Sails in Anno 1800 are a vital construction material for every sailing ship, and fortunately, they can be produced in both the Old World and the New World. However, the production chain doesn’t work the same way in each region. As a result, players need to adjust their layout and resource planning depending on where they decide to manufacture them.
In the Old World, Sail production follows the traditional linen‑based chain. This means you’ll rely on Sheep farms and Framework knitters before the Sails are finally assembled. In contrast, the New World uses a completely different method. Instead of linen, production shifts to cotton and other plant‑based materials, which changes both the types of farms you need and the overall workflow.
Because of these differences, it’s important to plan ahead. If your trade routes already connect the Old World efficiently, producing Sails there will likely feel more natural. However, if your New World economy is thriving, it may be more efficient to keep production local and avoid long‑distance shipping. In the end, choosing the right region helps keep your supply chain running smoothly.
Ultimately, both regions can supply Sails in Anno 1800 reliably. The key is choosing the location that best fits your existing infrastructure, resource availability, and long‑term strategy.
What is produced
In this production chain, you’ll be creating Sails in the Old World. As you progress through the game, fleets of trade ships and warships become increasingly important, especially since your early navy relies entirely on sailing vessels. To get started, you’ll need to build a Sheep Farm followed by a Sailmaker.
Once these buildings are in place, focus on keeping a steady supply of wool and cloth flowing so producing Sails in Anno 1800 remains consistent. This becomes even more important later, because you’ll rely on these materials until you eventually unlock the Steam Shipyard.
Additionally, Sails in Anno 1800 play a valuable role during expeditions. Every 50 tons provides +20 crafting skill and +20 morale, which can make a noticeable difference in your success rate.
In most cases, you only need one Sheep Farm and one Sailmaker, since shipbuilding takes time and Sails aren’t consumed rapidly. However, if you’re planning to assemble a large navy or rush multiple ships at once, expanding your production chain can help you keep up with demand.
Buildings in this chain
The production chain for Sails in Anno 1800 is made up of just two buildings: the Sheep Farm and the Sailmaker. To begin, the Sheep Farm produces wool, which is then delivered directly to the Sailmaker. Because both buildings operate at the same speed, each one produces one ton every 30 seconds, making them a perfect 1:1 match.
As a result, you don’t need to worry about balancing inputs or adding extra farms early on. Instead, you can place the two buildings close together and enjoy a smooth, efficient production line right from the start.
| Building | No. needed | Costs | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheep farm | 1 | $100, 2 timber, -20 maintenance, 10 farmers. | $100, 2 timber, -20 maintenance, 10 farmers. |
| Sailmaker | 1 | $500, 8 timber, 10 bricks, -75 maintenance, 50 workers, -5 attractiveness | $500, 8 timber, 10 bricks, -75 maintenance, 50 workers, -5 attractiveness |
| Warehouse | 1 | $500 credits, 10 timber planks, -20 maintenance | $500 credits, 10 timber planks, -20 maintenance |
| Total | $1100, 20 timber, 10 bricks, $115 maintenance, 10 farmers, 50 workers, -5 attractiveness |
These are the total costs for the complete build. As you can see, it’s a very affordable setup, especially compared to other early‑game production chains. Because of this, you can construct it almost immediately after it becomes available. This means you can start producing Sails in Anno 1800 early on without putting any strain on your economy.
Sheep farm
In Anno 1800, the Sheep Farm is an early-game production building that produces Wool, which can then be processed into Sails in Anno 1800. It unlocks at the Worker tier and is one of the first industries you must establish.
To build the Sheep farm, you will need:
- $100 credits
- 2 timber planks
- 3×3 tile space for the building plus three 3×3 tile space for the sheep pens.
In addition to the above you will also need the following ongoing costs:
- 10 farmers
- $10 credits per minute maintenance
Once these conditions are met, the Sheep farm will reliably produce two tons of wool every minute. As a result, you will have a steady supply for your production chains. Finally, this consistency helps keep your city growing without interruption. Below is an image of how to place the farm efficiently.
This layout shows a single Sheep Farm arranged in a square, making it simple to copy when you want to add more later in the game.
- Function: Used to house sheep and then to produce wool.
