Setting up your economy in Iron Tide Command

Iron Tide Command lives or dies on your early economy, and my first playthrough stalled because I expanded before I could afford to. Here's what I'd do differently now.

Prioritise two or three short, safe routes before reaching for the map's edges. The temptation to grab distant ports is strong, but undefended routes just bleed resources. Compact and protected beats wide and vulnerable.

Reinvest early profits into defence, not expansion. I ignored this and watched raiders pick apart my lanes. A couple of escort ships early on paid for themselves many times over.

Watch the resource balance rather than any single number. The game gives you a clean overview, and the players who thrive are the ones who read it constantly instead of reacting to crises.

Once your core is stable, expansion becomes almost automatic. The slow start is the whole game; get it right and everything after feels like a victory lap.