Huge income!

[Lazul]

one small tip:

I played as Italian, early (standard), and I thought that I should recreate the roman empire, so at first i stayed peacefull and i created an enormus trade fleet(easy to do as italian).
After a while i controlled the whole mare nostrum http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

After that its easy, having a great relationship with the pope and all.
I started a crusade and about 5000 men marched on Constantinopel and crushed them totaly. They where ofcourse weekend by the war against the Egyptians.
Being greedy ass hell, i kept on going and soon i controlled the middle east...

The trade income is now HUGE... i get about 8000 florins every turn, and enyone who attacks me get crushed even if they win more battles couse i can survive a long fight...

so 1 tip is to controll these provinces: Genua, Venice, Sicily (spelling?), Constantinopel, Anthioc and tripoli. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif


(sorry if my spelling suck, hey im swedish :-)

[MalibuMan]

Sweden is in fact also a very good trade province You've obviously got it in the blood

[Lazul]

hmmm yeah your right... haha... we swedes will rule the world one day... we will trade our enemys to death... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[The_Emperor]

The middle east is the ultimate trading ground if you own it.

Trade is a must, however multiple declarations of war by the AI would soon dry up your huge income. (it happens)

[Mortal Cabbage]

Started playing the Sicilians on hard yesterday, playing the game the trade way. Took and secured Naples, Norway, Sweden, Lithuania, Valencia and Egypt. Built a port, fort, merchant before anything else. Income each turn: 24000 florins. Spending per turn: 7000 florins.

Profit per turn: 17000 florins.

I had fortresses up and running in Sicily, Malta and Naples while others were still struggling with castles. By 1230 I had 800.000 florins in my bank account.

Sicily must be the easiest faction I've ever played

[Makkadam]

As the Sicilians i had an income of +65 000

I spent about 20 000 per turn since i had bought every mercenary in Europe.

[Longasc]

I rarely have traderoutes, I usually have won by that time. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

So I do not have much experience with that

One question:

I have a line of ships from WESSEX to Constantinople, uninterrupted... just think I really made this once... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I own both Wessex and Constantinople -> do I get trade income or does the other port have to be that of a foreign nation? There MUST be a port facility in that province for the trade to work, right? And/Or a Trade Station/Merchant, too?

[Lazul]

If you have Wessex and Const. then just build alot of ships and then build port in both provinces and start buidling trade posts and upgrade them... and the money is yours... try and take sicily, i love that province when it comes to trade

since my last post i have nearly the whole mare nostrum http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif and OMG my number of men HUGE... just kicked the popes ass with 20000 men...hahaha... i only have Rome left... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Longasc]

Lazul, do I get money from trade ONLY when I own both provinces?

E.g. Constantinople is still hold by the Byzantines, all other factors are okay, do I get money?

[Lazul]

well if im not wrong, you get trade income as long as you are not an enemy of Byz. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif

just train alot of ships and make a trade rout... and be kind to the Byzzis...

its a long trade rout so be carefull so your enemys dont block it. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Longasc]

Lazul, sorry, but could you be a little bit more precise?

Do I get Trade Income when I hold both provinces

AND / OR

when I have only one?

When I am at War, you said, I get nothing.
But how about when I have both provinces, do I still get Trade income or MUST it be a different friendly nations port?

[MalibuMan]

you definitely get the income when you own one province, and the other is owned by someone else.

I'm not completely sure, but I think that you don't get any income if you own both provinces. Can anyone confirm this?

[Bushface]

Trade occurs ONLY with foreign provinces which are neutral or allied with you: your province must have tradeable goods, a port, and a Trading Post or better: the sea link must not be blockaded by an enemy ship.
If any of these conditions are not met, then you get no trade.
It also works in reverse, in that you may get a small tax income from imports, but I've never seen two-way trading.

