Anno 1404
Anno 1404

Achievements Guide

Unlock all achievements in Anno 1404. This guide details strategies for economic milestones and strategic victories in campaign and continuous play.

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Achievements Guide

Anno 1404 features a robust achievement system that rewards players for various accomplishments, from foundational economic milestones to complex strategic victories. This comprehensive guide will help you systematically unlock these achievements, providing detailed steps, strategies, and common pitfalls to avoid.

General Achievement Strategies

  • Play Campaign & Continuous Game: Many achievements can be earned across both modes. The campaign often introduces mechanics and objectives that naturally lead to early achievements. Continuous games, especially custom scenarios with specific starting conditions, are ideal for focused achievement hunting due to their open-ended nature.
  • Save Scumming: For particularly challenging, time-sensitive, or RNG-dependent achievements, don't hesitate to save your game frequently. If an attempt fails or an undesirable event occurs, reload and try again. This is especially useful for combat-related achievements or those requiring specific diplomatic outcomes.
  • Prioritize Early: Some achievements are significantly easier to get in the early game before your empire becomes too complex and resource-intensive. These often involve basic production, population tiers, or simple exploration tasks. Knock these out first to build a solid foundation.
  • use the Statistics Menu: The statistics menu (accessible via the ledger icon in the bottom-right corner of the UI) provides invaluable information on your production, consumption, population, trade routes, and finances. Use it to track progress towards resource-based achievements, identify bottlenecks, and monitor your economic health.
  • Understand Population Tiers & Needs: A significant portion of achievements revolves around reaching specific population numbers for each citizen tier (Peasants, Citizens, Patricians, Noblemen, Nomads, Envoys). Focus on fulfilling their needs (Food, Drink, Community, Faith, Entertainment, Luxury, Education) to upgrade them efficiently and prevent riots. The needs are color-coded in the house menu: green (met), yellow (partially met), red (unmet).
  • Custom Game Settings: For continuous games, consider adjusting custom game settings to make achievement hunting easier. Options like starting with more money, increased fertility, or fewer opponents can significantly reduce the difficulty for certain achievements. However, some achievements might require standard difficulty settings.
  • Diplomacy & AI Opponents: Leverage diplomatic relations with AI opponents and neutral traders (Lord Richard Northburgh, Al Zahir, Hassan Ben Sahid). Selling surplus goods to them is a primary source of income, and forming alliances can protect your trade routes or provide military assistance.

Population & Prosperity Achievements

These achievements are earned by reaching certain population thresholds or maintaining high citizen satisfaction across your empire. They are fundamental to Anno 1404's gameplay loop.

Occidental Population Achievements

These achievements focus on the population tiers of the Occident (Peasants, Citizens, Patricians, Noblemen).

  • Peasant Power: Achieve 1,000 Peasants.
    • Walkthrough: Start a new continuous game or campaign. Your initial population will be Peasants. Focus on building enough Fisherman's Huts (requires coastal access) and Hemp Plantations (on fertile land) to produce Fish and Hemp for your initial population's basic needs. Ensure you have a Chapel nearby (within radius) for their religious needs. Expand your housing rapidly by placing Peasant houses. Aim for a dense, efficient layout.
    • Common Pitfall: Not enough Fish or Hemp, leading to dissatisfaction and slow growth. Ensure your production chains are robust.
  • Citizen Surge: Reach 1,000 Citizens.
    • Walkthrough: Upgrade your Peasants by providing them with Cider (from Apple Plantations and Cider Presses) and a Marketplace (within radius). Once these needs are met, click on Peasant houses to upgrade them to Citizens. Continue expanding housing and ensuring all needs (Fish, Hemp, Cider, Chapel, Marketplace) are met. Citizens also require a Tavern for entertainment.
    • Strategy Tip: Apple Plantations are best placed on fertile land. Build multiple Cider Presses to keep up with demand.
  • Patrician Prowess: Attain 1,000 Patricians.
    • Walkthrough: Patricians require significantly more complex goods: Spices (from Oriental islands), Leather Jerkins (from Pig Farms and Tanneries), and a Tavern (which Citizens also use). Establish trade routes for Spices early by settling an Oriental island or buying from Al Zahir. Pig Farms require fertile land and Tanneries convert pig hides into jerkins. Ensure your Citizen houses are fully supplied to allow for Patrician upgrades.
    • Strategy Tip: Spices are a critical bottleneck. Prioritize settling an Oriental island with Spice fertility or establishing a reliable trade agreement with Al Zahir.
  • Noblemen Nobility: Establish 1,000 Noblemen.
    • Walkthrough: This is a late-game achievement and requires a highly developed economy. Noblemen demand Wine (from Vineyards and Wine Presses), Books (from Paper Mills and Printing Houses), and a Cathedral (a massive monument). They also require a Public Bath and a University. Plan your production chains meticulously for these complex goods. Vineyards require specific fertility. Paper Mills need Wood, and Printing Houses need Paper and Indigo (from Oriental islands). Ensure a stable supply of all goods, as Noblemen are very demanding.
    • Common Pitfall: Running out of essential goods like Wine or Books, causing Noblemen to downgrade or riot. The Cathedral is also a huge investment in resources and time.
  • Grand Occidental Metropolis: Have 5,000 Occidental inhabitants across all tiers.
    • Walkthrough: This is a cumulative achievement. Focus on maximizing population growth on your main Occidental island and any secondary Occidental islands you settle. Efficient layout, continuous supply of goods to all tiers, and careful tax management are key. You'll need a large number of houses and a robust infrastructure to support this many people.
    • Strategy Tip: Don't be afraid to settle multiple Occidental islands to spread out your population and production. Ensure good trade routes between them.

