* Free traders will bring you tools, which are necessary for early growth,
  so set your warehouse to buy tools when the game starts. 

* You can save valuable farmland by relying almost entirely on fishing huts
  to feed your people; build lots of them and make sure you can spare the 
  carts to transport building materials. 

* You can crank your tax rate up to the maximum as long as you keep your 
  citizens supplied with the luxuries they want.