Quest: The Tobacco Trail

The "Tobacco Trail" quest in Anno 1800 marks a pivotal moment in your Old World development, as your burgeoning Artisan population begins to demand more sophisticated luxury goods – specifically, Cigars. This quest serves as a comprehensive tutorial and challenge for establishing a full production chain in the New World and integrating it seamlessly into your Old World supply lines. Successfully completing it will not only satisfy your citizens but also unlock significant economic growth potential.

Quest Overview

The core objective of the "Tobacco Trail" is to produce a steady supply of Cigars in the New World and transport them to your Old World islands. This involves several interconnected steps:

Establishing a New World presence (if you haven't already).
Developing a robust workforce of Jornaleros.
Setting up Tobacco Farms.
Constructing Cigar Factories.
Creating efficient trade routes between the New World and Old World.
Optimizing logistics to ensure consistent supply.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Phase 1: Establishing Your New World Foothold (If Necessary)

If you haven't already ventured into the New World, this quest will prompt you to do so. You'll need to:

Build an Expedition Ship: From your Old World harbor, select a ship and click the "Start Expedition" button. Ensure your ship has sufficient provisions (e.g., Canned Food, Schnapps, Sausage) and crew to survive the journey.
Discover the New World: Navigate your expedition ship to the edge of the map where the New World region is indicated. Upon arrival, you'll be presented with several potential islands.
Settle a New World Island: Choose an island with good fertility for Tobacco (indicated by a green leaf icon when hovering over the island) and ample building space. Establish a Trading Post.

Strategy Tip: Prioritize an island with at least Tobacco and Sugarcane fertility, as Sugarcane will be crucial for other New World goods later (e.g., Rum). Also, look for islands with a good amount of flat land for efficient farm layouts.

Phase 2: Developing Your New World Infrastructure

Step 2.1: Population Growth - Jornaleros

Cigar production requires a significant workforce. Your first priority in the New World is to attract and sustain a large Jornalero population.

Build Residences: Construct Jornalero Residences. Each residence houses a certain number of Jornaleros.
Provide Basic Needs: Ensure your Jornaleros have access to:
- Fish: Build Fishing Harbors.
- Plantains: Build Plantain Plantations.
- Market: Construct a Market to distribute goods.
- Chapel: Build a Chapel to satisfy their spiritual needs and increase happiness.
Roads: Connect all buildings with roads for efficient movement of goods and people.

Common Pitfall: Don't underestimate the need for Jornaleros. Cigar Factories are labor-intensive. Plan for a population of at least 500-1000 Jornaleros to comfortably support a small Cigar production chain.

Step 2.2: Tobacco Farming

With your Jornalero population growing, it's time to cultivate Tobacco.

Build Tobacco Plantations: Construct Tobacco Plantations on fertile land. Each plantation requires a certain number of Jornaleros.
Connect to Warehouse: Ensure your plantations are connected by road to a Warehouse for storage and transport.

Strategy Tip: Use the blueprint tool (hotkey 'B') to plan out your farm layouts. Aim for compact designs to minimize travel time for workers and maximize efficiency. Remember that plantations benefit from being close to a Warehouse.

Step 2.3: Cigar Production

Raw Tobacco needs to be processed into Cigars.

Build Cigar Factories: Construct Cigar Factories. Each factory consumes Tobacco and produces Cigars. These also require Jornaleros.
Connect to Warehouse: Ensure factories are connected to a Warehouse.

Production Ratio: A good rule of thumb is that one Tobacco Plantation can supply approximately one Cigar Factory. However, this can vary slightly based on efficiency bonuses. Monitor your production statistics carefully.

Phase 3: Establishing the Trade Route

Once Cigars are being produced in the New World, they need to reach your Old World Artisans.

Step 3.1: Acquire a Trade Ship

You'll need a reliable ship for inter-regional trade. A Schooner or a Clipper is a good starting choice for this route.

Build a Shipyard: If you don't have one, build a Shipyard in either the Old or New World.
Construct a Ship: Build a Schooner or Clipper. Clippers are faster and have more cargo slots, making them more efficient for long-distance routes.

Step 3.2: Configure the Trade Route

Open the Trade Routes menu (hotkey 'T' or via the top-left UI).

Create New Route: Click "Add New Route."
Select Origin Port: Choose your New World island's Trading Post.
Load Goods: Add "Cigars" to the load list for your New World island. Set the quantity you wish to load (e.g., "Load All" or a specific number like 50 tons).
Select Destination Port: Choose your Old World island's Trading Post.
Unload Goods: Add "Cigars" to the unload list for your Old World island. Set the quantity to "Unload All."
Assign Ship: Select your newly acquired trade ship and assign it to this route.
Optional: Return Cargo: Consider what your New World island might need from the Old World (e.g., Steel Beams, Bricks, Windows for construction, or even Schnapps for happiness). Add these to the Old World load and New World unload lists to make the return journey productive.

Strategy Tip: Start with one ship and monitor the supply. If your Old World stock of Cigars is constantly depleting, you may need to add more ships to the route or increase New World production. Conversely, if your New World warehouse is overflowing with Cigars, your production might be too high for your current demand or shipping capacity.

Phase 4: Optimizing Shipping and Production

Step 4.1: Monitor and Adjust

Regularly check your Old World warehouses for Cigar stock and your New World warehouses for Tobacco and Cigar stock. The goal is a steady, positive balance.

Old World Cigar Stock: If it's consistently low or zero, you need more Cigars. This means either:
- More New World production (more farms/factories).
- More ships on the trade route.
- Faster ships on the trade route.
New World Tobacco/Cigar Stock: If Tobacco is piling up, you need more Cigar Factories. If Cigars are piling up, your Old World demand isn't high enough yet, or your shipping capacity is insufficient.

Step 4.2: Efficiency Boosts

As your empire grows, you can use items and specialists to boost production efficiency.

Town Hall & Trade Union Items: In the New World, place a Town Hall or Trade Union near your Tobacco Plantations and Cigar Factories. Equip items that boost fertility, production speed, or reduce workforce needs (e.g., "The Master of Tobacco," "The Industrious Foreman").
Harbor Items: In both the Old and New World, consider items for your Harbor Master's Office that increase loading/unloading speed (e.g., "The Efficient Stevedore").

Step 4.3: Expand Your Fleet

As your Old World population grows and demands more Cigars, you will inevitably need more ships on the "Tobacco Trail." Don't hesitate to build additional Clippers or even Steam Cargo Ships (once unlocked) to handle the increased volume.

Rewards for Completion

Upon successfully establishing a consistent supply of Cigars to your Old World, the "Tobacco Trail" quest will conclude, rewarding you with:

Influence: A significant boost to your Influence points, crucial for expanding your empire.
Money: A substantial cash injection to fund further development.
Unlocks: Potential unlocks for new buildings or items related to luxury goods.
Citizen Satisfaction: Your Artisans will be happy, leading to increased tax income and potential for upgrading them to Engineers.

Mastering the "Tobacco Trail" is a fundamental step in Anno 1800's economic progression. It teaches you the critical mechanics of inter-regional trade and complex production chains, skills that will be vital for your continued success in the Old and New Worlds.