I decided to describe the very beginning thoroughly - later, when all is running, it isn't so important what you do when.
Pause and switch to 10% immediately. Find the 2 groups of hyenas and drag gardens over them - it won't cost anything (misfeature of game, if you Be careful with planning, there are not many suitable sites for ferries! When you have some money again, build another ferry to the Eastern part behind mountain range. Set up a small settlement near ore-bearing rocks in SE. Build palace there and gradually add gold mines, as money and workforce allows. Be patient. I had max. 9 gold mines, but it took several years to start operation of all of them. On the nearer side of mountain range, in South, build 2 copper mines and 3 weapon workshops, later recruiter and military academy nearby. Make sure all ferry terminals are manned, but not connected to the city by road. Put short piece of road+1-2 houses+architect+firehouse to terminals that are not connected to the city roads; or draw the workforce from the backyard of your housing block, if you have houses on the outside. The big distances would cause only troubles, if available for every cartpusher - this will limit the usage of ferries to getting cartpushers and caravans (although caravans shouldn't travel too far from entry point). After that, set up copper mines in North, behind the river, and move the docks there with the whole papyrus industry (well, you don't have to, but that's how I did it)...just switch docks with shipwright, and as the papyrus makers use up their raw material supplies, delete them and build new near new docks. From this moment, you should have lots of money. In the area where original papyrus production was, build weavers. If you can't export linen at once, you'll be able to do so later...I'm not sure how it was. During the time of first distant battle you should have 1 company at home, to cope with beduins. Some police stations will help. Beduin attack will come from SE, just at the gold mines, and will be directed primarily against palace. Defend it with 1 company - infantry or archer - supported by policemen (build lot of police stations near invasion point). If you choose to build the Mausoleum in the Eastern part, don't try to accept sandstone there - this would slow down the imports too much. Accept it near entry point and let the pullers do the job. You can also download progressive saves from my Sawu from the Downloads section. Here is a description which is also included in the ZIP file (contains 3 saves + description): BTW, quite accidentally I spotted that my previous post has number 999, so this must be
Start near entry point - build a housing block; then cross river to North, set up a small block behind the river and add shipwright there; in the area near entry point, gradually add 5 fishing wharves (not all at once - they would tie up labor long before they'll have a ship built). Be sure these are as close to one another as possible and there is room for a nearby granary.
Near entry point, in leftmost possible position, build a dock, 2 SY, start reeds imports from Men-Nefer. Build 5-6 papyrus makers, export papyrus to Dunqul.
Be prepared for requests - 2 weapons in second year, 2200 pottery in third year. Don't waste this chance, a new profitable trade route will become available to Buhen (export copper, import barley) if you comply.
Just fishing for the start, later fill the fertile island with irrigated chickpea farms. You can produce enough food for 10000 people with just farming the island and fishing in West and Southeast. (My final number - 18 farms, 13 wharves, overproducing a lot of both)
If I counted correctly, there were 4 military events before June 1781BC, when I ended the mission.
2 requests for military help
1st - land troops (1 company of Acad.trained archers won)
2nd - waterborne troops - 2 warships should be enough
2 invasions
beduins - near the gold mining area in Southeast
Canaanite ships - from Northeast - try to destroy all transports!
Otherwise, use your imagination and knowledge of the game to get through!
Right at start both packs of hyenas were put into zoological gardens. All industry than can bring income was set up as quickly as possible, first of all papyrus production from imported reeds. Gradually I'm adding gold mines, but except a few huts, palace, mines and service buildings there is nothing in the Eastern part. I have already sent weapons on first request and pottery is waiting to be dispatched. When more trading routes will open, I will move the docks and papyrus production into the northern part.
Main export commodity is now copper - after Buhen, another city has appeared right now that wants to buy it - Iken. Papyrus workshops were moved to north and replaced by weavers. Expanding in the Eastern part - future luxury block currently at cottage level, new block is under construction, granary center prepared. Fertile meadows on the island being farmed. Importing sandstone and limestone for monuments, both is stored near the entry point of map. Pullers will take it to the monuments in no time, and traders are selling me lots of it, as they can pass quickly through the city.
All is finished, as soon as workers finish the mausoleum, promotion screen appears. Luxury block is stable, contains only Palatial estates, most of them full.