Transforming Your Colony into a Living Empire with MineColonies: War 'N Taxes
MineColonies has always been about building thriving settlements from the ground up, but the War 'N Taxes addon pushes that experience into entirely new territory. Originally crafted for The Warborn Realms SMP Server, this mod injects dynamic economics, strategic warfare, and diplomatic intrigue into every block you place. Whether you are a modpack developer, a server owner, or just a player craving deeper colony management, this addon turns your quiet village into a bustling powerhouse where every decision carries weight.
A Tax System That Feels Alive
Forget simple resource gathering. War 'N Taxes introduces a configurable taxation engine that ties directly to your colony's buildings. You can define base and upgrade tax rates for every structure, from the humble miner's hut to the grand town hall. Maintenance costs for military buildings are deducted from revenue, and a happiness modifier means a content colony generates more coin. The system even includes a tax revenue cap to prevent hoarding and a tax freeze mechanic that acts as a war penalty, temporarily halting collection when conflict erupts.
Managing your economy becomes a game of balance. More guards mean a higher tax boost, but you will need those guards when a rival decides to test your defenses. The mod supports SDMShop for seamless currency conversion, or you can configure a custom item as your colony's coin. There is also a built-in virtual balance if you prefer to keep things simple. All tax information is accessible through the in-game /wnt taxinfo command, giving you a clear breakdown of where every emerald flows.
War, Raids, and the Art of Territory Control
The heart of the addon lies in its conflict mechanics. Declaring war is not just a chat message; it is a structured event with join phases, active combat, and resolution outcomes. Using /wnt wagewar "<colony>" starts a war with a default duration of two hours, and each player gets five lives. Teams are balanced 1:1 whenever possible, and normalized lives ensure a fair fight even when guards are involved. If you disconnect, the war pauses for you individually, preventing cheap losses.
Raids offer a more targeted approach. You can steal accumulated tax from enemy colonies, forcing them to scramble. During a raid, citizens become armed militia, and if the garrison is small, additional mercenaries spawn to defend. You can configure raid length, cooldowns, and even what actions players are allowed to take during conflicts—block placement, entity attacks, item usage—all customizable in the config. This level of control makes the mod a dream for server admins who want to shape exactly how PvP and PvE unfold.
Vassalization and Diplomatic Domination
Why destroy a colony when you can own it? The vassalization system lets you offer terms to another colony, demanding a percentage of their tribute. Commands like /wnt vassalize and /wnt vassalaccept make the process straightforward. Once a colony is your vassal, you can view your network and revoke relationships if they step out of line. The war vassalization feature, introduced in version 3.2.11, automatically vassalizes an enemy colony when colony transfer is disabled, with a configurable duration and tribute rate. Automatic expiration and notifications keep everyone informed, so your diplomatic empire can crumble if you neglect it.
Colony Abandonment and Claiming Raids
Inactive colonies don't just sit there as eyesores—they become opportunities. After a configurable period of owner or officer inactivity (default 14 days), a colony is marked as abandoned. Players can then initiate a claiming raid using /wnt claimcolony <colony>. This five-minute raid requires you to eliminate all defenders, including hostile militia and spawned mercenaries. Victory grants you officer status, effectively taking over the settlement. Admins can force abandonment or allow all players to list abandoned colonies, turning the landscape into a dynamic battlefield where no base is ever truly safe.
PvP Arena Duels Without the Risk
Sometimes you just want to test your skills without losing your hard-earned gear. The PvP arena system lets you set up duel locations, challenge others with clickable accept/decline prompts, and even organize team battles. Spectator mode is available, and your inventory is saved during duels and restored afterward. It is a clean, low-stakes way to settle grudges or train for the next big war.
Getting everything running smoothly is surprisingly simple. The mod requires MineColonies and FTB Teams, while SDMShop and Patchouli are highly recommended for the full experience. For players who want a hassle-free setup, you can easily install this mod via the foxygame.net launcher, a convenient, flexible, and modern Minecraft launcher where you can download mods right from the menu, automatically resolving dependencies so you jump straight into the action.
Commands and Configuration at Your Fingertips
War 'N Taxes ships with an extensive command set. Players can check tax info, start raids, declare war, and propose peace. Admins get tools to force abandonment, debug tax calculations, and end wars abruptly. The configuration file is equally robust, allowing you to set building requirements for raids and wars using a smart syntax like townhall:2:1,guardtower:1:3. You can even disable specific building hut recipes directly in the config, giving you fine-grained control over progression.
The new War 'N Taxes Codex, powered by Patchouli, is a complete in-game guidebook with nine content categories. It covers everything from getting started and the tax system to raids, diplomacy, and PvP. Interactive commands let players click links to execute actions, and the book is automatically distributed on first join. With multi-language support including German, Russian, French, and Spanish, the mod is accessible to a global audience. Advancements track your progress, rewarding you for claiming tax, starting raids, and declaring war.
Building an Empire That Lasts
War 'N Taxes transforms MineColonies from a city-building sim into a living strategy game. Taxes fund your ambitions, wars determine dominance, vassals pay tribute to the strong, and strategy trumps brute force every time. The mod's regular updates and active community on Discord mean your feedback directly shapes future features. Whether you are hosting a massive server or crafting a custom modpack, this addon provides the depth and flexibility to create a truly unique Minecraft experience. Build your empire, crush your rivals, and rule the server—the only limit is your ambition.
--- **Update Aug 31, 2026:** Added 10 files for version 1.21.1, 1.20.1 (Forge, NeoForge).