Best fleet configuration for exploring for colonisation? (2024)

Hi

Should i just take the one heavy and enough transporters for 2* 6 troops?

I am at peace
England
Going north into Canada

What fleet composition do you recommend I use?
And is there anything I should be aware of?

Thanks

If it's just exploration I'd simply go with the cheapest setup so either 3 lights (with El Dorado) or a single light ship (without ED).
For actually ferrying troops over normal fleets work. As many transports as you need, with as much protection as you think is neccessary (so none, unless you're at war with other naval powers).

Fleet composition really isn't anywhere near as important for fleets as it is for armies. The different kinds of ships are far too specialized for that.

You won't need more than a handful of units to guard each colony. I usually run 4k unless it's somewhere crazy like Madagascar, and even then 4k usually wins. Canada won't be a problem.

Explore with 3 light ships if you have El Dorado, much cheaper than 3 heavies. If you don't have El Dorado just use 1 light ship.

Thanks.

I do have El Dorado

How come you need three ships with that installed but only one without?

andysonofbob said:

Thanks.

I do have El Dorado

How come you need three ships with that installed but only one without?

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El Dorado introduced a semi-automated mission exploration system, which requires 3 ships. Prior to El Dorado and without the DLC active, exploration is manual and requires only one ship. The ship requirements are just what the developers decided at the time.

Ah cool thanks

I take it I still need to keep my eye on the ships, no?

andysonofbob said:

Ah cool thanks

I take it I still need to keep my eye on the ships, no?

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Nope ignore them. When they return you'll get a flag (top left) with a telescope on it.

Don't circumnavigate the world though! On that mission you take attrition.

Thanks.

Soz for the dumb questions!

Will I need to attach troop transports when I begin the mission?

Or just send them once I get that flag thingy?

No such thing as fleet composition needs to be taken into account in EU4. The more heavy ships, the more pew pew your navy will inflict on the enemy. If your ships are to be used mostly in inner seas where galleys have bonuses, consider using them (as they're cheap & you can easily go over forcelimits with them like Ottomans/Byzantines always do). If you mix open seas with inner seas or use mostly open seas - go for mostly heavy ships, they dominate galleys even in inner seas, they're just more expensive.

General rule of thumb - have more heavy ships than your enemy & you'll win (usually with a stackwipe if your advantage is more than 5-10 heavy ships or 10-20 galleys).

Light ships are just for trade, but can engage in combat too, don't use them solely for combat (they can engage in it, but they're worse than heavy ships in open seas and worse than galleys in inner seas).

andysonofbob said:

Thanks.

Soz for the dumb questions!

Will I need to attach troop transports when I begin the mission?

Or just send them once I get that flag thingy?

Click to expand...

As Seraphithan said, you don't need transports. Exploration missions are not connected to colonisation. Exploration merely reveals provinces to you. Once that's done you pick a province and manually send a colonist and troops there.