Once you ally with a Native settlement you can build canoes alongside your normal warships, but when and why should you? Can they outperform other ships in combat or is the only benefit the resource gathering?
Also, bonus points if I can convert your answer into a programmable if/then statement…
I always assumed that they are fishing boats that do not occupy population and can defend themselves, they are excellent for maritime revolutions such as Gran Colombia and Chile, but I do not know if they are worth it in other areas besides the maritime economy.
From my perspective, I think its resource gathering should be improved, but I’m only thinking about its use for revs. 
Perhaps, they could have a card that gives them a multiplier against fishing boats to deny other players fishing. 
Canoes are probbably the best warships in supremecy, let me explain
They cost only wood are cheap and thx to boats being coded as buildings, their seige attack is both fast(less animation issues) and punches way above their weight. The boats are fast and also produce fast. Also they take buffs very well, like water dance or improved warships. This means after you get like 8 to 10 canoes you can punch far and above your cost. Most water wars involving canoes will have a player “blitz” with canoes and wipe the opponent completely off water, forcing them to concede or wait till they have outposts/tc on shore plus far greater res of boats to push back. Ofc by this time good player will have drained most the fish or leveraged the damage. Most water wars by mid to upper elo are won or lost in canoe wars, baring those damn chincha rafts.
Seriously, its partly why haude/aztec water is so strong as well as why anyone who nabs a native post in most maps need to be prepared to build outposts or canoes of their own. These things seem minor but are en masse probably the best water unit in game res to res. Assuming you dont have a port tc camping the shore.
Interesting… so if you were trying to do a canoe blitz you would take a TP in transition and pump those guys out from 2 docks?
In general is it good to have 8-10 or once you start getting a few caravels do they drop off in effectiveness?
Yeah massed canoes will wipe any early Navy’s off the map. It’s like a swarm of ants taking down a mouse.
The rate of fire of massed canoes vs a couple minor warships is no contest.
Think numbers- 3-4 canoes will wipe most caravels out, so once you have 8+ not even a 2 caravel plus dock fire will save their eco, especially if you micro a bit and reinforce as needed. Usually ill push with 4 or so and queue up a few more to 8 and just try and either idle their water eco or force a over reaction, and then clean water at once or be annoying as they are forced to overcommit to save their boom. Basically just pivot as needed- besides while not as good as a fishing boat can always camp a spot and fish to gain value until you ready to push. Compare income of 3 canoes to 1 caravel even though they close to value in resource to make.
Basically like all things aoe3 it depends often how dedicated your opponent is to water, but thats the general opener. Can make more or less depending on what civ you vs, opponent deck, or your civs ability to fight and boom same time. Hope that helps!
Well the consensus seems to be that canoes are awesome.
I don’t know if I was too cryptic with my initial statement but I’m programming this into the AI. What I’m thinking is if the AI is in a Rush disposition and/or biased towards natives it’ll go for a canoe swarm of around 10, otherwise it’ll just sprinkle some in.
It helps a bunch, thank you! I didn’t realize canoes were so sought after. It makes me feel like this will be a cool feature (AI Napoleon training canoes):
Canoes can attack, fish (though they are less efficient than Fishing Boats), and transport units, making them very practical, but not necessarily as powerful as other naval ships. They have the same damage output and hit points as a Marathan Catamaran.
Because of its relatively low cost, Canoes are excellent in scouting and providing reconnaissance on nearby enemy territory. However, they are not designed to withstand many enemy attacks and engage in front lines so they should not be sent directly to a fortified enemy base, however if necessary, they would be better off fighting larger ships such as Galleons and Caravels in large numbers, their low cost rendering it an easy task.
They’re good landing craft and they’re fast. They can’t take a hit and they’re short ranged but they’re excelent support.
Not to mention they build fast and can garrison in docks.
Great point! I can make the AI use them for scouting instead of fishing boats and larger warships.
So what do you think a decent late game composition looks like? If I have a frigate, 2 caravels and a galleon how many canoes should I have? Or asked like this: If I have 2500 resources what would the composition look like?
