Introduction

Welcome to another Northgard basics video! Today, we will discuss food, arguably the second most important resource in the game. Managing your food economy efficiently is crucial to sustaining your villagers, expanding your territory, and ultimately outpacing your opponents. While food consumption can feel overwhelming due to its rapid depletion, with proper economic management and optimal placement of buildings, you can create a stable and thriving food supply.

The Role of Food in Northgard

Food primarily serves two purposes:

1. Colonization: Expanding into new tiles requires food.
2. Sustaining Villagers: Every villager consumes food, regardless of their assigned task.

Your food production must always outweigh consumption, or you risk starvation, especially in winter. Efficient food economy ensures that each villager contributes significantly to resource generation. Villagers who are not gathering food still consume it, making food optimization even more crucial.

Maximizing Food Efficiency

To optimize food production:

• Assign villagers to the most productive food sources (fields, fishing, or hunting).
• Utilize sheep as they do not consume food but provide a steady supply.
• Build silos on key food tiles to enhance productivity.
• Avoid overbuilding on food tiles, ensuring space for necessary upgrades.

Understanding Food Sources

Each food source in Northgard comes with its own advantages and limitations:

1. Foraging (Default Gathering)

• Villagers can gather food passively from tiles with a house or town hall.
• Low efficiency, suitable only in the very early game.

2. Fishing

• Fishermen produce food at a constant rate year-round, making them reliable.
• Upgrading a Fishing Hut boosts efficiency by 20%.
• Synergizes well with Bear Clan, gaining an extra 20% bonus.

3. Sheepfold

• Sheep provide free food without consuming any.
• Sheepfolds lose efficiency in winter, but upgrading them increases food output by 50% per sheep.
• Highly valuable in games where sheep are abundant.

4. Hunter’s Lodge

• Hunters generate 4.5 food per worker, slightly better than fields.
• Winter production is slightly reduced but still higher than farms.
• Great for rush strategies due to early food spikes.

5. Fields (Farms)

• Highest food production (5 food per worker in summer).
• Severely impacted by winter, requiring silos for stability.
• Best suited for longer games rather than early rushes.

Food Management Strategies

Early Game

• Prioritize hunting or fishing over farming due to winter stability.
• Expand cautiously, ensuring food production stays ahead of consumption.
• Build a Silo early on your best food tile.

Mid-Game

• Upgrade food buildings where possible to increase efficiency.
• Balance economy by ensuring each tile has a designated function.
• If possible, stockpile food before winter to avoid shortages.

Late Game

• Fully upgraded food economy should support a large army.
• Utilize relics and feast mechanics to maintain sustainability.
• Expand into high-production tiles if needed.

Common Mistakes in Food Management

1. Overexpansion Without Food Security
   • Expanding too quickly without food backup leads to winter starvation.
2. Building Unnecessary Houses on Food Tiles
   • Houses take up valuable space that could be used for silos or upgrades.
3. Ignoring Food Efficiency Upgrades
   • Silo bonuses and building upgrades dramatically improve output.
4. Poor Villager Assignment
   • Having too many food gatherers without upgrading results in inefficiency.

Conclusion

Mastering food economy in Northgard requires careful planning and execution. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each food source, strategically placing silos, and efficiently utilizing villagers will ensure a strong, sustainable economy that keeps your village thriving.