Ubisoft Mainz released Anno 1800 on 16 April 2019 and built it around five Old World population tiers that each demand more goods than the one below. Sunken Treasures followed on 30 July 2019 with Cape Trelawney and Crown Falls, a continental island roughly three times the size of anything in the base game and 103 Influence to settle. Later sessions add the New World, the Arctic and Enbesa, each with its own residents, goods and shipping problem.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best builds, equipment worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
Five Old World population tiers
Farmers, Workers, Artisans, Engineers and Investors upgrade in sequence, and each tier keeps every need of the tier below. Workers still want Bread, Sausages, Soap and Beer after they become Artisans, so the demand curve compounds rather than replacing itself.
Island-wide shared workforce
Every residence contributes labour of its own tier to a single island pool, and a Steelworks needs Workers specifically, not just bodies. Upgrading too many Workers into Artisans starves the factories that only Workers can staff.
Influence spent on islands and ships
Influence comes from total population and pays for settling extra islands, keeping ships in service, buying Trade Union and Town Hall items and running propaganda. Crown Falls alone costs 103 Influence, which is why most players settle it late rather than first.
Trade Union item slots
A Trade Union covers a radius of production buildings and holds items that raise output, cut input cost or change a recipe entirely. Legendary items can double a chain's throughput, so the item hunt matters more than adding a fourth Schnapps Distillery.
Expeditions to other sessions
Ships loaded with a crew, supplies and equipment sail off-map to resolve text events with skill checks in categories such as Diplomacy, Force and Medicine. Expeditions are the route to Cape Trelawney, which unlocks after you reach 700 Artisans.
For a deeper dive into how these systems interact, see our Anno 1800 combat guide.
Builds Overview
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Workers | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Artisans | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Engineers | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Investors | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Anno 1800 builds guide. For rankings, check the tier list.
Equipment Guide
| Equipment | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Schooner | The cheap early sail ship with three cargo slots, fast enough to run expeditions and small enough that its Influence cost barely registers. | First expeditions and short Old World trade routes |
| Clipper | Four cargo slots and the best sail speed in the game, which matters on the long haul between the Old World and the New World session. | Transoceanic plantation routes before steam |
| Cargo Ship | The steam hauler with six cargo slots. | Bulk supply lines feeding an Engineer or Investor city |
| Ship of the Line | Heavy sail warship with broadside cannons and enough hull to survive a pirate ambush. | Escorting trade routes through pirate waters |
| Monitor | Ironclad steam warship built for shore bombardment and for punching through defended harbours in the late game. | Breaking an enemy harbour defence chain |
Schooner: The cheap early sail ship with three cargo slots, fast enough to run expeditions and small enough that its Influence cost barely registers.
Clipper: Four cargo slots and the best sail speed in the game, which matters on the long haul between the Old World and the New World session.
Cargo Ship: The steam hauler with six cargo slots. It ignores wind entirely, so route timing becomes predictable instead of weather dependent.
Ship of the Line: Heavy sail warship with broadside cannons and enough hull to survive a pirate ambush. Slow to turn and expensive in Influence.
Monitor: Ironclad steam warship built for shore bombardment and for punching through defended harbours in the late game.
Full breakdowns in our Anno 1800 weapons guide.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Old World | Farmers through Investors | Schnapps, Beer, Sausages, Steel Beams, Weapons, Sewing Machines |
| Cape Trelawney | Unlocked by an expedition once you reach 700 Artisans | Crown Falls building space, Old Nate's goods, seabed salvage |
| The New World | Unlocked by the campaign expedition to South America | Cotton, Sugar Cane, Rum, Coffee, Cocoa, Tobacco |
| The Arctic | Requires The Passage and a northern expedition | Gas for Airships, furs, whale oil |
| Enbesa | Requires Land of Lions and an expedition to Enbesa | Research items, Scholar bonuses, unique Enbesan goods |
Old World: The European home session where all five population tiers live and where most of your industry ends up. Fertility varies island to island, so no single island grows every crop you need.
Cape Trelawney: A second European session dominated by Crown Falls, the continental island in the north. Old Nate trades here and hands over the salvager, a diving bell ship that recovers wrecks from the seabed.
The New World: South American islands settled by Jornaleros and Obreros. Everything an Artisan or Investor wants to drink or smoke starts here, and the shipping distance home is the real cost.
