Colonies, forts and military control

[Flop]

Since I got some very useful responses to my last questions here, I thought I'd ask some more. It seems to me that these must have been asked before, but I tried the search function and didn't find anything.

Anyway, I'm in 1954 as Prussia, and since I'm sitting on a huge pile of money, and don't really want to build any more factories (because a lot of my factories are shut down anyway, due to low demand), I figured I'd get into the colonial game. I know I have limited options until Germany is formed, but I might as well make some preparations for when that happens.

Alright, so I've been sending some merchants and missionaries, to Tanganiyka and Camerun, but since some of locals burnt down a few of my missions, I decided to send some colonial troops too. I also put some merchant fleets in the two relevant MTB's to supply them, but I'm not sure that's working. I read somewhere that you need to form a "chain" in all the MTB's back to your home soil, is that correct?

Also, while everything seems to be going well in Camerun, that isn't quite the case in Tanganiyka. In Camerun I managed to built a fort and a coaling station, which gives me some local supply and protection, but in Tanganiyka I've been unable to do this. I'm guessing it's because of Omani military control, which I only managed to get down to 24% in the province where I had stationed my troops (even though Oman did not appear to have any troops there). I then decided to try moving them to Lindi instead, which is also in Tanganiyka, but here Buganda has 100% military control, and my guys are making no headway at all. It's only a couple of colonial regiments, so maybe I need to move more troops there? Something else? And by the way, what's the MC requirement to build a fort? 100%?

Finally, I also sent some prospectors and explorers to both Tanganiyka and Camerun, and have been using the events associated with those units in both places. But quite often I'll get a message on the turn after placing the event, saying that the attempt to enact the decision was a failure. Am I doing something wrong or is that normal? Also, when it's a failure, do I get my money back?

Thanks.

[loki100]

some answers

last point, yep that is WAD, no you don't get your cash back. Its hit and miss and slow, so you just need to keep plugging away. Prospectors may also fail as there is nothing to discover, but unfortunately there is no warning about this.

one issue in colonies is hidden units. A combination of poor terrain, low detect and high evade means there maybe something sitting there that you can't see - rather than simply can't engage with. Go over your force pool and look for some high detect units and see if that helps

You're right about MBTs, but then you need the means to land the supplies and bring them to where you are operating.

I wouldn't be active in Tangyanyka to be honest - I think you get that and SW Africa by script in the early 1880s. So you may want to look at other valuable regions for your own actions.

For a fort is 25% control and 10% development - but remember you do have a limited pool of these.

[Flop]

Thanks for the answers, they're very helpful. Regarding this line:

For a fort is 25% control and 10% development - but remember you do have a limited pool of these.

If this is true, I'm not sure why I wasn't able to build my fort in Tanganiyka, since my MC was 76%. Could it be that it's because Oman still had some MC? Do I have to be the only one?

[Jim-NC]

It's possible that an "enemy" unit is there (rebel, or a tribal that doesn't like you). I think they won't allow you to build things there. You probably need to get better detection to see if something is there.

[czert2]

Thanks for the answers, they're very helpful. Regarding this line:



If this is true, I'm not sure why I wasn't able to build my fort in Tanganiyka, since my MC was 76%. Could it be that it's because Oman still had some MC? Do I have to be the only one?

no, Mc with 76% isnt problem, just to be sure make sure it isnt protectorate or better of another nation and you can build more forts in decisions, if not, well delete ones which you dont need (in siberia).

[Q-Kee]

I have a similar problem - I have 40 CP and 100 MC, but I cannot build the outpost. I have built a depot and a harbour and I think I could build a fort as well, and most of the colonbial decisions work as well.

The colonial area has 4 regions, in 2 of them I have only 3 CP and 0 MC - in these areas the tooltip says I cannot build an outpost because I lack CP/MC, but in the regions with enough CP/MC it just says "this structure cannot be built here". Might it be that I need the level of CP/MC in all the area's regions?

[color="#FF0000"]EDIT:[/color] Problem solved. There seems to be a limited number of outposts that can be built, it's just the wrong display (one more thing to be fixed by devs) - in the colonial decisions, the card is displayed with the number 2, so one thinks they could be built, but the number only seems to mean that at one time max 2 outpost cards can be played, there is no number to show how many the player has left to be built.

Also, since I am posting - I cannot build the Suez Canal. I have downloaded 2 fixes (from the French section ) for the decision and the canal events and then it worked. For a while. Suddenly after like 20 turns the process was terminated and the region will not accept the decision anew. I am at peace with everybody around including France and have a trade agreement with Egypt, although I have a CB against them since I own Lybia.

[loki100]

Also, since I am posting - I cannot build the Suez Canal. I have downloaded 2 fixes (from the French section ) for the decision and the canal events and then it worked. For a while. Suddenly after like 20 turns the process was terminated and the region will not accept the decision anew. I am at peace with everybody around including France and have a trade agreement with Egypt, although I have a CB against them since I own Lybia.

I had exactly the same, tried all sorts of work arounds including just scripting in the structure to no effect. Unfortunately this is something that will need to wait for renewed work on the code as its not something we can solve by events.

However, if you are the proud owner of Jerusalem, there is a fiddle. Build a port there, manually move your ship to the province as the first leg of its journey, then manually move it to the destination (don't just do this by a single order), the effect is to create a canal in that province (no idea why this works, but if you have tried to build Suez it seems a fair secondary solution)

[Christophe.Barot]

for supplying units, military control is the key, and you've to go progressively

you can't supply efficiently unless you have a minimum control of areas - 2 ways - either you wait revolters to take control of area (then you invade), or you declare war to owner (Oman, or tribe), you take over, and make peace - you need more troops, indading oman proper (if oman, else just troops), and peace can come late

you have also non controllmed area, they are easier to take

once you get a foothold, use it as a bridgehead to area : build a depot, build naval facilities (best is a naval base), build a fort, keep permanently some troops thre, go to the hinterland

threre is a race to colonies with AI, but, unless AI has a programmed event for a colony you covete, you should win it

[anjou]

How exactly does one go about taking colonies in the Americas?

[loki100]

How exactly does one go about taking colonies in the Americas?

beat up the European power that holds them - I got Costa Rica after a war with Spain, I guess those places east of Venezuela you could gain from the British/Dutch/French as with other islands.

But as reported elsewhere, you'll tend to inherit an empty shell - its something to do with the shift of military control in colonial regions means that no/few buildings will survive a change of owner. I sort of think of this as the locals celebrating the defeat of the old colonial power (before they realise just who is next)