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Winter is coming, and as you might expect it is not all games of fluffy snowball fights and snowman building in Manor Lords. Winter is tough and, for your first few years of the game will be the biggest threat to your success.
We have already looked at how to increase your Approval Rating and your population, and, to an extent, the tactics you employ to do those things will stand you in good stead with what’s to come once the leaves start to fall from the trees.
Why is winter difficult?
Not only can a cold winter wipe out some of your population but the knock-on effect on your production is what can end up crippling you. If your food production all but ceases for example your issues can run on long past the one season and ultimately turn into a ticking timebomb that can, in the worst-case scenario, finish you off for good.
How to survive winter in Manor Lords
Before the nights start to draw in you are going to need to start squirreling away resources in order to survive. You can’t produce any crops in the winter time so you will need to stock plenty up.
Also, as farms produce nothing in the winter time those people resources that you have assigned to tend to them can be reallocated into hunting to try and bring some meat to the table. Basically, as soon as you can, get them out hunting for you.
Once winter passes they can be put back to work on the farm and the cycle resumes until the next time. Hunted food will be essential so it is key to get a grip on this from the off.
Fuel is another necessity to keep the cold at bay. Make sure you have woodcutters and woodcutter’s lodges aplenty in order to keep a steady supply of stuff to burn heat and cook.
If things get really tight you can import fuel and extra food via the Trading Lodge but this is expensive and will set you on a different path to ruin so should be used as a last resort only. You want to get to the point as quickly as possible that you never even need to consider this as an option.
If you are looking for the absolute last resort and things are looking truly bleak you can instruct your population to fast with the Strict Fasting policy option. This will save you around 20% on food needs but, well you are not going to be Mr or Mrs Popular if you keep it that way for long. Being hungry and cold is no fun in the Middle Ages.
Tips:
- Make sure everybody has a home to live in – Burgage Plots are your friend and you can assign families to housing to keep them there.
- Keep a close eye on seasonal changes as it’s not always obvious when they switch and you need to get your farmers out hunting immediately to help out greatly.
- Unlock Charcoal Burning as soon as you can so that you get access to a kiln that gives you two pieces of Charcoal for every one piece of firewood you put in.
