Iron Axe no longer available at start of game??

[Onikage]

I'm a returning player after being gone for a year, really was looking forward to the Autumn Patch but I'm noticing in the New Game for Oxbow that the two vendors don't have Iron Axe for sale? Maybe this is just bad luck RNG for the vendors but it definitely seems like the Axe selection is way more limited now...
What really doesn't make sense is there's other Iron Tools available, just not the Axe. Was this some balance change that I missed in the patch notes?

[Dom79]

from what i have seen thats normal now, to prevent u just buy all the stuff needed. OVer time there will also start to sell the Elite Weapons and Armours.

[Wizard of Woz]

Originally posted by Onikage:

I'm a returning player after being gone for a year, really was looking forward to the Autumn Patch but I'm noticing in the New Game for Oxbow that the two vendors don't have Iron Axe for sale? Maybe this is just bad luck RNG for the vendors but it definitely seems like the Axe selection is way more limited now...
What really doesn't make sense is there's other Iron Tools available, just not the Axe. Was this some balance change that I missed in the patch notes?

There inv changes I believe each season. If you really want an iron axe, just run around the map and you will find a bunch of free ones.

[Dom79]

oh and u simply can use lower Tiers and combine it with the Strength Food/Potion. Its pretty much the same than , when using the iron axe only.

[Onikage]

Originally posted by Wizard of Woz:

Originally posted by Onikage:

I'm a returning player after being gone for a year, really was looking forward to the Autumn Patch but I'm noticing in the New Game for Oxbow that the two vendors don't have Iron Axe for sale? Maybe this is just bad luck RNG for the vendors but it definitely seems like the Axe selection is way more limited now...
What really doesn't make sense is there's other Iron Tools available, just not the Axe. Was this some balance change that I missed in the patch notes?

There inv changes I believe each season. If you really want an iron axe, just run around the map and you will find a bunch of free ones.

Guaranteed spawn spots or totally random? I know there were 2 guaranteed backpack spots that got removed in the past year

[Wizard of Woz]

Originally posted by Onikage:

Originally posted by Wizard of Woz:

There inv changes I believe each season. If you really want an iron axe, just run around the map and you will find a bunch of free ones.

Guaranteed spawn spots or totally random? I know there were 2 guaranteed backpack spots that got removed in the past year

They are random, but I have never started a map and not been able to find one within the first day.

[Dom79]

The OXbow still should have still fixed spots for big backpack.
South of Ostoya , at the small island, at the end of the river /Waterfall.
Northwest of Ostoya in the cave, where the corps in a sideway is
Under the Swamp House of the Mad Alchemist

Could be even more, i dont know, because u need only one.

[kimlaone]

Originally posted by Dom79:

from what i have seen thats normal now, to prevent u just buy all the stuff needed.

It's bad that you can't buy at least one thing anywhere. What if you need things for a quest? In one game I had a quest to buy an iron sword for the robbers who were playing in the theater. But I had to buy a toy one, because there was no iron one for sale and I couldn't make it myself. In another quest - about a chicken boy from the city of Skauki - I thought of bringing him some rough gloves (because I had already made the version with eggs and feathers), but I couldn't find these gloves on sale at any seller. So again I had to complete the quest not the way I wanted, but the way I could. If they give options for completing the quest, then they should also give you the opportunity to do any option regardless of what year in the game - the first, second or tenth. Let it not be just a merchant, but some separate character from whom you can take the sword. Or a place. For example, the robber indicates that he once hid the sword in the forest. You get a tag to search for a sword, of course it will be marked as a quest sword and the player will not be able to use it (and make the game easier for themselves, so to speak). Just bring it and give it to them. Or you go to some peasant and order gloves for the guy from him. From the same Gilbert, why not? What if he doesn't have any extra gloves? Or let some seamstress sew them - we can even bring her some leather, for example.

[Onikage]

Originally posted by Dom79:

The OXbow still should have still fixed spots for big backpack.
South of Ostoya , at the small island, at the end of the river /Waterfall.
Northwest of Ostoya in the cave, where the corps in a sideway is
Under the Swamp House of the Mad Alchemist

Could be even more, i dont know, because u need only one.

The past few times i've looked the one under the alchemist and the one south of Ostoya aren't there, the camp south of Ostoya is just gone. No saddlebag either.
Again, maybe really unlucky RNG on my part

[Onikage]

Originally posted by Wizard of Woz:

Originally posted by Onikage:

Guaranteed spawn spots or totally random? I know there were 2 guaranteed backpack spots that got removed in the past year

They are random, but I have never started a map and not been able to find one within the first day.

