Anno 1800 is a deep and intricate game, full of hidden mechanics and features that can significantly enhance your gameplay. Here are 30 things you may not have known about the game, ranging from city management and defense to trade and production efficiency.

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1. Fire Stations Are Essential

Always place fire stations near factories and oil production sites. Neglecting this can result in devastating fires or explosions, which are preventable at minimal cost.

2. Protect All Sides of Your Island

You can build on every connected beach, which is great for placing fisheries without wasting valuable space. However, be sure to place defensive turrets nearby to fend off pirate attacks.

3. Optimize Space in the New World

New World islands are small with many rivers. To free up space, create a dedicated wood production island nearby—there are plenty of small islands available for this purpose.

4. Build Roads Over Train Tracks

You can construct roads over train tracks, but only one tile wide. This trick is useful when managing space in high-density industrial areas.

5. Set Minimum Resource Levels

Configure minimum storage limits in your trading posts to prevent essential resources from being completely shipped away by trade routes.

6. Check Trade Union Influence Before Placing

When placing a Trade Union, all buildings within its influence will light up blue. This helps you optimize coverage without guessing.

7. Mass Upgrade and Repair Buildings

The upgrade tool allows mass upgrading of buildings, and it can also repair multiple damaged houses after disasters like fires or plagues.

8. Move Entire Industry Blocks

Instead of relocating structures one by one, use the move tool to select entire groups—including roads—and reposition them efficiently.

9. Adjust Camera Angle for Exploration

When starting a new game, you can adjust the camera angle to spot mountains and explore strategically. Use waypoint marking to automate ship exploration.

10. Complete Citizen Quests Quickly

Citizen quests often require finding specific objects or people. Speed up the game and scan for unusual movement patterns to complete them efficiently.

11. Use Chartered Routes Before Building Ships

Chartered routes cost 50 income and some influence but will automatically replace lost ships, making them useful in the early game.

12. Copy & Paste City Blocks

Design a perfect city block and use the copy tool to duplicate it. This speeds up city expansion and ensures a consistent layout.

13. Use Public Moorings for Extra Income

The Public Mooring generates 3.6 coins per attractiveness level. If maintained properly, it will become a consistent source of profit.

14. Income Drops Are Usually Due to Resources

Losing stored goods means a drop in income. Check trade routes and stock levels to ensure supply chains remain uninterrupted.

15. Sell Shares to the Queen for Quick Cash

If needed, you can sell shares to the Queen at a lower price for an emergency cash injection.

16. Some AI Don’t Mind Share Purchases

Certain AI characters don’t get aggressive when you buy their shares, giving you a temporary income boost without negative diplomatic consequences.

17. Beware of Trade Route Delays

Selecting ‘Wait for Goods’ or ‘Wait to Unload’ can cause trade route bottlenecks, so use these options carefully.

18. Trade Union Items Can Replace Resources

Certain Trade Union items can remove the need for specific resources, reducing trade route dependency.

19. AI Store Offers Can Be Re-Rolled

If an AI trader doesn’t have what you need, you can re-roll their inventory for 5,000 coins, with each subsequent roll increasing in price.

20. Storage is Determined by Trade Post Level

Warehouses don’t determine storage capacity—Trade Post level does. Depots increase storage but take up harbor space.

21. Ships Sent to the New World May Not Arrive Safely

If you send a ship to the New World before colonizing an island, it will stop at a random location and risk pirate attacks.

22. Flotsam Disappears After 15 Minutes

Loot dropped by pirates or shipwrecks vanishes after 15 in-game minutes. Collect valuable resources quickly.

23. Buying Steel is More Efficient Than Producing It Early On

Steel production is expensive in the early game. Instead, overproduce soap and sell it to Eli Blakeworth to fund steel purchases.

24. Prioritize Resource Allocation by Citizen Tier

Deliver high-value goods (like rum) to Artisans and Engineers rather than lower-tier citizens for better economic returns.

25. Pollution Affects the Whole Island

Pollution penalties apply island-wide, not just near industrial areas. Relocating industry doesn’t prevent attractiveness loss.

26. Electricity Works on Dirt Roads

However, paved roads extend the range of electricity, warehouses, and fire stations, so upgrade as soon as possible.

27. Expeditions Depend on Morale

Each ship has base morale stats, and items like champagne, chocolate, cigars, and even dynamite can improve expedition success rates.

28. Customize the Resource Display Menu

You can personalize the top-bar resource menu for quick access to essential goods, especially useful for production islands.

29. Military Ships Have Different Stances

Military ships have three settings:

• Active Defense: Engages and pursues enemy targets.
• Passive Defense: Attacks enemies only within range, then returns to position.
• All-Out Attack: Pursues enemies indefinitely.

30. Disable Pirates for a Peaceful Game

If you don’t want to deal with naval combat, you can turn off pirates when creating a custom game.

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Final Thoughts

These tips and tricks can give you an edge in Anno 1800, whether you’re optimizing your economy, managing trade routes, or preparing for war. Apply them to enhance your gameplay and build a thriving empire!