How do you handle early game defense?

[Bobguy]

As the title says. I find it absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to mount a suitable defense until I've been raided at least 3 or 4 times. What's the trick?

Walls? Wood ones get burned, and a fully-encircling stone wall isn't feasible until late in the game. And if building near water, the walls don't work unless you build expensive piers out to the deep.

Towers? The range is limited unless you build to the sky. And if your kingdom isn't as compact as mathematically possible, you won't be able to place enough of them close enough together to both cover every side and have them actually able to kill stuff.

Foot soldiers? I don't see how you could even have them ready by the first invasion, considering the massive gold investment needed, plus actually having the iron supply chain set up to supply armaments.


I like this game and have played it for many hours, but this part of the game is absolutely infuriating. Everything is screaming for my attention and there isn't anything I can do about it.

[Dragar]

Let them burn you and raid you, and you recover the damage and build out defense bit by bit. Raids are not set to end your kingdom, but to slow down your progress. Therefore it is not set to be easily achieved perfect victory against them. Focus on reducing damage and protecting important buildings early on.

[Monty]

I believe vikings don't start on normal difficulty until you reach a certain population limit, I think it's between 50-70 but am not 100% certain. Ogres shouldn't come until you've built walls.
Hard difficulty is basically damage control until you can defend yourself properly.
EDIT - This may no longer be the case, I just got raided at year 30 just after building a treasure room and windmill, am playing with mods though.

When starting a new game I keep my population very small for a long time while I stockpile, then expand quickly and get some stone towers up before the vikings and dragons start.
The 2-square houses are most efficient at this point.

Have a good look at the map before you start a new game, you want to keep your walking distances as short as possible in the early game.
Micromanage the heck out of jobs with this in mind.

Wooden walls look cool but aren't very useful, I've been wiped out by the first couple dragons and raids using wooden walls and towers.
Before the updates, I once grew a new settlement very quickly without using much stone, thinking the larger population would prevent big fires, and that I'd have enough soldiers in time.
I'd built into the forest to keep the travel distances short too... it was absolute carnage.

[Happy Dog]

You're going to get raided, and you will lose people and buildings. It seems unfair in the early game due to your lack or limited defenses, but this game doesn't try to outright destroy you.

I recommend making sure you've got wells to fight the fires in the early game; this will help you recover more quickly by losing fewer structures. Building near a shoreline can help as well, at least for those buildings closest to the water.

[Glidingduck]

I advise having your early game defenses made out of stone. not huge walls nor moats but spread towers. up atleast 5 blocks high and another tower at the end of every towers range try to shape it in a square like area and keep it decently away from your kingdom so if you are building something big by the time the vikings invade your people wont be as open and you give time for the towers to do there jobs.

[rendil]

Originally posted by Monty:

I believe vikings don't start on normal difficulty until you reach a certain population limit, I think it's between 50-70 but am not 100% certain. Ogres shouldn't come until you've built walls.
Hard difficulty is basically damage control until you can defend yourself properly.

it is random