The Arctic: Added by The Passage. Explorers and Technicians survive only inside heater coverage, and buildings outside it stop working, which makes layout a heat problem before it is a logistics problem.
Enbesa: Added by Land of Lions. Shepherds and Elders live along irrigation canals, and the Research Institute turns Scholar output into permanent items for every other session.
See our maps & locations guide for detailed area breakdowns and our walkthrough for the optimal progression path.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Read the fertility list in the island panel before you plant a flag. An island without Grain fertility can never bake its own Bread, and hauling Bread across the map for 5,000 Workers costs more shipping than the island is worth.
- Do not upgrade every Worker residence the moment the button lights up. Steelworks, Weapon Factories and Sawmills all need Worker labour specifically, and an island full of Artisans will show every factory idle with a red workforce icon.
- One Potato Farm supports two Schnapps Distilleries exactly. Learning the base ratios for the first six chains removes most early game guesswork, and the in-game statistics screen shows production against consumption per good.
- Place the Trade Union before you build a fourth copy of any factory. A single item raising output by 50 percent across the covered radius is cheaper in space, workforce and upkeep than another building plus its inputs.
- Keep a running Influence reserve of at least 120 once you approach 700 Artisans. Crown Falls costs 103 by itself, and being 20 short means waiting several thousand population for the chance to claim the best island in the game.
- Run expeditions constantly, not occasionally. The reward tables hand out specialists, rare items and Trade Union upgrades, and a Schooner sitting in port is Influence you are paying for and not using.
- Set trade routes to load a fixed quantity rather than filling the hold. A route that empties your Old World Rum stock the moment it arrives will crash Artisan happiness across three islands at once.
- Electricity is not optional for Engineers and Investors, and Power Plants have a limited radius. Plan the Oil supply chain and the rail connection before you upgrade a district, not after residents start downgrading.
- Watch the newspaper each cycle and edit articles deliberately. Boosting a category you actually depend on, such as production speed or happiness, is a free island-wide buff that costs nothing but a few clicks.
- Build the Harbourmaster's Office early on any island that exports. Its item slots cut loading times and raise ship speed on every route touching that harbour, which compounds across a ten-ship logistics network.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Upgrading residences as fast as the goods allow, then watching factories shut down because nobody at the correct tier is left to staff them.
- Settling four islands early because they look empty, spending all Influence on claims, and having nothing left for ships or Trade Union items.
- Building production without checking the statistics panel, so three Schnapps Distilleries feed off one Potato Farm and all three run at a third capacity.
- Ignoring attractiveness and ornaments, then wondering why an Investor district refuses to grow past a hard ceiling.
- Treating the New World as a second home city instead of a supply colony, which doubles your management load for goods you could simply ship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need the DLC to enjoy Anno 1800?
No. The 16 April 2019 base game contains the full Old World with all five population tiers and dozens of hours of play. Sunken Treasures, The Passage and Land of Lions add regions rather than fix anything missing.
How do I unlock Cape Trelawney and Crown Falls?
Reach 700 Artisans, which makes the relevant expedition available, then complete it. Crown Falls itself needs 103 Influence to settle, so bank Influence before the expedition finishes.
Why are my factories showing a workforce shortage?
Workforce is per tier, not pooled across tiers. Upgrading Workers into Artisans removes the exact labour that Steelworks and Sawmills require, so keep a block of Worker residences permanently un-upgraded.
What is the fastest early income source?
Schnapps. Potato Farms into Schnapps Distilleries produce a good the neutral trader always buys, and the chain needs only Farmers to staff it, so it funds your first expansion before Workers exist.
Is multiplayer worth playing?
Yes, and it is genuinely cooperative. Players can share an island pool and split responsibilities, which suits Anno because one person can run the Old World industry while another handles New World plantations and shipping.
More Anno 1800 Guides
- Anno 1800 Best Builds
- Anno 1800 Tier List
- Anno 1800 Walkthrough
- Anno 1800 Beginner's Guide
- Anno 1800 Tips & Tricks
- Anno 1800 Weapons Guide
- Anno 1800 Combat Guide
- Anno 1800 Boss Guide
- Anno 1800 Maps & Locations
- Anno 1800 Crafting Guide
- Anno 1800 Classes & Characters
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