I only have started playing Port Royale 1back in February, having missed it when it originally came out. I have a lot of experience playing Sid Meir's Pirates! (both the original I played way back on the 8-bit NES, and the modernized remake) and some with Sea Dogs, so I figured this was my type of game.

I was having a lot of trouble keeping my finances in order; at first I kept trying to build up my inventory of ships, but it cost too much to crew them so I was always at negative cash on hand. I had a couple huge warfleets but couldn't afford to get them fixed or risk them in battle as they might suffer more damage. I wrote that game off as a test and started over.

Then next game I spent all my income on building permissions while they were cheap (got 2 before my first promotion, but ran out of money before getting the one that would let me complete my production cycle) and built a lot of manufacturing businesses, but it cost too much to pay the workers and I didn't have enough ships to cart off the goods and the warehouses kept overflowing. So I started capturing a few pirate ships (only when the attacked me, I tried to avoid battle whenever possible) but it was always a struggle to raise any positive cash on hand to have them repaired. Then I'd get them fixed, but not be able to afford the crew... endless cycle kept getting worse... I was at NEGATIVE (-) 250000 or so gold and it seemed I'd be writing this game off as well.

Then - DUM DUM DUM DUMMM - (drum roll) - my wife was kidnapped.

Just great, I figured, it just keeps getting worse. I had no money for the ransom, not even the 10% to pay the guy to find the kidnappers so I could go fight them. My biggest fleet consisted of 4 frigates and 1 caravel and that seemed kind of weak to go fight with.

So what did I do?

Tune in next time for the next thrilling episode!

(to be continued as I have to go to work now)

Alright, you left us hanging for three weeks. On with the details!

With regards to building your own manufacturing businesses, I usually set them with a default Sell order. That way, If I can't get to the port in a timely manner to pick up cargo at least they'll make some money for you. Granted, it won't be nearly as lucrative as selling the goods in a high-demand port, but some money coming in beats no money while the stockpile gets larger and larger. I put the order in at a bit of a higher price, for a couple reasons: first, it'll prevent your warehouse from selling everything off all the time (you might be able to set a minimum stock level). Second, the price fluctuates with the local supply so there will be times when you can get a better price than normal. The best part is that you don't have to lift a finger once you set that order.

You don`t have to hire sailors on your trading ships, you need them for boarding ships and attacking towns. I also won`t build business to early in the game, just focus on the trading unless you have a good asset and applied the first trading routes. Afterwards you can build up businesses and attacking fleets. This way you won`t have any financial troubles, at least I hadn`t ;)

Have fun, it`s a great game. Things are getting intresting after you`ve got your first own town ;)

I've been wondering - do I get to marry again if this mission is failed? I was too busy on the other edge of the map to bother sending a convoy to the middle of nowhere and kinda failed to notice the mission has a deadline. Then - tadam - I am a happy widower.

I think the clff has been hung.

I really wish I had remembered to write up the rest of the story at the time, as now 2 years later I don't remember the details.

Just that SOMEHOW I ended up both A) rich and B) ended up rescuing my wife eventually.

I think i MIGHT have just cut back to only TWO ship crammed full of men, and embarked on a long campaign of single-mindedly looting ships instead of capturing them. Then eventually I had enough money to get the clue to figure out where my wife was, and afford a HUGE amount of crew for a very short time, most of whom I let get killed off in the battle during the rescue mission.

Something like that, anyway.

LOL

I thought it was like you started capturing enemy ships, selling them and re-fitting your own convoy until it was truly formidable.

The first time the bad guys took her, I paid the little guy in the inn for the location. I tried to get her and got mashed. The second time she got nabbed, I left her....the bad guys sent her back with some money.

I'd have liked to know how to get rich this way.