SB Privateer Rush, Vanilla, Patriot - Independence in 1619

[PrinceMyshkin]

Hi guys,

This time a different play style is employed than what I’ve shown before. The idea is to rush the royal navy with privateers, benefiting from Simon Bolivar "determined" bonus.

I play on vanilla for a change, the reason is on AoD II, REF is four times bigger and I would have to play more time to playtest the idea.

We only have three cities this time, perhaps I could have developed my settlements economy more, but most of the income came from trading with indians or looting indian villages. So, there is room for improvement for next time.

We declare independence in 1602 based on this distribution of forces. We do not have a single stockade when DoI happens, nor even an armory...

These 6 dragoons are battle hardened from indians (4-5 stars), so things are slightly better than what you think.

I used my general to promote my privateers.

So...

[PrinceMyshkin]

Hack n slash in the sea...

From what I've seen a SB privateer with 100% sentiment and two stars, or 80% sentiment and three stars can do the job.

I understand it sounds wtf, but there are good chances.

Check this % out.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Sometimes it doesn't work, sometimes it does...

But if we play with chances at our sides, most probably we will win in the long run.

David vs Goliath

[PrinceMyshkin]

And indeed, we win!

[PrinceMyshkin]

... with a pretty good score!

[PrinceMyshkin]

What's left after we've won the war...

Bear in mind we've managed to built one more privateer during the revolution.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Savegame before DoI...

[PrinceMyshkin]

Savegame one turn before the end...

[PrinceMyshkin]

Things to mention:

- Won't work without Simon.

- Strategy works well only with Pete.

We've bought three out of the total 6 privateers we had. So, if you try this strategy you don't want to miss him.

- Very high sentiment levels during revolution are required, else it won't work again.

- Land forces are so thin, you cannot afford to have two coastal colonies.

- You need to have battle hardened land troops, they are very few so at least get them promotions (indians help!).

- If you get a general make sure you add all the stars ONLY to the privateers - evacuate every unit a city has apart of the privateers. Even with 100% sentiment, you will need at least two stars for every privateer.

- If you have a galleon, expose it on purpose on a coastal +10% tile. Poor girl will be sunk, but she will weaken the Man-o-War, and you will sink it next turn.

- It will work in AoD II as well, but you will need 30-50 years more. Better to build (or rush build) most ships than buy them from Europe.

Overall funny stuff... at least for a change.

Hope you enjoy!

PS I think SB bonus shouldn't apply on privateers...

[Sir Alkis]

I tried to do it without Simon. I took the other Spanish leader and I leveled them up a lot raiding ships. That game was on revolutionary. I had 9 privateers and 1 SoL. Unfortunately the King added Man O Wars just before I declared so in the end I had to fight 12 enemy ships.

I managed to reduce them to 3 but by that time the enemy land forces were extinquished

I have to try Simon next time.

[Dale]

I think with my naval changes (in AoD2) that this strategy will be a lot harder. Privateers are more expensive to buy (cheaper to build though) and MoW's are stronger.

[Sir Alkis]

I am a bit out of subject but anyway, I didn't want to start a new thread...

I took Styvesant and built many ships, SoL mostly. Have a look at the screenshot, my 10 ships are 7 Sol and 3 Privateers. As you can see it's a very easy win and actually the game ended a few turns after, all enemy ships sunk.

So this is an alternative strategy, take Styvesant and use his extra production to build ships and avoid the land battle completely.

I have to note that this time I was lucky in that the King didn't add any warships.

The game was on revolutionary level, normal speed, large mapsize.

I had to use the wellknown exploit of not producing LBs until ready.

Well, that's it. If you thought Revolutionary level is easy you are wrong, it's even easier

[Hermann the Lombard]

I've been following land-based strategies and I'd be interested to try a privateer rush once. You're showing the endgame but I'm more interested in the midgame, how you get from a basic economy to being able to build & buy while still being able to drive sentiment to 80%+

[Correction: I tried one time for a naval victory but that annoying Adams had the gall to win about two turns before I would have declared independence.]

[Sir Alkis]

First you build and buy and then you raise rebel sentiment.

The other Europeans are there to attack and raid. That's a good way to level up your SoLs.

Try this trick: One or more Sol + one Galleon. Galleon carries 6 cannons. You declare war, approach the costal city, bombarb with Sols and attack with cannons. You will always succeed to get the city. Then you ransack it and give it back later. Enemy will never recover from this.

Have in mind that your victim must not be at war with someone, otherwise he will have many defending units.

[Hermann the Lombard]

I started my current game with intent to create a bunch of privateers with intent to confront the royal navy. By the time I put a privateer in the water there were no surviving rival colonies. Pity, as the only way my privateers can gain stars is by generals (er, admirals). Hopefully I'll have two by the time the balloon goes up.