Travian - General Hints

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The Travian Helper

Travian is a free browser war game where you can play one of three tribes: Romans, Gauls, or Teutons. You start with one village, which you'll build up and use to train your armies. The idea is to grow an empire that dominates the map. You'll be surrounded by other players with the same ambition, which means you can look forward to some fighting and raiding.

It can take weeks or even months to really get anywhere in this game. Sometimes hours will pass before you're allowed to make another move, so the game is best played by logging back in multiple times throughout the day. If you prefer games where you get lots of action all the time, this is not the game for you. However, if you like the idea of playing in a campaign that last for months, and you like planning long-term strategies, and the idea of raiding other players' villages doesn't make you flinch, Travian might be your cup of tea.

Thousands of people are looking for Travian cheats every day, but the truth is, there aren't any out there. Correction: There aren't any RELIABLE Travian cheats that won't get you banned. However, there are plenty of Travian tips and hints that will give you an edge.

Warning!

Travian can be a ruthless game. If you're impatient, aren't willing to read strategy guides, and are easily frustrated, you should probably avoid this game.

Travian Tribes: Romans, Gauls, and Teutons 

The Romans are the best choice for beginners, since they're well-rounded and are masters at building. They are good for offense and defense, although getting the troops trained is costly and time-consuming.

They can build strong city walls, have a legendary infantry, and can improve resource fields and construct buildings simultaneously.

If you want to play the Romans effectively, there is an excellent Roman guide on the Travian forum.

The Gauls are for players who prefer to play defensively. They are more peace-loving than the other tribes on Travian, and they have speed and protection bonuses. It's possible to use Gauls to attack and raid other villages, but they are ideal for defending yourself against the other players.

Gauls get bonuses such as extra protection for their resources, speed bonus, cheap settlers, and modest defense for palisades.

To get the most from playing the Gauls, read this Gaul guide posted on the Travian forums.

The Teutons are best for offensive play. They're weak on defense, but they are ideal for launching raids on other villages. The Teutons are feared by everyone because of their berserker tendencies: They seem not to fear death at all.

Unfortunately, they aren't as strong or fast as the other tribes. However, they do get pillaging bonuses and the ability to carry large loads. They also produce troops quickly and cheaply.

Since the Teutons are probably the most challenging to play, it seems appropriate that there are two Teuton guides posted on the Travian forum. Here's the quick & dirty version, and the more detailed guide.

Travian Terminology 

Speak the Travian Lingo!

Travian has a whole bunch of new words you'll want to get acquainted with, especially if you plan on being active in the forums. Here's a list of the more common ones:

  • Bashing: Crushing the small, the weak, and the unprepared until they are writhing under your foot! In other words, attacking someone all the time so that they never really grow.

  • Catas: Short for "catapult." Most Travian users seem to refer to catapults as "catas." Catapults are nasty weapons that can destroy random buildings and troops in your village.

  • Cranny: This is a structure you can build in your village to hide some of your resources from raiders. Very important! You'll want to build one of these babies right away.

  • Farms: This refers to a village that someone else attacks and "farms" for resources. You don't want your village to be a farm! Usually the inactive villages are the most vulnerable to farming. Some players will repeatedly farm the same villages, sucking them dry.

  • IGM: In Game Message. That's right, you can contact other players. Which is often a good idea, so long as you can write politely and intelligently. Some guys have been known to ruthlessly farm people just for saying "lol," "u," and "ur."


Want more? Read this thread on the Travian forum.

The Importance of Building a Cranny 

Build Crannies!

A cranny is a building where you can hide some of your resources from attackers. On the village layout, it looks like a pile of stones next to a tree.

When you're a new player, you're protected from attacks for a short period, which could be anywhere from three days to a week depending on how long the game has been going on. One of the best things you can during this time is build a cranny and upgrade it all the way to level 10. Two crannies are better if you're playing a Roman or a Teuton. Gauls can hide twice as many resources in their crannies.

How many resources can you hide?
That depends on the level of the cranny. A level 1 cranny will only hide 100 units of each resource (100 wood, 100 clay, 100 iron, 100 wheat). A level 10 cranny will conceal 1,000 units of each resource. The Travian Wiki has a cranny chart you can look at.

However, Teutons have a bonus that allows them to raid 1/3 of your crannied resources. This is assuming your cranny is filled to the max. If your cranny is only 2/3rds full, the Teutons can't touch it.

How big should the cranny be?
As big as possible! But in all seriousness, it depends on how often you're being attacked, who's attacking you, and how often you'll be able to spend your resources.

If you're only being attacked by Romans or Gauls, your cranny should protect the same amount of resources you can store in your warehouse. If you're being attacked by Teutons, your crannies should hold the maximum amount of resources your warehouse can hold, plus an extra 50%.

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Are You Getting "Farmed?" 

Travian Farming and Attacks

Oh no, someone keeps attacking your village and stealing your resources! Your village is officially a farm. What do you do about it?

The easiest way to resolve this is to prevent it from ever becoming a problem in the first place. If you build up a high-level cranny and/or spend most of your resources, attacking you won't be profitable. Sensible players will eventually move on and target more vulnerable villages.

Another thing you can do is politely ask your attacker to stop. You can mention that you're new and still trying to learn the ropes, so you'd appreciate it if he'd lay off for a while. If need be, you could offer some resources as a tribute.

Whatever you do, don't taunt your attacker, cuss him out, or send him badly worded messages! Many players will increase their attacks if you provoke them. Now they're just interested in getting revenge and "teaching you a lesson."

There's a really good thread on the Travian forum that will give you more details on what to do if you're being farmed.

Forming Alliances 

Travian Alliance Tips

It's a good idea to join an alliance, especially if you want to make your village less attractive to farmers. People will attack you less often if you're part of a big, powerful alliance.

However, be careful of the alliance you join. Some of them have very definite agendas, favoring only very active players who regularly attack other villages. Many are easy-going, but may not do anything for you if you get in trouble.

Consider location, too. Small alliances might not be intimidating, but even a big alliance won't do you much good if all the players are located far away from your village.

While other alliance members might be open to the idea of doing trade with you, do not beg them for resources. It's not going to make them respect you, and at best they'll just tell you to make your own troops and raid other villages to get what you need. That's how they did it, and that's what they'll expect you to do.

Send a Messenger! 

Do you or have you played Travian? Think you ever would? Got some tips to share?

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