Anno 1404 beginner settlement, warehouses and needs
Build a small connected economy before spreading across several islands.
Edition covered
Base Anno 1404 (also called Dawn of Discovery). Pictures show the 2020 History Edition. Venice multiplayer, espionage and city-council takeover mechanics are outside these guides.
Inspect the island before settling
The fertility bar shows supported crops and the resource view shows deposits. Choose a first island with useful space and supplies, then plan other islands for goods the starting island cannot produce.
| Check | Where | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Fertility | Island information bar | Choose viable crops |
| Deposits | Resource information | Plan stone, iron and other extraction |
| Local stock | Warehouse or info bar | Know what this island can build |
| House needs | Selected residence | See missing goods and services |
Connect the warehouse economy
Production must operate within the settlement's collection network and have usable road access where required. Watch whether goods reach storage before adding more workshops to a chain that is already blocked.
| System | Purpose | Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouse | Island storage and harbor access | Ship transfers and stock levels |
| Market building | Collection network and territory | Coverage and road access |
| Marketplace | Residential service | House coverage |
| Fishing production | Early food | Access and working output |
| Lumber production | Building material | Trees, working area and collection |
Provide needs before promotion
Select houses to see the goods and services required for the next tier. Keep a steady supply and the required building materials ready; promoting houses without supporting the new needs creates instability.
Use the campaign as a tutorial
The original campaign introduces settlement and trade through staged tasks. Continuous play exposes more choices at once, so newcomers can learn the interface with Northburgh's early assignments first.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Publisher game and edition listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Ubisoft original manual | manualmachine.com |
| Goat Farm and milk reference | anno1404.fandom.com |