[Hakonarson]

In addition the foreign province needs a port, and you won't trade anything to it that it exports - so if you are expeoring only cloth, and it exports cloth as well then you get no trade.

[Bushface]

True - I forgot to mention those aspects.
Two-way trade does exist. In my current game (English, hard, High), as an example, Northumbria is exporting wool and fish to Novgorod, income 52, and importing wood and hides from Novgorod, income 10. Both provinces have ports and traders: ships from both factions all across. Scotland, with port but no trader or trade goods, is getting the same imports and income.
But (surprise) the AI cheats.N'thumb. is getting 3 income from butter imports from Denmark, which does not have a trader and so should not be able to export. Why Scotland isn't getting this also is a mystery.

[Gregoshi]

Beware the double edged sword that is trade. Too many people rely solely on trade. Then they hit huge deficeits when they are at war with everyone and trade income evaporates. You should be using all that excess florin to build up farming and other happy stuff too. Then you're farming will support you when trade goes away and the happy stuff will help prevent the mass rebellions so many run into.

[el_slapper]

Or, even better, make piles of Florins(around 1 million) and then attack enemies without fearing any money problem 20,000 deficit lasts for 50 years, and wars are not that long.....

[Longasc]

I was never very rich, did not use those Wealth Beyond Measure Strategy too much. I simply build castles and farming in even the least rewarding provinces... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif.

Should start playing on Expert, perhaps this will make me think twice about building up even worthless provinces...

Yesterday I ruined some peoples fun in a 3 vs 3 battle online, thinking of attack as the best form of defence and breaking formation was not the best idea

Sorry guys, if you can read this - my ingame name is the same as on the board.

Just noticed that I am a Junior Member now. Gregoshi, thank you.

[Lazul]

Hello again... just checkit with my italian game... You dont have to trade with allies, you can trade with your self... so if you have Wessex and not consnt. then you get income in wessex from const. (trade)

But i if you have both provinces you get the trade from both provinces... very logical...

just click on the economy button and then look up your province... click on it and you'll se what provinces it is trading with... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[Longasc]

Hi Lazul

Thanks for the input, it is logical, indeed.

But you see how many members do not know that

I always wondered why trade should not occur when I own BOTH provinces... -> meaning perfect conditions for trade, no risk for traders to be killed once entering the vicinity of a suddenly enemy port... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

You see that you now just said the opposite of BushFace.

Have no game running right now, cannot check it myself.
But your explanation sounds at least convincing and logical.

Can anyone now test and tell the final verdict about

WHEN DOES TRADE REALLY WORK: THE ULTIMATE COMPENDIUM

? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Bushface]

True, if you own Wessex and Const'ple you do get trade from both, but it's trade with other, foreign, provinces. Wx and Const will not trade with each other if you own both.
To see what trade you are getting, bring up the 'economics' parchment then left-click on a province: another parchment then opens showing all that province's trade - local, import and export. In the above case, Wessex will not show Const. as a trading partner, and vice versa.

[Longasc]

Lazul, Bushface, I think I must try to get up a trade route in my next game to verify that.

Two different statements, which one to believe? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[Mortal Cabbage]

Quote[/b] (Gregoshi @ May 25 2003,22:39)]You should be using all that excess florin to build up farming and other happy stuff too. Then you're farming will support you when trade goes away and the happy stuff will help prevent the mass rebellions so many run into.
I agree that relying on trading is dangerous but when I'm doing a trading game, I build enough ships to counter any enemy ships when war occurs, and army improvements to get a superiour army soon. I create the ship building facilities first, and then produce ship after ship while I'm building the other improvements.

To keep happiness up, I simply throw a handful of peasants into each province. Never had a single problem with uprisings that way.

[Longasc]

If you really have a uprising, or two, try to release them ALL... perhaps you get a mercy trait?

I found that +10 +20% happiness to be a great thing. Usually I killed all prisoners and everyone, but being too cruel does not only add dread, it is not too good for morale boni...