how do i get my ports to do trade...

[nAkAnO]

new to this game... can't figure it out for the life of me...

[Heraclius]

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif welcome to the .org nAkAnO

to trade you must have a port and ideally a traders post in your province. the province you are trying to trade (which is owned by another faction) with should also have these. then what you need to do is build an unbroken link of ships from your province to the province you want to trade with. you will begin trading with any provinces (except those that belong to a faction you are at war with) that are touched by your ships. then watch the florins roll in. good luck m8

[Gregoshi]

WeLcOmE tO tHe OrG nAkAnO. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif i ThInK yOu WiLl FiNd ThAt TrAdE hAs ItS uPs AnD dOwNs...MuCh LiKe YoUr NaMe. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

[dlundie]

I recently found out that the best way to make lota of money is to have a good sized navy. Make sure its bigger than your rivals in case of war. Put at least two ships in very sea location incase of a storm sinking one. Put ports in every land space next to the sea, and upgrade as possible, make trading posts and upgrade as you can. Have a number of battle fleets roaming so you can take out the enemy. Only war with one opponent at a time if you can, or two smaller ones. Be aggressive in taking islands, they are very helpful. I played as the Byzantines and i had so much money that i couldnt spend it all. Hope it helps

[Brutal DLX]

Actually, you only need to bother making ports in provinces that have trade goods and therefore can construct trading posts. Ports in other provinces can just tax foreign imports, and that won't happen for a while since the AI usually builds ships later than you do.

[Hoplite]

Quote[/b] (Brutal DLX @ June 19 2003,09:38)]Actually, you only need to bother making ports in provinces that have trade goods and therefore can construct trading posts. Ports in other provinces can just tax foreign imports, and that won't happen for a while since the AI usually builds ships later than you do.
But having ports in most or all of your provinces gives you a great strategic advantage in being able to redeploy troops to any part of your empire at a moments notice.

[Doug-Thompson]

Trade can be painfully slow to develop.

You have to have the facilities already described -- a port in a province with trade goods, a navy that links that port with another, foreign port, and a trader -- AND the people you want to trade with have to have them AND you need peace. You can't trade along a route that's broken by a single enemy ship.

Trade takes several turns to grow, so don't be discouraged if you make a heavy investment in the infrastructure yet don't see results right away. As mentioned, you'll probably have your system built before the computer does.

Besides the money, it also seems to me that the computer is loathe to go to war when that would disrupt a thriving trade.

[Edited p.s.] Trade in this game is an example of the rich getting richer. It takes a lot of money t establish trade.

[Gregoshi]

But don't rely upon trade only. Build up your farms too. Because once war breaks out everywhere, your trade income will vanish and you will be bankrupt before you know it...large armies and nothing to support them.

[Erik Blackbeard]

But trade is only way to support huge army in relatively small kingdom. Farming just doesn't produce enough money. If you have large armies and you lose your trade, you still should have good transportation abilities and large army, so you can support yourself by raiding enemy provinces.

[Doug-Thompson]

Does anyone know whether low taxes encourage trade?

I've left provinces on very low and watched their trade expand very rapidly. However, that's my impression. I don't have any objective figures to back it up.

[swifticus]

Too right
Ships SINK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

Farmland makes money, cost loads of gold but it's worth it

Try to balance some ships and merhants, but rely on the land and your non rebellios peasants LOL http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

[Doug-Thompson]

Quote[/b] (Erik Blackbeard @ June 22 2003,14:30)]But trade is only way to support huge army in relatively small kingdom.
Sounds like a good rationale for getting a larger kingdom through aggression.

That's one reason I like to play Muslim factions. The farmland's not rich, but you can get more without being excommunicated.

Also, farm improvements get your king a good steward virttue, which boosts generals' loyalty, the population's loyalty and revenue. I'm not aware of any similar virtures for fostering trade, but would like to know if there are any.