Ah, the untamed wilderness, where creatures roam free and oases gleam like hidden jewels.
Once, many years ago, I marched alongside men who underestimated the power of nature. They laughed as we passed an untouched grove, mocking the "useless" beasts. A week later, we faced an enemy whose villages were protected not by men but by a wall of nature itself. Bears in the front, wolves circling, and tigers lurking in the shadows.
We lost half our men before we even reached the gates. Use what nature provides, and you will never be unprepared.
"Beware the man who sheds crocodile tears over your losses."
Today, I shall teach you how to bend nature itself to your will. In Travian Kingdoms, even the beasts of the wild and the fertile lands they guard can serve your villages if you have the cunning to claim them.
The Beasts of War and Defence
Do not be fooled by the simplicity of animals. Many a great warrior has fallen to the claws of a well-placed bear or the jaws of an angry crocodile. But these creatures become an unshakable defence in your hands, requiring no grain, no training, only the foresight to capture them.
Why Enlist the Beasts?
- Free defence. Unlike your soldiers, captured animals do not eat a single grain of your crop. They stand vigilant, unyielding, and entirely free of cost.
- Early fortification. In your first days, raiders will come, sniffing for weakness. But let them find wolves instead.
- Oasis control. Mastering animal captures means dictating who farms nearby oases and who does not.
- A Hero's path. Attacking animals for experience strengthens your hero while capturing them strengthens your village.
The Art of Animal Capturing
- Cages are like weapons. Unlike most things in war, this battle requires no bloodshed. Cages, found in adventures or purchased in auctions, are the only tools you need.
- Scouting the wilds. Open your map, find an unoccupied oasis with animals, and take note of their strength.
- The hunt begins. Send your hero alone with the number of cages you need. No need for an army; your hero will do all the work without bloodshed, and the animals will follow your hero back to the village.
Wisdom on Animal Captures
- Order matters. Animals are captured in order from the weakest to the strongest, one at a time. If you see 50 Rats, 2 Wild boars, 2 Wolves, and 1 Bear, 7 cages would be enough to catch all the strongest ones.
- The power of Halloween. Spiders and Bats may unsettle the weak-hearted, but their true power comes out under the red moon of Halloween.
- Early investment. Gather cages early on, for a village defended by nature is a village that survives.
"One cage can turn a wild beast into a loyal guardian. If only politics were that simple."
The Oasis of Power and Wealth
An oasis is more than a mirage on the horizon. It is the key to accelerating your kingdom's rise. A fool sees an oasis and thinks, "More resources." A strategist sees more than that: control, influence, and the ability to dictate who prospers and who withers.
The Power of an Oasis
- Resource boost. Depending on their type, oases enhance the production of wood, clay, iron, or crop.
- Strategic positioning. An annexed oasis is a boon for your kingdom. An oasis controlled by your enemy is a target.
- A war over resources. Controlling an oasis denies others its wealth. The oasis is occupied by the kingdom that made the last successful attack.
How to Claim an Oasis
- Check your embassy. Your village must be large enough to annex an oasis, so ensure your embassy has available slots.
- Clear the beasts. If animals remain, defeat them in battle or capture them with cages.
- Expand your kingdom. Once tamed, the oasis will serve you once you add it from your Embassy. Don't forget to send troops to protect your critical locations!
Oasis Control
- The hoarder's gambit. Annex multiple oases with your kingdom early on to prevent nearby rivals from gaining their benefits.
- The wolf in sheep's clothing. Leave an oasis untouched, but control it in secrecy by capturing all the strongest animals before your enemies do.
- The iron grip. An annexed oasis ceases to spawn animals. Use this to cut off potential sources of free defence for your foes.
"Annex wisely. Command cleverly. And if all else fails, send in the wolves."
Mastering the Wild
Some commanders waste their time amassing troops they cannot feed. Others believe walls will save them when no army stands to defend them. You, however, will take a different path.
The Path to Mastery
- Cages first, enemies second. Use early adventures and auctions to amass cages, ensuring your village is defended before the conflict begins.
- Choose your battles wisely. Not all oases are equal. Target those that best support your village's needs, whether that be defence or resources.
- Dominate without fighting. A captured oasis is an opponent's loss. A well-chosen oasis shifts the balance of power before the first sword is drawn.
Go forth now, my pupils. Capture, command, and control the wilderness. May your enemies tremble at the howls and hissing in the night.
Tacticus out.