Lateen Sails:

Learn how to effectively use and manage Lateen Sails in Anno 1404. This guide covers essential strategies for exploration, trade, and settlement expansion.

The following is a walkthrough for Anno 1404, covering gameplay mechanics, island selection, settlement development, and expansion strategies.

Gameplay Walkthrough:

1. Continuous game mechanics are similar to the Campaign or Scenarios, with random NPC quests.
2. If starting with only a ship or escort, purchase all available wood from Lord Northburgh's Warehouse. Consider selling fish and buying tools for an aggressive start.
3. Settle on a suitable island. AI ships are slower than in previous Anno games, but it's recommended to restart if an AI claims the best island.

Finding a perfect island:

• Look for a large, flat island with no lakes, close to a neutral port, centrally located, with Cider and Hemp fertilities, and at least two Stone and Iron Ore deposits.
• Settle on the southern end for initial deliveries, and later build Harbor Master's Offices on other sides to speed up deliveries.

First settlement:

1. After landing, build three woodcutters near the warehouse port, ensuring they have space to operate at 100%. Use Trees to fill gaps.
2. Build two Fisherman's Huts connected to the port.
3. Construct a Marketplace and surround it with as many houses as wood allows. Increase taxes from 'Euphoric' to 'Happy' for growth, then to 'Calm' once houses are full.
4. Once 60 peasants settle, build one or two Cider farms.
5. A Chapel is only necessary once peasants are satisfied with cider.

Exploration:

• Send your Flagship to explore the archipelago to claim good islands.
• Visit Northburgh and buy a Diplomatic Scroll with honor points. Purchase more Tools and Wood if affordable.
• Deliver the scroll to Al Zahir's harbor to receive a Caravel with Tools, Wood, and Dates. Use this ship to aid in building Stone and Tool production or start an Oriental settlement.

Stone and tool production:

1. While exploring, focus on producing Stone and Tools to avoid NPC purchases.
2. Block ascension rights after reaching 16 Citizen houses (240 capacity) to conserve tools. Build basic needs: Fish, Cider, and a Chapel.
3. Build Stonemason's huts for stone production.
4. Start your Tool chain: build an Iron Ore mine and Charcoal burner's hut, then two Tool maker's workshops connected to a Market building. Sell buildings if needed to expedite the process.

Satisfying citizen needs:

• With Tool production running, focus on Linen Garments (two chains of Hemp Farms and one Weavers Hut) and Ropes (two Hemp Farms and two Rope Yards).
• Set up a second Tools chain.
• After passing 355 Citizens, ensure all houses are covered by Carpenters or Fire stations, prioritizing Fire stations due to lower maintenance costs.

Developing the Orient:

1. Settle a large Oriental island with Spices and Dates fertilities. Build 10 Nomad Houses to enable Spice production and one Date plantation with a Noria if in a desert area.
2. Once 150 Nomads settle, build Spice plantations and use a Trade Route to deliver them to your northern island.
3. Aim for at least 440 Nomads (30 houses) to access buildings and gain honor. Build Milk farms for tax income, but postpone Carpet production. Raise taxes to 'Calm' when houses are full.
4. A Stonecutter's hut is useful for warehouse upgrades and Tool chains. The Bath house is the only Oriental building requiring stone, needed later in the game.

Developing the north further:

• With Spices from the south, Citizens can progress to Patrician level.
• Settle a new northern island with Brine deposits, a river, and Crop and Herb fertilities. You may need two or three islands for this.
• Build production chains for Bread (Crop Farms, Mill, Bakery), Beer (Monastery Garden, Crop Farm, Monastery Brewery), and Leather Jerkins (Pigs, Salt Mine, Salt Works, Charcoal Burner, Tannery). Set up trade routes to your main island and sell surplus.
• Consider spending Honor points to upgrade trading fleets of Al Vizir and Northburgh for more frequent and larger purchases.