Oriental Population Achievements

These achievements focus on the population tiers of the Orient (Nomads, Envoys).

  • Nomad Nation: Reach 1,000 Nomads.
    • Walkthrough: Settle an Oriental island (requires an Oriental trading ship and building materials). Nomads require Dates (from Date Plantations) and a Mosque (within radius). Expand housing rapidly by placing Nomad houses. Ensure their basic needs are met.
    • Strategy Tip: Oriental islands often have different fertilities. Choose an island with Date fertility to start.
  • Envoy Empire: Attain 1,000 Envoys.
    • Walkthrough: Upgrade Nomads to Envoys by providing them with Milk (from Goat Farms) and Coffee (from Coffee Plantations and Roasters). They also require a Public Bath. Establish robust trade routes for these goods. Goat Farms require fertile land. Coffee Plantations and Roasters are crucial for Coffee production.
    • Common Pitfall: Underestimating the demand for Milk and Coffee. These production chains can be quite extensive.
  • Sultan's Splendor: Have 5,000 Oriental inhabitants across all tiers.
    • Walkthrough: Similar to the Occidental metropolis, this requires significant expansion on Oriental islands. Optimize your production of Oriental goods and maintain high satisfaction. You will likely need to settle multiple Oriental islands to achieve this, as their fertility requirements can be specific.
    • Strategy Tip: Focus on a few highly fertile Oriental islands for your main population centers, and use other islands for specialized production.

Economic & Production Achievements

These achievements focus on your ability to produce goods, manage your finances, and establish trade networks.

  • Master Builder: Construct 500 buildings.
    • Walkthrough: This achievement comes naturally as you expand your empire. Don't hesitate to build decorative items (trees, plazas, statues) or extra production buildings if you have the resources and space. Even small houses count. This will likely be one of your first achievements.
    • Strategy Tip: In a continuous game, simply keep expanding your cities and production. You'll hit this without even trying.
  • Trade Baron: Establish 10 active trade routes.
    • Walkthrough: As your population grows and diversifies, you'll naturally need to set up trade routes between your islands and with AI players/merchants. To create a trade route, open the trade route menu (ship icon), click "New Route," select a ship, and add loading/unloading ports and goods. Ensure each route has at least one ship assigned and is actively transferring goods. Routes between your own islands count, as do routes to neutral traders.
    • Common Pitfall: Setting up routes but not assigning ships, or ships getting sunk by pirates. Ensure your routes are protected.
  • Gold Rush: Accumulate 100,000 gold coins.
    • Walkthrough: Focus on maintaining a strong positive balance. The primary sources of income are taxes from your population and selling surplus goods. Upgrade your population to higher tiers, as they pay significantly more taxes. Sell surplus goods to AI merchants (Lord Richard Northburgh or Al Zahir) or other players. You can also complete quests for AI characters for monetary rewards.
    • Strategy Tip: Identify goods you produce in excess (e.g., Wood, Tools, Fish in the early game) and set up continuous sell routes to neutral traders. Keep taxes in the green or yellow zone to avoid riots but maximize income.
  • Resourceful: Produce 100 tons of a specific good (e.g., Fish, Wood, Iron).
    • Walkthrough: Choose an easily produced, early-game good like Fish or Wood. Build numerous production buildings for that good (e.g., 10-15 Fisherman's Huts or Lumberjacks) and let them run continuously. Monitor your warehouse stock. The achievement triggers when 100 tons have been produced, not necessarily accumulated in your warehouse at once. This will be achieved quickly through normal gameplay.
    • Strategy Tip: This achievement is cumulative across all your islands. You don't need 100 tons on a single island or in a single warehouse.
  • Industrialist: Produce 100 tons of Tools.
    • Walkthrough: Tools are a crucial mid-game commodity. They require Iron Ore (from Iron Mines), Coal (from Coal Mines), and Smelters to produce Iron, which is then processed into Tools at a Toolmaker's Workshop. You'll need to secure an island with Iron and Coal deposits. Build a robust production chain for Tools.
    • Common Pitfall: Not having enough Iron or Coal, or insufficient Smelters/Toolmaker's Workshops to meet demand and accumulate surplus.
  • Spice Merchant: Deliver 50 tons of Spices to Occidental islands.
    • Walkthrough: Spices are an Oriental good required by Occidental Patricians. Settle an Oriental island with Spice fertility. Build Spice Plantations and ensure they are producing. Set up a trade route with a ship to transport the Spices from your Oriental island's warehouse to an Occidental island's warehouse. The achievement tracks cumulative delivery.
    • Strategy Tip: Ensure your Occidental population is large enough to consume the Spices, or sell the surplus to Lord Northburgh.