- Placement: Can be placed any where as a Sheep farm contains it own pasture for the sheep.
- Production Rate: one ton of wool every 30 seconds so two tons every minute.
- Efficiency Tip: Ensure that you fully allocate the pastures for the sheep.
- Expeditions : wool will give you a morale bonus of +20 and a crafting skill bonus of +10 for 50 tons.
Sailmaker
The Sailmakers is the final building in this production chain. They will take the wool from the Sheep farm and turn it in to sails. Sails in Anno 1800 are needed for the construction of ships in the sailing yard. The Sailmakers will unlock at 150 workers.
To build the Sailmaker, you will need the following:
- $500 credits
- 8 timber
- 10 bricks
- 5×5 tile space for the building.
In addition to the requirements listed above, you will also need to account for the following ongoing costs. Furthermore, these expenses must remain covered at all times to keep your production running efficiently.
- 50 workers
- $75 credits per minute maintenance.
Once these conditions are in place, your Sailmakers will reliably produce two tons of sails per minute. As a result, your Shipyards will always have the materials they need to keep working. In turn, this steady production ensures your city can continue growing without any interruptions.
- Function: produces Sails in Anno 1800 for the production of ships.
- Placement: it can be placed anywhere but best to be placed by Sheep farm.
- Production rate: produces one ton of Sails every 30 seconds so two tons a minute.
- Unlocks: unlocks at 150 Workers.
Technology tree
This technology tree outlines the Sailmakers production chain. As you can see, it’s a very simple setup, requiring only two buildings: the Sheep farm and the Sailmaker. Because of this managing and scaling the chain is straightforward, making it ideal for early‑game expansion.
Layout
This layout shows the production chain of Sails in Anno 1800. To begin with, the Sailmakers chain is very simple and works on a one to one ratio. In other words, you will need one Sheep farm and one Sailmaker to maintain perfect production.
Below, you can see the basic layout. In the illustration, the traffic flow is straightforward: the Sheep farm supplies wool to the Sailmaker, and the finished Sails then move directly into the Warehouse. Because of this, the entire chain stays efficient and easy to manage.
Improving productivity
To improve the productivity of this build, you can add a Trade Union. By doing so, you boost the efficiency of both buildings within its range. However, the Trade Union only affects structures that fall inside its radius, so placement is important. Additionally, you can only place one Trade Union per coverage area, meaning their influence zones cannot overlap. Because of this, careful positioning ensures you get the maximum benefit from each one.
Trade union items for Sheep farm
This is some of the best items for the Sheep Farm.
| Item name | Effect | Rarity/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weaver | +10% productivity | Common Expedition bonus – +5 crafting |
| Feed yard | + 70% productivity, +50% maintenance costs | Uncommon |
| Livestock Farmer | +30% productivity, -60% workforce needed | Rare Expedition bonus – +30 hunting +10 medicine |
| A Remedy | +40% productivity | Epic Expedition bonus – +40 medicine |
| Mark van der Mark, Breeder of Shepherd Dogs | +100% productivity, +100% extra modules | Legendary Expedition bonus – +30 diplomacy +50 hunting |
Trade union cards for Sailmaker
These are some of the best items for the Sailmaker.
| Item name | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Loom | +25% productivity | Uncommon Expedition bonus – +10 crafting |
| Power Loom | +35% productivity | Rare Expedition bonus – +15 crafting |
| Optimised Automatic Loom | +50% productivity, -20% maintenance costs, -25% Workforce needed | Epic |
| The Hopedale Loom | +40% productivity, -25% workforce needed | Epic Expedition bonus – +20 crafting |
Using electricity
Electricity provides a powerful productivity boost to the Sailmaker, but it does not affect every building in this chain. Because of this, you’ll need to adjust your ratios if you choose to power the area.
Sheep farm
The Sheep farm gains no benefit from electricity.
Sailmaker
When the Sailmaker receives electricity, its productivity doubles immediately. However, increasing output this much also means your wool supply must keep up. Therefore, you will need to double the number of sheep farms to maintain maximum production of Sails in Anno 1800. By doing this, the entire chain stays balanced and runs at full efficiency.