You're Special:

Starting Out: If you begin with only a ship or an escort, purchase all available wood from Lord Northburgh's Warehouse. For an aggressive start, also buy all available tools.

Island Selection: Settle on a large, flat island with minimal lakes, centrally located, and possessing Cider and Hemp fertility, along with at least two deposits each of Stone and Iron Ore. Settle on the southern end for initial deliveries.

First Settlement: Immediately establish three woodcutters connected to your warehouse. Build two Fisherman's Huts. Construct a Marketplace and surround it with as many houses as your wood supply allows. Raise taxes to 'Happy' or 'Calm' as needed. Build Cider farms once you have 60 peasants.

Exploration: Use your Flagship to explore the archipelago, claiming good islands. Visit Northburgh, purchase a Diplomatic Scroll, and deliver it to Al Zahir to receive a Caravel with valuable resources.

Stone and Tool Production: Prioritize producing Stone and Tools independently. Build Stonemason's huts and an Iron Ore mine, Charcoal burner, and Tool maker's workshops. Block housing ascension until Citizen level is reached to conserve tools.

Satisfying Citizen Needs: Once Tools production is stable, establish Linen Garment production (Hemp Farms and Weavers Huts) and Rope production (Hemp Farms and Rope Yards). Set up your second Tools chain. Ensure all houses are covered by fire protection (Carpenter or Fire Station) once you pass 355 Citizens.

Developing the Orient: Settle a large Oriental island with Spices and Dates fertility. Build 10 Nomad Houses to enable Spice production. Establish Date plantations and deliver Spices to your northern island. Aim for 440 Nomads to unlock buildings and build Milk farms. Construct a Stonecutter's hut for local needs.

Developing the North Further: With Spices, Citizens can become Patricians. Settle a new northern island with Brine deposits, a river, and Crop/Herb fertility. Establish production chains for Bread, Beer, and Leather Jerkins, and set up trade routes. Use Honor points to upgrade trading fleets.