Building for Trade

Shadowstrike · December 16, 2000, 23:27

Trade is just as important in CTP2 as it was in Civ2. But in this game, trade doesn't supplement your income, it makes up a good part of it.

Building your early cities in the right places matters a lot. If you see a lot of rare trade goods, snatch em' up by building right next to them. Have a couple huge cities to build tons of caravans and cash in!

I find that its vital to link your trade route to distant cities, if only for the extra income bonus. Every good you have is precious. For example an Elephant in the early going can net you 200 gold per turn. That's a lot. Your opinion?

claytonres · December 17, 2000, 00:35

THe rarer the good in general, the more profit. I have one medicinal herb and am trading it to the Vikings for 169 gold and 10 caravans.

Alpha Wolf · December 17, 2000, 01:47

So its actually better to start a map with fewer goods than more. Thats important to know

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History is written by the victor.

Dyzee400 · December 17, 2000, 11:50

Yes, it actually tells you this in the manual (Has anybody actually read it besides me?). Anyway it says that if you have fewer goods, they will be worth more per trade route but if you have more goods you can have more trade routes for less money each. So I tend to keep it just a little more than in the middle of the slider.

Didymus · December 18, 2000, 09:58

Trade routes don't do any good when they're pirated, which in my experience is too durned often. Trade tile improvements, however, are much more reliable.

Possibly this shows my diplomatic ineptitude.

Still, this brings up a question: how much do trade routes contribute to science? Is it apportioned like your general budget, or are there special rules for it?

Dyzee400 · December 18, 2000, 10:30

I'm not sure if this is accurate, so somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, when a trade route is created you generate income from that route, say 100 gold. This is per turn. Now, if you bring up the city manager of that city where the trade route originates from, you will notice that the commerce of that city is at least 100 gold. So, the gold from the trade route is factored into the commerce for that city. Now, science is a percentage of your civilization's commerce, say 50%. This means that 50% of your surplus commerce goes into science for research, and the other 50% will go to your savings. I say "surplus commerce" because this is the amount left over after subtracting out the cost to upkeep improvements. So that is how a trade route translates into science.

So I conclude that commerce, and thus trade routes, are a very important part of the game due to the way they influence research and science. Trade routes are especially helpful early in the game when science research is slow.

Hope this helps

Carrion · December 18, 2000, 11:08

quote:

Originally posted by Dyzee400 on 12-18-2000 09:30 AM
I'm not sure if this is accurate, so somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, when a trade route is created you generate income from that route, say 100 gold. This is per turn. Now, if you bring up the city manager of that city where the trade route originates from, you will notice that the commerce of that city is at least 100 gold. So, the gold from the trade route is factored into the commerce for that city. Now, science is a percentage of your civilization's commerce, say 50%. This means that 50% of your surplus commerce goes into science for research, and the other 50% will go to your savings. I say "surplus commerce" because this is the amount left over after subtracting out the cost to upkeep improvements. So that is how a trade route translates into science.

So I conclude that commerce, and thus trade routes, are a very important part of the game due to the way they influence research and science. Trade routes are especially helpful early in the game when science research is slow.

Hope this helps

You nailed it right on the head! This is exactly how it works.

Dyzee400 · December 18, 2000, 14:17

Wow...I surprise myself sometimes. LOL

aebbeka · December 18, 2000, 23:58

I think one of the last things you need in CTP2 is more money...

Dyzee400 · December 19, 2000, 10:20

quote:

Originally posted by aebbeka on 12-18-2000 10:58 PM
I think one of the last things you need in CTP2 is more money...

I find money very usefull in CTP2. Yes, I know there is alot. I have about 80,000 right now but it helps. I rush buy units in new cities, and I use it to purchase new technologies off other civs. I just bought about 5 techs off the Americans.

down th' pub · December 19, 2000, 18:02

The point wouldn't be to generate more money, but more commerce and therefore science.

Don't you love those trade improvements.

Veracitas · December 29, 2000, 20:31

quote:

Originally posted by Dyzee400 on 12-19-2000 09:20 AM

I find money very usefull in CTP2. Yes, I know there is alot. I have about 80,000 right now but it helps. I rush buy units in new cities, and I use it to purchase new technologies off other civs. I just bought about 5 techs off the Americans.

I find the converse is true for me. How do you get so much money? I'm always pressed for it, trying to buy units and wonders and such. What's your strat to get so much econ?

Michiel B de Boer · December 30, 2000, 06:31

Build all economic city improvements in every city. Set wages to 4.

Cyrius · December 31, 2000, 19:22

quote:

Originally posted by Dyzee400 on 12-19-2000 09:20 AM

I find money very usefull in CTP2. Yes, I know there is alot. I have about 80,000 right now but it helps. I rush buy units in new cities, and I use it to purchase new technologies off other civs. I just bought about 5 techs off the Americans.

WHAT?!?!

I offered a civ like 10,000 gold for a tech once and they wouldn't give it to me. I basically assumed you had to give them a tech in return in order to get a tech. But you're telling me you can buy them?! Wild. Had any luck buying a trade agreement from a civ? I think I tried 50,000 gold once and they still wouldn't (I was allied).

Alpha Wolf · December 31, 2000, 19:44

Depends on the tech you are trying to buy. The AI has a list of techs that it refuses to give up.

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History is written by the victor.

wyrmcrusher · January 3, 2001, 01:04

quote:

Originally posted by Alpha Wolf on 12-31-2000 06:44 PM
Depends on the tech you are trying to buy. The AI has a list of techs that it refuses to give up.

What would the list be? Is it in one of the files?

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To secure peace is to prepare for war.