Trading and its woes

Ely McGreen · June 15, 2000, 20:37

Is there a limit on the number of threads I can post? I thought I read something about that. Oh well- this'll be the test.

I believe all happiness should originate from trade, and if you have time, from wonders. A constant flux of settlers building roads for you democracy [in MP, why have any other government] will interconnect your cities and accentuate trading. More luxeries, more happy.

Now, my primary problem with trade is that I'll take the time to build a caravan and some ***** kills it because I'm not his ally. Trading should be part of an alliance, but also the thing of each civ to trade with any city he can.

My strat is to build say five or six caravans and hold them till someone pops along with the right cities [proper distance and primed]. For instance, if I have spice, I'll build spice so that when I come across a size five or four city that wants spice I have it right now to give him, not so that he could build it for himself and I end up using the caravan on myself.

June 15, 2000, 20:39

only in off-topic

June 15, 2000, 20:41

still one of my weaker points in the game. I'm getting better, but occasionally if I get cought up in a war, I neglect caravans. I don't build nearly enough caravans. I spend too much time building city improvements. I should rush build improvements. I don't only because I save it for key wonders. I need to get off the wonders crutch I know. There really are only 2 or 3 that are important. The other ones are just conviences.

Smash · June 15, 2000, 21:36

caravans,caravans and more caravans.Can't build enough of them.

I deliver first 3 from each city ASAP.I don't care if they are demanded or not.I want routes up quick.Looking around for cities that demand can take many turns.
[This message has been edited by Smash (edited June 15, 2000).]

Sergeant Sheets · June 15, 2000, 22:12

I find each MP game I play, the less and less I build improvements and more and more I build caravans. And war units cause I like war.

SCG · June 16, 2000, 07:03

whenever I find myself neglecting my caravan routes, I take a step back and look at F1 and reevaluate the priorities of what each is building. Usually, i can switch several cities to building caravans that turn and by finishing buildings in other cities, start building several more next turn. After that, they can go back to whatever they were building before, and my whole civilization is better off for the effort

I don't put high priority on getting 3 trade routes right off, but if i find a city with a bank, a university and building a factory without any trade routes, I know i put it off _way_ too long

Ely McGreen · June 16, 2000, 07:08

You need trade routes before improvements. Cause by the time you should be building University, your caravans should be bringing in 5 or 6 extra trade arrows per turn, if not more. Those improvements take too much time to be worthwhile if you haven't the routes to support them beforehand.

SCG · June 16, 2000, 08:11

just to avoid confusion, I usually try to have at least 1 caravan build and enroute by the time i've built 3 structures/units

And i like to have all 3 before i build a bank or university. Sometimes i'll delay building a caravan for factory, just to get the extra production. every once in a while though, i simply forget about a city and find it like i described above, and that is when that city drops everything and builds/buys caravans

Ming · June 16, 2000, 08:51

The faster you can establish three trade routes for each city, the better. It's one of those things that just keep giving, so sooner is better than later. Plus, it's key to establish them before invention, because the bonus is better before than. While waiting to get trade so I can build caravans, I will try to build marketplaces in the cities, and usually temples too (Deity). If I have time, and the city has lots of science, maybe a library... If I know I'm going get trade in a few turns, I will start building a military unit, and switch it over to a caravan when I can.

Again, build caravans, and when you have enough of them, build some more

Sergeant Sheets · June 16, 2000, 10:51

It's always good to have a few caravans handy for rush-building of wonders, too.

Steve Clark · June 16, 2000, 11:07

A few????? How about building all of your wonders with caravans/freights after receiving trade?

Guess we gotta keep repeating this: When you have built more caravans/freights than you can possibly use, BUILD SOME MORE.

Sergeant Sheets · June 16, 2000, 14:44

Well, you keep five caravans handy when you start a wonder [jump start] and you finish with caravans. But the initial jump will get you far.

East Street Trader · June 17, 2000, 00:37

They kill your peaceful caravans Ely - villains indeed. It might almost be thought that they don't want you to get that gold/beaker bonus. Barbarous!

Well look. Maybe trading between your own cities is not so very much to be despised? The route will yield at a lower rate but you will get arrows in both your cities.

Even one arrow in both cities is not to be sniffed at early on. Little apples are sweet my mum used to say.

And the caravan killers sound like warlike fellows who will neglect their own trading development while your superior priorities will soon have your cities arrow rich - with corresponding increases in the value of that little local route.

Now if one of the caravan killers - perish the thought - happens to have the Collosus, well trade with him (sneak your goods in through his back door somehow) because he's got arrows to spare despite his uncivil nature and the pay off will be worth the losses. You have to speculate to accumulate they say.

Otherwise - perilous trade may be but its pleasures will be found to outway its woes says East Street Trader.