Most lords made the mistake of building new production facilities far away, creating long, vulnerable supply lines. Vance had learned his lesson. He employed the "Donut" strategy.
Design a straight "highway" 4 tiles wide. On one side: heavy industry (iron, coal, weapons). On the other: dirty production (hemp, ash, pigment). At each end: a large warehouse. In the middle: a fire station and a carpenter (to extinguish and repair). This spine can stretch across the island's infertile section, leaving the green zones for farms and housing. anno 1404 layout