Can't get to the Lead Seal

[Hynx]

After bronze seal I started doing all runs in the second difficulty setting, and I'm able to win every time, but I simply can't get to the lead seal. It seems my colonies are taking too many years to complete, but if I go to the first difficulty then I can't get enough seals.

What am I doing wrong? Should I aim to complete my colonies in a maximum of how many years? Am I missing something?

[schnappkatze]

It sounds like that might be the problem. How far have you been on your way to the lead seal when the Storm hits? How long do you usually take to finish a colony?

[AxeHunter]

playing on the lower difficulty means you'll have less resources for upgrades. The game gets easier with upgrades, allowing you to finish faster and get further. you might need to do another bronze seal or two, for more upgrades and game practice.

[Hynx]

Originally posted by schnappkatze:

It sounds like that might be the problem. How far have you been on your way to the lead seal when the Storm hits? How long do you usually take to finish a colony?

Usually I can do 5 or 6 colonies until the storm hits. Last time I did 6, but then I didn't have the time to do the seal one. How do I check how long each colony took?

[brianf2001]

Royal resupply with extra spaces of movement after settlements can help make the last leap.

[Hynx]

Originally posted by AxeHunter:

playing on the lower difficulty means you'll have less resources for upgrades. The game gets easier with upgrades, allowing you to finish faster and get further. you might need to do another bronze seal or two, for more upgrades and game practice.

But I get nothing more than 10% of resources for the bronze seal, right?

[mk11]

Originally posted by Hynx:

Originally posted by schnappkatze:

It sounds like that might be the problem. How far have you been on your way to the lead seal when the Storm hits? How long do you usually take to finish a colony?

Usually I can do 5 or 6 colonies until the storm hits. Last time I did 6, but then I didn't have the time to do the seal one. How do I check how long each colony took?

AFAIK, there is no time constraint on doing the seal one. As long as you are close enough to start a village next to the seal when the end of cycle arrives you can start it and then take as long as you need.

Is your problem that you do not have enough seal parts or that you are not close enough? The latter would seem surprising if you have done 5 colones two hexes apart and more or less in a straight line towards the seal.

[Hynx]

Originally posted by mk11:

Originally posted by Hynx:

Usually I can do 5 or 6 colonies until the storm hits. Last time I did 6, but then I didn't have the time to do the seal one. How do I check how long each colony took?

AFAIK, there is no time constraint on doing the seal one. As long as you are close enough to start a village next to the seal when the end of cycle arrives you can start it and then take as long as you need.

Is your problem that you do not have enough seal parts or that you are not close enough? The latter would seem surprising if you have done 5 colones two hexes apart and more or less in a straight line towards the seal.

The five times one I didnt had enough seals, the second time I didn't go straight but didnt got close enough in time even with 6 (because I turned a little from the main path to do one special hex).

But thanks all for the tips, I will try to go straight and get the bonuses you guys mentioned

[Meewec]

i lucked out doing this one. ran into a guy in a random event who gave me 10 shards but would kill villagers if i took longer than 8 years in a village. this let me just run quick missions on the easiest mode to get to the rune.

[sanahtlig]

It usually takes me about 6 years per colony to reach 14 reputation points on Veteran difficulty. That leaves plenty of time before the Storm. The scenario seems tuned for doing settlements on the same difficulty as is mandatory for the seal you're aiming for (Settler for Bronze, Pioneer for Lead, Veteran for Silver).

If the problem is just distance, there's a perk that extends travel range from 2 to 3 hexes that opens up fairly early. It says it only improves sight range, but it's actually both sight and travel distance. Though I think if you're clearing all the maps by Year 6 that it shouldn't matter; I grabbed this perk just after I cleared the Lead Seal.

What is special about Year 6? I believe the last Orders open up on Year 5, which gives you access to all of the low-hanging fruit reputation gains. From there you can close the gap with either caches or happiness; I tend to rely more on happiness. Grab one complex food and one service that covers at least 2/3 of your population and you should be able to gain 4 bars or so of reputation within minutes. I generally do it all at once at the end of the run, right after the storm.

[hardy_conrad]

Oof generally takes me quite a bit more than six years on veteran difficulty, but I'm a long way from being a hardcore player. Maybe after I level a bit more. I'd call it grinding except in this case it's actually enjoyable, heh.