If you’re looking to establish a strong foothold in Northgard, setting up your economy properly from the start is crucial. This guide will cover how to efficiently build your economy, manage early-game military expansion, and prepare for mid-to-late game success. Whether you’re playing against AI or in a PvP setting, this approach will give you a solid foundation.
Step 1: Scouting and Tile Selection
The very first building you should construct is a Scouting Camp. Since you can’t colonize new tiles until they’re revealed, getting your scouts moving immediately is essential.
- Prioritize colonizing tiles with food and stone.
- If food and stone aren’t available, look for iron, lore sites, shipwrecks, or ruins.
- Clan bonuses should influence your tile choices (e.g., Stag Clan can delay food tiles since they start with a food bonus).
Once you’ve identified a good tile, start colonizing immediately.
Step 2: Initial Buildings & Economy Setup
After colonizing your first tile, prioritize placing the following buildings:
- House: To accommodate your growing population.
- Food Production Building: Depending on your tile, build a Farm, Fishery, or Hunter’s Lodge.
- Woodcutter’s Lodge: Ensures you have enough wood for upcoming structures.
You can place the Woodcutter’s Lodge either on your starting tile or the newly colonized tile, depending on available space and long-term planning.
Step 3: Expanding to a Third Tile & Military Preparations
- Colonize a third tile, ideally with stone to prepare for upgrades.
- Build a Training Camp—place it on the newly colonized tile for better organization.
- Recruit two warriors to clear neutral camps and reduce early-game threats.
Why Clearing Neutral Camps is Important:
- Injured units have a -20% production penalty, so eliminating threats quickly ensures efficiency.
- Even if you have to sacrifice a warrior or two, removing neutral threats early is a worthy investment.
Step 4: Winter Preparations
Heading into winter, your two primary goals are:
- Mining Stone: Start gathering stone to prepare for building upgrades.
- Building a Longship Dock: This will increase crown income and provide lore bonuses.
By this stage, you should have:
- A stable food supply.
- Woodcutters producing enough wood to sustain building needs.
- A small standing army to defend your tiles.
Step 5: Choosing Your First Three Lore Upgrades
The first three lore selections should be:
- Sharp Axes – Increases wood production, reducing the need for multiple woodcutters.
- Colonization – Reduces the food cost of expanding into new tiles.
- Mining Efficiency – Speeds up stone and iron gathering, helping with early upgrades.
These upgrades ensure you efficiently manage resources and expand quickly.
Step 6: Establishing a Strong Mid-Game Presence
With a steady economy in place, your next focus depends on the game mode:
- PvE: Continue clearing neutral camps and improving infrastructure.
- PvP: Expand strategically and maintain a balanced military presence.
Additional Tips:
- Prioritize upgrading food production buildings as soon as you have enough stone.
- If playing the Bear Clan, leverage their powerful defensive unit early on.
- Keep a small military force active to clear tiles and defend against early aggression.
Final Thoughts: Mastering Early Game in Northgard
Following this guide will ensure a smooth and efficient early game in Northgard. By focusing on economy, expansion, and military in the right order, you set yourself up for success in both PvE and PvP matches.
Key Takeaways:
- Start with a Scouting Camp to identify the best tiles.
- Prioritize food and stone for early-game sustainability.
- Clear neutral camps quickly to avoid production penalties.
- Build a Longship Dock early to boost crowns and lore gain.
- Use strategic lore upgrades to maximize resource efficiency.
With these fundamentals in place, you’ll have a strong start and be well-prepared for the challenges of mid-to-late game. Good luck, and may your clan thrive in the harsh lands of Northgard!
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