Farasha

Learn how to counter Farasha's rapid expansion in Anno 1404. Exploit her early game docility to build your economy and disrupt her settlements before she reaches Tier 5.

Alright, let's talk about Farasha. She sounds like a real terror, right? "I see you want to be my next victim. So, let us begin!" – pretty dramatic stuff. But honestly, she's not the aggressive type you might expect, especially compared to Nasira or Sallah. Her whole game is about building up her settlements super fast and grabbing new islands, trying to hit that Tier 5 status as quickly as possible. And she's good at it! If you let her, she'll snatch up all the best islands and get to Aristocrats before you know it, then her fleet of Tier 5 Battleships will be coming for you.

Here's the kicker though: until she hits Tier 5 or you decide to attack her, Farasha won't lift a finger against you. That's your secret weapon! Since you've got a pretty safe window for the first hour or so, use that time to build up a rock-solid economy. Once you're ready, go after some of her less-defended islands. Here’s a nasty little trick: follow one of her exploration ships with two of your own Battleships. Wait until she settles an island and builds a Barracks, then immediately swoop in and attack. If you can take that Barracks, you'll not only get the island but also all the buildings she just put up there. It's a fantastic way to mess with her resource gathering, which is pretty much her main strength since she keeps her settlements small and her economy a bit weak.

Honestly, she's not that tough to beat once you realize her playstyle is a bit unbalanced. You can totally take advantage of her being so passive early on. It makes you wonder if her AI was originally planned for the Sultan or something, maybe they swapped them out?