Can't spend my first day exploring that much, I gotta get the town started so I can get about 200+ Flax Crops going in the next 2 days while my villagers provide resources. But I'll keep an eye out for sure.

[Dom79]

simply stop playing low difficults, Set Taxes and Consumptions to max (1000 % ), and u will not just rush trough , instead u play slowly , so u have enough time to scout the first year around, get all the stuff, make some money and slowly prepare to start a very small village.
The game makes much more Fun that way, because u cannot just spam and expand, instead u slowly progress over the centurys.

[CaBux]

Might not be able to buy iron axes but I always manage to pick up both bronze and iron axes from loot and bandits. I also manage to pick up at least a couple of wooden crossbows too (although I may have to buy bronze or iron bolts). So I've never found this to be a problem, even since the latest update - usually manage to 'pick up' both items in my first couple of seasons in Year 1; even managed to get an iron battleaxe and bronze armour/greaves in season 1 of my current play-through

[Onikage]

Originally posted by Dom79:

simply stop playing low difficults, Set Taxes and Consumptions to max (1000 % ), and u will not just rush trough , instead u play slowly , so u have enough time to scout the first year around, get all the stuff, make some money and slowly prepare to start a very small village.
The game makes much more Fun that way, because u cannot just spam and expand, instead u slowly progress over the centurys.

That's your personal preference for playstyle, just because that's how you play doesn't mean it's better. I can't invest 100s of hours into this game. My personal playstyle is to challenge myself to see how much I can get done in the first year.
If I really wanted to, I could save the game at the start and then scour the map till I find the axe then reload my save from the beginning and head straight there.
The point of this post was to find out why the axe wasn't for sale any longer and unless someone has a spot in Oxbow to suggest, I think my question has been answered.
EDIT: Oh and I checked south of Ostoya and yeah the camp with the backpack and saddlebag isn't there so I think a lot of your info is outdated

[Wizard of Woz]

Originally posted by Onikage:

Originally posted by Wizard of Woz:

They are random, but I have never started a map and not been able to find one within the first day.

Can't spend my first day exploring that much, I gotta get the town started so I can get about 200+ Flax Crops going in the next 2 days while my villagers provide resources. But I'll keep an eye out for sure.

Why not, it is the first day, you have no villagers. Also why do you need 200 flax in the first season?
You are putting restrictions on yourself that aren't needed.

[Onikage]

Originally posted by Wizard of Woz:

Originally posted by Onikage:

Can't spend my first day exploring that much, I gotta get the town started so I can get about 200+ Flax Crops going in the next 2 days while my villagers provide resources. But I'll keep an eye out for sure.

Why not, it is the first day, you have no villagers. Also why do you need 200 flax in the first season?
You are putting restrictions on yourself that aren't needed.

It's not a restriction, it's a challenge. The amount of time I lose with the increased axe hits required is a bit rough. I got 144 (12x12) in my new game I started a few hours ago with the 3rd day fully available. Literally you can do 12x12 overnight by yourself, from grubbing to planting seeds. Also getting your farming skill up for the first harvest so you can get 3 ranks in Skilled Farmer gets you a lot of extra harvest.
Flax = tons of clothing to sell and to dress yourself super nice for winter

[CaBux]

Or you can go looting for your axe, then

• buy raw flax for 15 - 12 coins each (depending on your barter skill level) and get one flax stalk and 2 flax seed once threshed, or
  
• buy flax stalks for 4.5 - 3.6 coins each to make linen thread but you'll still need to buy the seed for planting next time this way

... both of which can be done at any time before the next spring planting and you increase your diplomacy skills a little too. Once you've got your axe(s), you can still prep your field 12x12 field for your next crop, all in the same time frame

The second option is cheaper than buying flax seeds to grow, as is the first option in the long run and it still gives you enough seeds for your second year (or to sell at 10 coins each)

In my first year, I've found it more time efficient to loot, then sell any surplus loot and buy all the raw materials I need to build (logs, stones, sticks, flax, oats, rye, wheat, etc). I do buy fertiliser and cabbage seeds in year 1 but the other grains I buy raw (or find as loot) and process myself for straw and seeds, and most of the other veg seeds you can pick up in loot or buy a small amount, up your Skilled Farmer level, and generate yourself in your own fields. Fertiliser I make from cabbage rot from Autumn, Year 1 onwards - can't beat those compost bins, even when you get your first pig