Minor Natives Guide

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Basic overview

The Cree produce Cree Trackers, and you are normally allowed 13 of them for every Cree Trade Post that you hold. They also have the unique ability to produce Cree Coureur De Bois, which aside from their name are identical to the French unit - and you can have 5 of these for every Cree Trade Post you hold. The Cree also give you access to a variety of technologies that lower building costs, increase the amount of Trackers you can have per trade post, and increase the HP of most of your military units. The Cree appear on Saguenay and Yukon.

The unit – Cree Tracker

Cree Trackers are ranged infantry units and have a rather large amount of HP for their unit type. They also have a rather high wood cost and do rather low damage. In summary, there are a lot of unusual aspects about this unit.

Cree Tracker

Cost: 40 food, 80 wood (208 Villager seconds)

HP: 300

Speed: 4

Resistance: Ranged 10%

Ranged attack: 10, ROF 3, Range 18 (Bonuses: Heavy Infantry x2, Ranged Cavalry x 1.5, Eagle Knight x2, Coyote Man x 0.75, Hand Cavalry x 0.75)

Hand attack: 4, ROF 1.5 (Bonuses: Heavy Infantry x2, Ranged Cavalry x 1.5, Eagle Knight x2, Coyote Man x 0.75, Hand Cavalry x 0.75)

Train: 20

Skirmisher

Cost: 50 Food, 65 coin (168 villager seconds)

HP: 120

Speed: 4

Resistance: Ranged 30%

Ranged attack: 15, ROF 3, Range 20 (Bonuses: Heavy Infantry x2, Ranged Cavalry x 1.5, Eagle Knight x2, Coyote Man x 0.75, Hand Cavalry x 0.75)

Hand attack: 6, ROF 1.5 (Bonuses: Heavy Infantry x2, Ranged Cavalry x 1.5, Eagle Knight x2, Coyote Man x 0.75, Hand Cavalry x 0.75)

Siege attack: 12, ROF 3

Train time: 24

Crossbowman

Cost: 40 Food, 40 Wood (128 Villager seconds)

HP: 100

Speed: 4

Resistance: Ranged 20%

Ranged attack: 16, ROF 3, Range 16 (Bonuses Heavy Infantry 1.25x, Ranged Cavalry 1.5x Eagle Knight x2, Coyote Man x 0.75, Hand Cavalry x 0.75)

Hand attack: 7, ROF 1.5 (Bonuses Heavy Infantry x 2, Ranged Cavalry 1.5x Eagle Knight x2, Coyote Man x 0.75, Hand Cavalry x 0.75)

Siege attack: 10, ROF 3

Train time: 20

Analysis

The Cree Tracker's HPs are very high, yet so is its comparative cost. Because it is so different from the standard units, it is rather difficult to compare it - and there are advantages and disadvantages in these differences. It doesn’t do a lot of damage, so battles with Cree Trackers do tend to be longer; but be careful that you aren’t left with a bunch of Cree Trackers and no units to support them against a cavalry charge, because those said support units are dead. Whether you use this unit or not is based on if you can live with its shortcomings and make the most of its advantages.

Technology

Cree Tanning

Cost: 100 Food, 100 Coin

Effect: Infantry and Cavalry get 5% HP

Comments: A very cheap and useful technology, it is a no-brainer to research it the first chance you get - especially if you are using the Cree (that already have a very high HP). You just never know when 5% extra HP can make the difference between keeping a unit alive or not.

Cree Kinship

Cost: 225 Wood, 225 coin

Effect: Cree Tracker build limit is increased by 50%

Comments: Obviously you should only research this if you hit the Cree Tracker build limit with 2 Cree Trading posts. With only one it is simply not worth its cost, and even with 2 Trade posts you should probably only go for it if you have sent a card to utilize the natives, or if you are really in population limit troubles and have resources to spare.

Cree Textile Craftsmanship

Cost: 175 Wood, 175 Coin

Effect: Buildings cost -25% less wood

Comments: For some civilizations this can be a big boost; most notably for any civilization that uses buildings to support an economy. However, for any civilization it has its uses - such as making trade posts, town centers, houses, outposts, etc much cheaper to build. On the downside, this technology has a rather long research time, so you need to be mindful of that.

Summary

The Cree can be of great service. They allow extra villagers, they produce beefy Skirmisher units, they give your units extra HP, and they make buildings cheaper. The Cree are capable of assisting a lot of civilizations in many areas, and if you are on a map where Cree appear it can be well worthwhile to at least consider the possibility of using them.