Anno 1404 Venice Guide [new] -
Anno 1404: Venice expansion introduces major mechanics like espionage, city council politics, and multiplayer, alongside the core city-building gameplay of the original. This guide covers essential expansion features and foundational management tips. Anno 1404 Wiki New Venice Mechanics The City Council & Takeovers
: You can now conquer islands without military force by buying Council Seats
An island has five seats and a city key; owning the majority allows you to take over the entire island for a high gold cost. to manage spies.
: Send spies to enemy islands to sabotage production or spark riots.
: Spies in your own city help uncover and arrest enemy infiltrators. New Content
: Includes 15 new scenarios, volcanic islands with unique resource deposits, and two new Venetian trade ships: the Small and Big Tradesman Cog Anno 1404 Wiki Core Production & Economy To sustain your empire, use efficient Production Layouts to maximize space: Steam Community Basic Chains : 2x Crop Farm right arrow right arrow 1x Bakery. : 1x Market right arrow 4x Crop Farm right arrow 4x Monastery Garden right arrow 4x Monastery Brewery. Cider/Hemp
: These often share a similar tileable layout (1x Market per 4 farms). Wealth Generation
: Keep your population in the "Yellow" happiness zone to maximize tax income without triggering a downgrade in status. Trading Tools
: A popular early-game tactic involves overproducing tools and selling them to neutral powers like Giacomo Garibaldi or the Sultan. Island Selection & Settlement The "Perfect" Island : Look for large, flat islands near neutral ports with Cider and Hemp fertilities and at least two Stone and Iron deposits. Strategic Placement
: Settle on the southern end of your first island, as initial trade deliveries typically arrive from the south. Island Specialization Anno 1404 Venice Guide
: Designate your first island for population and basic goods (Fish, Cider, Hemp) while using secondary islands strictly for industrial production and raw materials to save space. Anno 1404 Wiki General Tips
Anno 1404 Guide Complete With Achievements - Steam Community
To master Anno 1404: Venice , you need to balance the classic city-building of the base game with the expansion's new espionage and political systems. Expansion Mechanics
The Venice expansion introduces features that can drastically change your strategy:
Espionage: Use the Venetian Base of Operations to send spies to enemy islands. You can commit acts of sabotage, like starting fires or spreading false rumors, to lower enemy morale.
City Councils: Instead of brute military force, you can take over islands by purchasing seats on their city council. This is a powerful, non-violent way to expand, though it requires significant gold.
New Ships: The Small and Large Tradesman Cogs are exclusive to Venice and provide excellent cargo capacity for your trade routes. Essential Early-Game Tips First Minutes: Immediately sell your starting 10 fish to Lord Northburgh
for extra gold. Use that money to buy all available wood and tools from him to kickstart your first settlement.
The Orient Settlement: Establish an Oriental settlement early. Buy your first diplomatic scroll from Northburgh for 50 Honor and deliver it to to unlock the first tier of Oriental buildings. Hemp for Cash: A great early-game tip for making money Anno 1404: Venice expansion introduces major mechanics like
is to over-produce hemp rope and sell the excess to AI partners like Lord Northburgh Production & Military
Here’s a review for Anno 1404: Venice (assuming you’re referring to a guide—be it a book, a Steam guide, or a video tutorial series):
Title: The Definitive Companion for Aspiring Governors – A Must-Have for Anno 1404 Venice
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Review:
If you’ve ever stared at your bustling medieval harbor in Anno 1404 Venice and wondered why your noblemen are still grumbling about missing spices or why your production chain just collapsed into chaos, this guide is your salvation.
Whether you’re a returning fan of the Venice expansion or a newcomer overwhelmed by the added espionage, trading, and multiplayer features, this guide breaks everything down with remarkable clarity.
What makes this guide stand out:
- Step-by-Step Production Chains: No more guessing how many apple farms you need for a cider press. The guide includes crystal-clear ratios and layouts that maximize efficiency without wasting precious island space.
- Occidental & Oriental Mastery: It does an excellent job explaining the delicate balance between Western and Eastern populations—from managing Al Zahir’s diplomacy to optimizing carpet and coffee production.
- Venice Expansion Focus: The guide shines when covering the new Senate mechanics, espionage (sabotage, bribery, and riots), and the cooperative multiplayer scenarios. It even provides strategies for using the “Corrupt Diplomat” without destroying your own economy.
