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Harassing the Opponent:
Anno 1404

Harassing the Opponent:

Learn how to harass opponents in Anno 1404 using 2 Battleships with Troops to distract them, and how to defend your islands.

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Learn how to harass opponents in Anno 1404 using 2 Battleships with Troops to distract them, and how to defend your islands.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Load 2 Battleships with Troops. This is not a full-scale attack, but a distraction.
  2. 2
    Sail the Battleships to an island that appears badly defended.
  3. 3
    Your objective is to distract the opponent, not necessarily to capture the island.
  4. 4
    Prepare the battleships in advance.
Tips
  • Harassment can be very effective if done well.
  • You can see the opponent's base at all times during Continuous Mode (a game mode where you can see the opponent's base), use this to your advantage.
  • Never harass in Story Mode, as it negatively impacts your Efficiency rating.
Walkthrough
  1. 1
    To Defend: Send your troops to fend off the attackers if necessary. Be aware this is often what the harasser wants you to do.
  2. 2
    Alternatively: Abandon the harassed island and use all your forces to attack one of your opponent's islands that seems badly defended. This can result in a trade, potentially gaining a better island.
  3. 3
    Prevention: Build a Barracks on every island and station troops in all defensible buildings. 2 Battleships pose little threat to an island with a Barracks and stationed troops.
Tips
  • If you are not busy, sending troops to defend is a valid option.
  • If you manage to take an opponent's island and retain your initial island, it's a bonus.
  • Try not to waste too much time commanding your troops during defense.

Body:

Building patterns in Anno 1404 are similar to city-building simulation games, where the layout of settlements is crucial. Unlike some games, there isn't one single best option, so experimenting is key. The following legend applies to diagrams: H = house, 1 = Chapel, 2 = Convent School, 3 = Guesthouse, 4 = Public Bath, 5 = Church, 6 = Park, 7 = Theatre, 8 = Cathedral.

The map is at double scale, meaning a house appears as one block despite being 2x2. Roads (bars) appear twice as wide as they should. Buildings with odd dimensions might seem to occupy one or two squares. Two identical numbers adjacent indicate the same building, not multiples.

Defense buildings are not included in sample patterns and can typically be placed along edges or by bulldozing a house if necessary.

A simple building structure example:

----------------

|HH|HH|HH|HH|HH|

|HH|HH|44|HH|HH|

|HH|33|44|55|33|

|HH|21|66|55|21|

|HH|HH|77|HH|HH|

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Tips
  • Experiment with different building layouts yourself.
  • Consider placing defense buildings along the edges of your settlements.

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