Colonisation
Planting a charter on new shores demands the right vessel and no small measure of fortune. On empty land, a successful charter founds a settlement. Against an occupied island, the charter can only complete the island's ruin.
- You need 1 Colonisation Ship per attempt — build her at the Harbour.
- Charter odds start at 65% for your first colony and decrease with each island you own.
- The ship is consumed on success, so budget 1–3 ships depending on your luck.
- Use Chart the Voyage before launching to preview your exact odds.
Combat
Espionage
FleetThe Colonisation Ship
Every expedition needs a 
Colonisation Ship — a slow, unarmed vessel carrying the surveyors, carpenters, and founding charter required to claim the island. Without her, no claim can be made regardless of military victory. She must be escorted; even a modest patrol could sink her.
| Cost | Speed | Attack / Defense | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8000 gold, 7000 lumber | 0.5 | 0 / 5 | Harbour 10, Sail 5 |
Claiming Uninhabited Islands
A fleet carrying a Colonisation Ship sails to an unoccupied island. If the shore is subdued and the founding charter approved, the territory passes under the Governor's authority. The new settlement starts with a Main House at level 1 and a modest provision of resources.
Unlike a starter island, a colony has no food or schooling cushion. A Governor who leaves it idle will see neglect gather and morale suffer. Build, train, and research early — expansion demands follow-through. Research advancements do not carry over from existing settlements; each colony's scholars must begin their studies afresh in a new Laboratory. See Settlement & Life for managing colony morale.
Not every uninhabited island is eligible — the harbour master marks which islands accept a colonial charter. Wild defenders may guard empty shores, and a badly mauled expedition can lose the Colonisation Ship even on a failed charter.
Razing Occupied Settlements
An occupied settlement cannot be claimed outright. A colonisation charter sent against an occupied island can only devastate it — the island remains under its current Governor.
Razing requires all of the following in a single assault:
- Catapults in the fleet to inflict structural damage
- The target's
Main House reduced to level 1 - Every defending unit eliminated — a single holdout prevents the charter party from landing
If the charter holds, every building collapses except the Main House at level 1. Ownership and the island's name do not change. Resources, research, and plunder are left as they lie.
Charter Odds
Even when every condition is met, colonisation is not guaranteed. The founding charter must be ratified, and fortune plays a role. The base charter odds sit at 65%, but the two types of expedition are judged differently.
Razing an Occupied Island
Conquering an occupied settlement demands military victory, catapult damage, and a razed Main House — the campaign itself is the test. Charter odds use the full 65% base with no expansion stress penalty, regardless of how many islands the Governor already holds.
Claiming Uninhabited Land
Settling empty shores is simpler militarily, so the Council applies Expansion Stress to discourage unchecked land-grabbing. Each additional island reduces the charter odds, but developing existing holdings relieves the burden. Governors who build before they expand keep stronger odds than those who leave colonies idle.
| Scenario | Charter Odds | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 island (first colony) | 65% | No expansion stress |
| 2 islands, new one undeveloped | 57% | Full stress from idle colony |
| 2 islands, new one developed | 62% | Development offsets the penalty |
| 5 islands, all well-developed | 52% | Strong governors expand steadily |
| 5 islands, all undeveloped | 33% | Grabbing land without building |
| 10 islands, all well-developed | 36% | Large empire, fully invested |
| 10 islands, half developed | 12% | Mixed development drags odds down |
| 10 islands, none developed | 5% | Land-grabbing hits the floor fast |
Morale
Both types of charter are affected by morale. If happiness at the launching island falls below 40, charter odds drop by about 10%. In severe unrest, the penalty can reach 45%.
Fate of the Colony Ship
Uninhabited targets: On success, the ship is consumed — her timbers broken down for the new settlement. On failure, she normally returns to port, though a bloodied landing may still cost the vessel.
Occupied targets: The Colonisation Ship is always lost once committed, whether the raze succeeds or fails.
Perils of Overextension
Governors who spread their fleets across too many islands risk losing their Colonisation Ship even on a failed uninhabited charter. Once a Governor holds 5 or more islands, return voyages grow perilous — supply lines stretch thin and the ship may not survive the journey home.
The risk starts at 50% with 5 islands and rises by 10% for each additional island, capping at 90%. This applies only to failed charters on uninhabited shores — successful foundings consume the ship as normal, and occupied-island charters always cost the vessel.
| Islands Owned | Ship Risk on Failure |
|---|---|
| 1 | — |
| 2 | — |
| 3 | — |
| 4 | — |
| 5 | 50% |
| 6 | 60% |
| 7 | 70% |
| 8 | 80% |
| 9 | 90% |
| 10 | 90% |
| 12 | 90% |
| 15 | 90% |
| 20 | 90% |
Protections
- Last-island protection. A Governor's final settlement cannot be seized. The Council will not ratify a charter that would leave a ruler without territory.
- Capital protection. A Governor's capital island cannot be colonised or razed by any means. When first appointed, the starting island is the capital.
- Moving the capital. A Governor may relocate their capital to any other island they own through the Realm > Holdings tab. The old capital loses its protection and becomes vulnerable, while the new capital gains it. This can only be done once every 48 hours.
- Self-colonisation. A Governor cannot colonise a settlement already under their own authority — such fleets arrive as reinforcements instead.
- Duplicate charters. If you dispatch two Colonisation Ships to the same uninhabited island and the first fleet claims it, the second fleet recognises the new settlement as friendly and returns home safely — no battle, no ship lost.
- No colonial grace period. A newly founded or razed settlement receives no protection — rival fleets already en route may land before the first wall is built. Escort your Colonisation Ship with a garrison fleet via Fleet to defend the claim.
