I created a video where I go through pvp step by step from the requirements through doing a bandit expedition. It is almost 50 minutes long. Please enjoy!
http://youtu.be/RBsQOyiLgDQ?list=UU2...VoZOD4fOwUlLHw
Info provided in the comments on Youtube as well.
Google Sheet for TSO PVP Help
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing
Second Google Sheet (Much more optimized than the first but not as many features)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing
The soundtrack is the Album Ambient Symphony by Zero Project.
https://www.jamendo.com/en/list/a55681/ambient-symphony
Addition on 8 Dec 2014:
Here are just some things I have noticed during my few expeditions I have run so far. I also go over some of these in the video.
- All marshals seem to gallop. They only need 1 second to move a flag distance.
- Round blocks are too expensive as any troops lost during the battle will stay dead even after the leader is killed. It is best to use only enough heavy troops to block the camp to get the Marshal to the leader. Minimum of 10 is required. Equivalent of a 1 recruit block.
- If you send too few troops and lose on a regular camp, BUT there is less than 20 of a single attack enemy type left (or 10 if they are heavy enemy types), the camp is still removed from the map as if you defeated it. Your marshal still has to recover because he lost. (This is only for bandit owned colonies and doesn't work on player owned colonies.)
- Heavy units can be seen at a glance on enemies if you mouse over their icon and it does NOT have a bonus against a type. Only attack units have damage bonuses.
- All battles seem to do max, or close to max, damage.
- Once a colony is conquered, it counts for any "do an (any) adventure" guild quest.
- The countdown timer to conquer a colony starts when the explorer gives you the island options, and does not end until after you set your defenses and click on Make it my Colony button from the Expedition (World) icon. So it is advised if you conquer the island with only a few minutes to spare and want to keep it as a colony, click the make my colony button.
- Defense buildings and hiring the mercenaries all cost defense points. So choose wisely when deciding where to put defenses and what you want to add.
- Everyone when they search will only find a Level 1 colony to start.
- You only get to keep the colony for limited time of 7 days and appears to be set to the time you sent the explorer out and not when you actually conquered it.
- An expedition uses your adventure slot. So you can either start an adventure or an expedition, but not both. You can still go on lootspots though.
- If you have to send 2 waves, make sure to calculate for each of the waves. The enemies will heal completely (like bosses) between waves. The calculator sheet and simulator do NOT take this into account. Ex. A One-Eyed Bert requires 40 attack infantry to take out. If you have to send 120 attack infantry to take out the boss camp per the calculator, send 1 wave of 80 and 1 wave of 40.
- There are multiple levels (called types in game) of colonies to conquer. Unknown yet what the exact number of colonies needed of each level to get the next level. The higher the level, the more it will give as a 6h reward, but the shorter time you have to conquer the colony.
Current bugs to watch out for:
- There is a glitch with lag when producing the weapons or troops. It may freeze and then go backwards in the production. Unknown if this causes any loss of weapons/troops when it does this, as I have not had any go missing with this glitch.
- Another glitch with producing troops is that it may go back to saying you are not training anyone after the first stack is added. The settlers are returned but the rest of the resources are not. Multiple bug reports have been sent on this by lots of people.
Cost of expeditions:
- The cost for making pvp troops and running an expedition is very high. Iron bars is needed directly for all weapons except for 2, which require steel bars and therefore use iron bars indirectly. Coal is also needed in great quantities.
- It is advisable if one is going to do pvp, to make weapons a little a time and then troops a little at time so as not to inhibit being able to run adventures.
- Running expeditions using just attack and heavy infantry is cheaper resource wise, but there is a greater risk of reaching the troop and medipack limits very easily. It is also a higher risk as one bad block can mean you can't conquer the colony due to the limits.
Things as of yet to be confirmed:
- Loot tables for winning colonies and the percentages. This is being worked on at several sites. http://www.settlersonlinewiki.eu/exp.../colony-types/ and http://osettlers.com/en/colonies/find-expedition