- Progression Roadmaps: Instead of just listing buildings, it offers phase-by-phase strategies: how to quickly reach Patricians, when to colonize the southern islands, and how to survive sudden pirate attacks or Lord Northburgh’s demands.
- Visual Aids: Maps showing optimal trading routes, island fertility layouts, and warehouse positioning are worth their weight in gold (or, in-game, tons of tools).
Potential downsides:
If you’re a pure sandbox player who enjoys trial-and-error discovery, this guide might spoil some of the organic learning curve. Additionally, a tiny section on advanced multiplayer meta could be deeper—but overall, that’s nitpicking. Title: The Definitive Companion for Aspiring Governors –
Verdict:
Whether you’re aiming for the “Knight of the Round Table” achievement or just want to build a gorgeous, efficient trade empire without your citizens rioting every 20 minutes, this guide is worth every penny. Highly recommended for completionists, min-maxers, and anyone who loves watching their islands thrive.
Add this to your library—then go build that cathedral.
8. Economy Management & Production Ratios
Unlocking the Vizier
Unlike the base game, Venice requires you to repair the relationship with the Grand Vizier immediately. Do not trade with Pirates if you want a peaceful South.
- Sail to the Southern islands (Nomad lands).
- Look for Date and Milk.
- Build a Goat Farm (Milk) and Date Grove on a South island.
- Build 5 Nomad houses.
- Quest: The Vizier will ask for 10 Milk. Complete this to gain "Access Level 1."
The Espionage System
- Build the Nomad Powerbase (Occidental ship) or Inquisition (Oriental) to unlock spies.
- Spy Types:
- Diplomat: Steals maps, sees trade routes.
- Saboteur: Poisons wells (lowers population happiness), bribes defenders before attack.
- Agitator: Starts riots in enemy markets.
- Counterplay: Build Watchtowers (city defense) and upgrade markets to detect spies faster.
Early Game PvP
- Rush to Citizens (clothes + spices) faster than opponent.
- Blockade their main island with 2 small ships (cost effective).
- Steal their oriental island – first to claim spices wins.
Phase 2 – Economy Foundation (30-60 min)
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Balance Occidental & Oriental – Don't ignore the Orient. Build a small settlement on a South island early for Dates and Spices.
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Use Production Chains Optimally: | Good | Buildings per 100% output (Normal speed) | |------|------------------------------------------| | Cider | 2 Apple farms → 1 Cider press | | Bread | 3 Grain farms → 2 Mills → 2 Bakeries | | Leather | 2 Hemp + 2 Salt (from Orient) → 1 Tanner | | Spices | 3 Spice farms (Orient) → 1 Market building |
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Avoid Overbuilding: Use Ctrl + Q to view production/consumption statistics. Your goal is 100-110% production.
1. The Tiers of Civilization
Your population grows through four stages. Each stage requires new goods and pays higher taxes.
- Peasants: Require Fish, Wool (Clothes), and Cider (or Spices).
- Citizens: Require Spices, Linen garments, Leather garments, and Bread.
- Patricians: Require Beer, Candles, Leather Jerkins, Books, and Spectacles.
- Noblemen: The highest tier. Require Wine, Fur Coats, Brocade Robes, Perfume, and Glasses.
Citizen Rush
Citizens pay significantly more taxes than Peasants. Your goal in the first 20 minutes is to get 100+ Citizens. To do this:
- Build a Weaver (for Clothes).
- Build a Church (for Faith).
- Ensure you have a Marketplace and Well.
Pro Tip: Pause production buildings when they are full to save maintenance costs.
Phase 1 – First 15 Minutes
- Pick a large island with: at least 2 stone deposits, 4+ hemp fields, 2 iron, 2+ wine slopes (if possible).
- Immediate build order:
- 3 Woodcutters, 2 Fishermen, 1 Marketplace.
- 3 Hemp farms + 1 Weaver (for Ropes – needed for small ships).
- Build a Small Trading Ship – send it to the neutral trader (Grand Vizier / Lord Northburgh) to buy tools/stone if your island lacks them.
- Upgrade to Citizens quickly (need 20 Peasants housed). Citizens give you tax income and unlock stone buildings.
