Settlers 2

                 Continuing hints from Sue

You can build successful wells anywhere!

If you get a chance, save before a fight. If you lose, restore.
There is a certain element of chance.

Don't neglect the use of catapults. I discovered their usefulness
in scenario 5 where the minute you attack either the Reds or
Yellows, BOTH pile in! If you build catapults along your boundary
as soon as you meet them, the catapults will gradually whittle
away at their buildings and lands. The Reds and Yellows don't seem
to count this as an outright attack, so you can slowly extend your
boundaries without any bother at all, until you feel strong enough
to have a good scrap.

If an opponent is about to grab one of your buildings, just as
your soldier evaporates, you can quickly set fire to the building.
I found this preferable to actually losing a building to the
enemy.

Scenario 6 - Divided Country

I hardly believed my own notes when I replayed this scenario. A
'U' shaped island? But indeed that's what it is. You start at the
top left, with possible places for a shipbuilder and harbour
building to the south, and can build to the east. Head in these
directions, and once through the narrow isthmus to the east,
change from building barracks to guardhouses as you're about to
meet the Reds.

There are lots of opportunities to build harbours and send ships
off to start new colonies, but don't be tempted. They aren't
necessary and with the ships bug, there's a risk the ships will
start to collect at a harbour. Send one shop southwest to the
island where there is a lot of coal, iron and gold. Send another
northeast to the other side of a narrow channel form your land,
and build another harbour here. That makes three. The Yellows
aren't far away form this third harbour and if you build south
you'll soon meet them and if not careful be overrun. If this
happens and you lose your harbour, don't panic. The other way to
meet the Yellows is to build through the Red's territory and turn
east - just follow the coast line. You'll go along the bottom of
the 'U' and the Yellows are the other side.

What I did this time worked well. I moved well down into the Reds'
territory ... in fact, I wiped them out completely but this was
sheer vindictiveness and not necessary! But the way I dealt with
the Yellows was simple. All I built near the harbour at the top
northeast at first was a catapult. because this isn't seen as a
threat, I found the Yellows didn't expand in this direction.

I worked my way through the Reds territory, getting stronger all
the time, then made a massive push east towards the Yellows from
the catapult mentioned above. If you move due east from this
harbour building, you'll arrive just below the northern coastline
and the gateway is immediately below. I didn't have to fight them
at all.  There was enough empty land that I could build across and
round the edge and reach the gateway without a 'shot' being fired
as it were.

Scenario 7 - The Snake

Another one where it pays to tread softly. Once you attack the
Yellows to the east, or the Reds to the west, both will pile in
...  unless you wait. I started by building towards both and when
I reached them, I built as many catapults as I could. These
whittled away at their land while my troops built up their
strength. After around 8 hours of play, I took a chance. I could
see the Reds' castle and attacked. Wham - it was gone and, even
better, the Yellows did nothing. The Reds captured a few of my
buildings but I was strong enough to grab them back, or my
catapults destroyed them, which was okay too. After this, it was
just a case of gradually working west through the Reds' land to
the gateway which is on the far west edge of the land, half way
down the map (i.e. at 9 o'clock).


Chapter 8 - Sea Routes

You're warned at the start of a mighty enemy to the west and that
you should stay where you are as long as possible or if necessary
escape to the east or by sea.  They aren't kidding! I had several
goes at this before I worked out the right approach and even then
it took me almost 20 hours!

Start by upping the number of high ranking soldiers left in your
headquarters. The Yellows aren't far away and if you get too close
to them, they will attack directly and without provocation. I also
built three fortresses to the south, between me and the Yellows,
then I built eastwards. Build a brewery fairly quickly, you'll
need a lot of soldiers. Keep heading east. Build a shipyard and
harbour ASAP. Remember the shipyard doesn't need to be on the
coast but it mustn't be far away. There are two more islands to
find, each provides raw materials.

Gradually whittle away at the Yellows once you're strong enough.
A barrier of mountains is initially between you and them, and this
helps keep them at bay. But they will attack you if you get too
close. So build up your strength as much as possible before doing
anything!

The Reds will start attacking when you get close. They are the
other side of the Yellows - and tough! To deal with them, I
gradually collected as many soldiers on the mainland as possible
by destroying barracks on the islands (once I'd taken any raw
materials I could). I had built ferries between the islands too
but destroyed these so that the ships took over transportation of
items again. That seemed to force them to collect the soldiers
too.

The gateway is on uninhabited land at the far southwest corner,
beyond the reds. I was really glad to see it!

I'm currently struggling with the next scenario - more hints when
I complete it!

                              - o -