After 500+ hours and 100% achievements, I’m convinced Fertile Soil is the only S-Tier start. Change my mind.
After finishing the game and hitting 100% achievements, I’ve done some "vibing" math across multiple starts and scenarios. My conclusion? A region with high Fertility is objectively the best start in the game. Here is why I think it’s the undisputed meta:
The Ale Crisis: Level 3 & 4 houses are ridiculously dependent on Barley. Importing Barley , Malt or Beer is slow, expensive, and often buggy. If you have Fertile Soil, you can actually satisfy your town's inner alcoholics without going bankrupt.
Self-Sufficiency: With rich soil, you aren't just getting Ale; you’re getting massive Food variety and the resources for Clothes (Flax). ( best is to cycle 3 different cultures)
Export Power: While Rich Iron, Rich stone or salt is great, the export value and reliability of high-yield farming usually outweigh the effort of setting up deep mines early on.
Low Barrier to Entry: Honestly, a region with nothing but Fertile Soil and some wood is enough to hit the highest town level on any difficulty setting.
I feel like second place is maybe Rich Salt, but even then, it’s not a close race.
Maybe I’m missing some "OP strategy" elsewhere, but after maxing out towns in every zone, Fertile Soil feels like the easiest and strongest way to play. Am I stupid or i miss something ?
Change my mind.