Military & Exploration Achievements

These achievements involve naval combat, exploration of the map, and territorial control.

  • Naval Dominance: Sink 10 enemy ships.
    • Walkthrough: Engage in combat with pirates (Hassan Ben Sahid) or hostile AI players. Build a Shipyard (Occidental or Oriental) and produce several War Galleons (Occidental) or Oriental Warships (Oriental). Equip them with cannons and patrol contested waters or directly attack pirate fleets/bases. Quests from AI characters often involve sinking pirate ships, which contributes to this.
    • Strategy Tip: Focus on pirate ships initially, as they are a constant threat and provide good combat practice. Build a small fleet (3-5 ships) for effective combat.
  • New World Discoverer: Discover all islands on a large map.
    • Walkthrough: Start a continuous game on a "Large" map size. Build several Exploration Cog ships (available early from the Occidental Shipyard). Send them out in different directions to uncover the fog of war. Ensure they have enough provisions (Food, Tools) to last their journey. You must reveal every square of the map.
    • Common Pitfall: Missing small corners or hidden passages between islands. Zoom out frequently to check your progress.
  • Island Hopping: Settle 5 islands.
    • Walkthrough: Once you have enough resources (Wood, Tools) and a Shipyard, build a Small Trading Ship. Load it with building materials (at least 10 tons of Wood and 5 tons of Tools per island, more for safety) and sail to an uninhabited island. Build a Warehouse to claim it. Repeat four more times. The islands can be Occidental or Oriental.
    • Strategy Tip: Prioritize islands with valuable fertilities or resources you lack on your main island.
  • Pirate Slayer: Destroy Hassan Ben Sahid's pirate fortress.
    • Walkthrough: Hassan Ben Sahid's fortress is heavily defended. You will need a significant military fleet (at least 8-10 War Galleons or Oriental Warships, fully upgraded) and potentially some repair ships (Occidental Repair Cranes or Oriental Repair Ships). Focus fire on the defensive towers first, then the main fortress building. Be prepared for heavy losses and have a steady supply of new ships.
    • Strategy Tip: Lure his ships away from the fortress defenses before engaging. Use repair ships to keep your fleet operational during the assault.
  • Crusader: Win a military victory against an AI opponent.
    • Walkthrough: This requires defeating an AI opponent by destroying all their warehouses and ships. Declare war on an AI (preferably a weaker one or one you've been harassing). Build a large, powerful fleet and systematically attack their islands, starting with their main island. Destroy all their coastal defenses, then their warehouses. Repeat for any other islands they control.
    • Common Pitfall: Underestimating the AI's military strength or failing to account for their ability to rebuild. Ensure your economy can sustain a prolonged war.

Campaign Specific Achievements

These achievements are tied to completing specific scenarios or objectives within the main campaign storyline.

