How are the Dutch so filthy stinking rich?

**Callahan9119** · 03-10-2009, 23:14

I am the UK, I have tons of well upgraded plantations, fur traders, commercial ports, india men in trade zones etc etc. My most profitable sea route only has about a 3k income right near London I think. I have one fleet of 4th rates mixed with 5th and a bunch of ghetto smaller fleets protecting trade.

The Dutch have like 12k ~ 18k routes all over. How?

I am only making around 7k per turn. I need more money.

**Beskar** · 03-10-2009, 23:21

Britain is suffering heavily from the credit crunch, and with protectionism, it makes trading far more difficult with other nations and their tariffs.

Dutch are using the trade zones at the ivory coast and other places around the world, these bring in things such as ivory onto their trade market which is very valuable, which in turn, makes trading with other nations far more profitable.

Bigger armies also have bigger upkeep, and Britain rarely gets invaded if at all, so you can spare troops from there and help your own expansionist efforts.

**Callahan9119** · 03-10-2009, 23:26

Yeah, but for every dutch ship with peppers or elephant tusks I have double or triple that in sugar, I took the whole island chain the french and pirates had. I have indiamen out at trade spots. Its not my army upkeep, its simply about my trade lanes income vs's them.

I am teched all the way to joint stocks, with other trade boosting techs as well. I have basically bought everybody elses techs as well.

**Beskar** · 03-10-2009, 23:29

Originally Posted by Callahan9119

Yeah, but for every dutch ship with peppers or elephant tusks I have double or triple that in sugar, I took the whole island chain the french and pirates had. I have indiamen out at trade spots. Its not my army upkeep, its simply about my trade lanes income vs's them.

I am teched all the way to joint stocks, with other trade boosting techs as well. I have basically bought everybody elses techs as well.

How many trade routes do you have with people? It could be that the Dutch have far more trading with the other nations, even the minor ones, which all adds up to large amounts.

**Callahan9119** · 03-10-2009, 23:31

Maybe your right, Gonna go look....I tend to ignore the lesser nations.

**Beskar** · 03-10-2009, 23:32

Originally Posted by Callahan9119

Maybe your right, Gonna go look....I tend to ignore the lesser nations.

I will check one of my games now where I had around 26k worth of trading going on, but I think it's because I currently have trade rights with basically everyone I can have trading rights with.

My India Confed's trade break down is this -

UP - 1598
Spain - 4006
Britain - 4298
Austria - 3902
France - 1629
Prussia - 1753
Ottoman - 3927
Savoy - 1409
Italian States - 1567
Sweden -1938

Total - 26027

Might be a bad example, but getting 1.5k from 2 one-state nations, so if the UP in your game has a lot of those, could explain why.

**Monsieur Alphonse** · 03-10-2009, 23:33

It depends who you are trading with. I am playing the Brits as well, have a trade route with Maratha (India) and I am making lots of money.

**A Very Super Market** · 03-11-2009, 02:43

Also, if you flood the world market with sugar, the demand drops.

**Ardri** · 03-11-2009, 02:55

Playing as UP I was bringing in roughly 30k a turn from overseas trade. I spammed the trade routes at the bigging and nearly monopolized the trade spots. Combine that with trade rights with all the large factions and money is ridiculously fast to come in as the UP. Haven't played as GB so I can't comment on them, but it seems they could probably be just as effective as UP.