Trade Question

**macsen rufus** · 07-19-2006, 17:36

Inland provinces only have "local trade" - I never bother building trader buildings there, as it takes centuries to pay back the investment. I always thought there should be land trade between provinces but it doesn't seem to happen.

**Csargo** · 07-19-2006, 18:24

Originally Posted by macsen rufus

Inland provinces only have "local trade" - I never bother building trader buildings there, as it takes centuries to pay back the investment. I always thought there should be land trade between provinces but it doesn't seem to happen.

I think there is land trade between provinces. I'm pretty sure there is.

**Vladimir** · 07-19-2006, 18:38

Originally Posted by Csar

I think there is land trade between provinces. I'm pretty sure there is.

**Csargo** · 07-19-2006, 18:47

Originally Posted by Vladimir

Oh I guess I was wrong I'm so sorry it was an accident.

**mfberg** · 07-19-2006, 19:54

On an 800 florin invesment, a return of 40 years required on payback of 20 per year. So internal trade is not worth building larger buildings unless you have nothing else to spend the cash on. For the ocean provinces even one trade good is worth more than that because you get internal plus possible external trade (that is if you aren't at war with everyone else on the planet). I always build the first building, but only after all my farm/mine/horsebreeder builds.

As Hungary trade is very worthwhile the instant you go beyond your borders. Venice, Constantinople, Kiev, and Khazar are your immediate goals, with Naples a little bit behind. All are trade giants with multiple trade goods and strategic importance.

Internal trade to any great degree is probably only worthwhile in the three trade good regions of Armenia and Edessa.

mfberg

**bamff** · 07-19-2006, 23:34

One query re: the florin fluctuation I have noted in my trade from one year to the next. I realise that anyone that I am currently at war with will not trade with me, but is there any difference between allies and neutral states? In other words, do allies make better trading partners than neutral states?

**Sensei Warrior** · 07-20-2006, 00:17

In a word, no. That's the simple answer, ally or neutral if they trade with you they trade the same. Of course I'm not one for simple answers so here is the long version.

Fluctuations in your trade income can be attributed to a number of factors, some of them you can control the rest you can't.

1. Increasing your shipping lanes (putting one of your ships into a new sea section) will increase your capital if there is a port to trade with in that sea section.

2. Improving your trade buildings aka. going from a merchant to a mechant guild will increase your trade.

3. The military actions of other Factions has an effect. If a faction attacks a city with a port you are trading with and the port disapears than you will stop trade with that Provence until the Port is rebuilt.

4. A tradeable faction builds a port in your shipping lanes will cause an increase.

5. A faction that you are at war with takes over a Provence you were trading with. You can no longer trade with that Provence until you make Peace with the faction you are at war with.

6. Pleasure Boats. This is the affectionate term for the single ships owned by a Faction you are at war with leisurely cruising up and down your shipping lanes. At best it will shut down trade with the sea its currently in, at worst it will shut down a large portion of your trade into a region, like if it is in the sea at the mouth of the Med. For example You are playing the English. You have a trading Empire that Encompasses the whole map. You own all of the British Isles, Ireland, Flanders, and Normandy. You are at war with the Almos. The Almos have a ship sitting at the sea section that comprises the mouth of the Med. That one lone ship is going to block all trade from happening in the Med because all your Ports are in the North Seas and the one ship is sitting at a chokepoint in the Med.

I am sure there is more but that's the bare bones for starters. Any number of the above could be going on all at the same time. So more often than not your trade will fluctuate from year to year.

I swear a whole Guide could be written on trade, how it works, how it doesn't work, and the various effects things have on it, but it would be tedious to write, and probably read. The general rule of thumb is not to rely on it too much or it could very easily sink you.