  • The Crusader: Complete the entire campaign.
    • Walkthrough: This is the ultimate campaign achievement. Follow the main questline, complete all missions, and overcome the challenges presented in each chapter. Focus on efficient resource management, strategic decisions, and adapting to the unique objectives of each scenario. The campaign serves as an extended tutorial, gradually introducing all game mechanics.
    • Strategy Tip: Pay close attention to the quest objectives and hints provided by your advisors. Don't rush, build a stable economy before tackling difficult military or expansion goals.
  • Benevolent Ruler: Complete a campaign chapter without any citizen riots.
    • Walkthrough: Maintain high citizen satisfaction by consistently meeting all their needs. Avoid letting goods run out, especially food and drink. Keep taxes at a reasonable level (green or yellow). Build public buildings (Chapels, Mosques, Taverns, Public Baths) within range of houses. Monitor the happiness meter in the house menu.
    • Common Pitfall: Expanding too quickly without adequate production, leading to goods shortages. Ignoring the red "riot imminent" warnings.
  • Diplomat: Complete a campaign chapter without declaring war on any AI opponent.
    • Walkthrough: Focus on peaceful expansion and trade. Complete quests for AI characters to improve relations. Avoid any aggressive actions like attacking their ships or settling islands too close to their territory without permission. This often requires careful management of your reputation.
    • Strategy Tip: Always accept peace treaties and gifts from AI opponents to maintain good standing.
  • Monumental Achievement: Complete the construction of the Cathedral.
    • Walkthrough: The Cathedral is a multi-stage monument project available to Noblemen. It requires vast quantities of various goods (Stone, Wood, Tools, Glass, Mosaic, Gold, Books, etc.) and a significant amount of time. You must have Patricians and Noblemen to unlock its construction. Follow the construction phases carefully, ensuring a constant supply of the required materials.
    • Common Pitfall: Running out of rare materials like Glass or Mosaic, halting construction. Ensure your production chains for these are well-established before starting.
  • Sultan's Palace: Complete the construction of the Sultan's Mosque.
    • Walkthrough: Similar to the Cathedral, the Sultan's Mosque is a multi-stage monument for Envoys. It requires Oriental goods (Clay, Bricks, Glass, Mosaic, Gold, Coffee, Perfume, etc.). You must have Nomads and Envoys to unlock its construction. Plan your Oriental economy to support this massive undertaking.
    • Strategy Tip: The Sultan's Mosque often requires goods that are also in high demand by your Envoys. Balance monument construction with population needs.

Miscellaneous Achievements

These achievements cover a range of unique challenges and milestones.

  • The Good Samaritan: Complete 50 quests for AI characters.
    • Walkthrough: AI characters (Lord Northburgh, Al Zahir, Hassan Ben Sahid, and AI opponents) will frequently offer quests. These range from delivering goods, escorting ships, sinking pirates, or building specific structures. Accept all quests you can and complete them promptly. Quests are a great source of money, reputation, and items.
    • Strategy Tip: Keep a few fast ships available for escort or delivery quests. Always check the quest timer.
  • Collector: Acquire 10 different items from quests or traders.
    • Walkthrough: Items are special bonuses that can be equipped to warehouses, ships, or specific buildings to provide various buffs (e.g., increased production, reduced consumption, combat bonuses). They are primarily obtained as rewards for completing quests or can be purchased from neutral traders (Lord Northburgh, Al Zahir) or the Grand Vizier's ship.
    • Strategy Tip: Always check the Grand Vizier's ship for rare items. Prioritize quests that offer items as rewards.
  • Architect: Build 5 different types of public buildings (e.g., Chapel, Mosque, Tavern, Public Bath, University).
    • Walkthrough: This achievement will naturally unlock as you progress through the population tiers. Each tier requires new public buildings to satisfy their needs. Simply build one of each type listed (and others like the Fire Station, Doctor's Office, Market Building) to achieve this.
    • Common Pitfall: Forgetting to build a specific type of building or not having the population tier that requires it.
  • Explorer: Uncover 50% of a large map.
    • Walkthrough: Similar to "New World Discoverer," but you only need to reveal half the map. Send out a few Exploration Cogs to systematically explore the map. This is an early-game achievement.
    • Strategy Tip: Focus on exploring the edges of the map first, then fill in the middle.
  • Millionaire: Accumulate 1,000,000 gold coins.
    • Walkthrough: This is a long-term economic goal. You need a highly efficient and large empire with multiple high-tier population centers (Noblemen and Envoys) paying maximum taxes. Establish extensive trade routes to sell all surplus goods. Avoid unnecessary military spending or large construction projects once your economy is stable, and let your treasury grow.
    • Strategy Tip: Maximize tax income by keeping citizens happy and upgrading them. Identify your most profitable goods and sell them consistently to AI traders.