquisition and optimize supply for a thriving empire for your citizens.

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Resource Gathering and Production Chains

Mastering resource gathering and efficient production chains is the bedrock of a thriving empire in Anno 1404. Without a steady supply of goods, your citizens will quickly become discontent, leading to economic collapse. This section will guide you through the essential steps to establish and optimize your production.

Initial Resource Acquisition: The Foundation

Your first priority upon settling an island is to secure basic resources to sustain your initial population of Peasants. These are typically found directly on your starting island.

  • Wood: Essential for nearly all early construction.
    • Building: Construct a Lumberjack's Hut.
    • Placement: Place the Lumberjack's Hut within the green radius of a dense forest. Multiple huts can be placed to increase output.
    • Transport: Ensure a direct road connection from the Lumberjack's Hut to your Warehouse.
  • Fish: The primary food source for your starting Peasants.
    • Building: Construct a Fisherman's Hut.
    • Placement: Place the Fisherman's Hut along the coastline, ideally in areas with visible fish schools for optimal efficiency.
    • Transport: Connect the Fisherman's Hut to your Warehouse via a road.

Expanding Production: Meeting Citizen Needs

As your population grows and advances to Citizen status, their demands will become more complex. You'll need to establish more intricate production chains.

Grain and Bread Production Chain

Bread is a crucial foodstuff for Citizens and beyond. This chain requires multiple buildings working in sequence.

  1. Grain Farm:
    • Purpose: Produces Grain.
    • Placement: Build on fertile land, indicated by a green overlay when selecting the building. Ensure sufficient space for fields.
    • Output: Grain is transported to the Mill.
  2. Mill:
    • Purpose: Processes Grain into Flour.
    • Placement: Can be placed anywhere, but ideally close to Grain Farms to minimize transport time.
    • Input: Grain from Grain Farms.
    • Output: Flour is transported to the Baker.
  3. Baker:
    • Purpose: Bakes Flour into Bread.
    • Placement: Can be placed anywhere, but proximity to your population centers and the Mill is beneficial.
    • Input: Flour from the Mill.
    • Output: Bread is transported to your city's Warehouse for distribution to citizens.

Hemp and Linen Garment Production Chain

Linen Garments are a basic necessity for Citizens.

  1. Hemp Plantation:
    • Purpose: Cultivates Hemp.
    • Placement: Requires fertile land for Hemp (check the island's fertility in the island menu).
    • Output: Hemp is transported to the Weaver's Hut.
  2. Weaver's Hut:
    • Purpose: Processes Hemp into Linen Garments.
    • Placement: Can be placed anywhere, but close to Hemp Plantations and your city is ideal.
    • Input: Hemp from Hemp Plantations.
    • Output: Linen Garments are transported to your city's Warehouse.

Advanced Production: Iron, Tools, and Beyond

As you progress, you'll need more advanced goods, often requiring access to specific mineral deposits.

Iron and Tool Production Chain

Tools are fundamental for constructing almost all advanced buildings and maintaining your economy.

  1. Iron Mine:
    • Purpose: Extracts Iron Ore.
    • Location: Must be built on a mountain with an Iron Ore deposit (indicated by a pickaxe icon).
    • Output: Iron Ore is transported to the Ore Smelter.
  2. Ore Smelter:
    • Purpose: Smelts Iron Ore into Iron.
    • Placement: Can be placed anywhere, but near Iron Mines is efficient.
    • Input: Iron Ore from Iron Mines.
    • Output: Iron is transported to the Toolmaker's Workshop.
  3. Toolmaker's Workshop:
    • Purpose: Crafts Iron into Tools.
    • Placement: Can be placed anywhere, but proximity to Iron Smelters and your main Warehouse is beneficial.
    • Input: Iron from Ore Smelters.
    • Output: Tools are transported to your city's Warehouse.

Optimizing Your Production Chains

  • Road Network: Always ensure efficient road connections between raw material sources, production buildings, and your Warehouses. Upgrading roads to paved roads (available later) significantly speeds up transport.
  • Warehouse Placement: Strategically place Warehouses to minimize the travel distance for goods. Consider building smaller Market Buildings within your city to distribute goods more effectively to citizens.
  • Production Ratios: Understand the input/output ratios for each chain. For example, one Grain Farm might supply two Mills, which in turn supply four Bakers. The in-game production statistics (accessible via the building menu) are invaluable for balancing your economy.
  • Fertility and Deposits: Always check an island's fertility for agricultural goods and its mineral deposits for mining before settling or expanding. Some goods, like Spices or Indigo, require specific Oriental fertilities.
  • Storage Management: Monitor your Warehouse storage. If a resource is consistently full, you might be overproducing or not consuming enough. If it's empty, you're underproducing or demand is too high. Adjust your production accordingly.
  • Trade Routes: For resources not available on your island, establish trade routes with other islands or AI players using your trading ships. This is crucial for goods like Spices, Indigo, or Quartz.