Trade Routes

[dman2430]

I'm starting to get pretty far into my game (1/2 way through the Middle Ages) & am ready to trade my many luxeries & such. However, none of their coastal cities will build a harbor, & their workers aren't even attempting to build roads to connect our empires. (I'm not about to do it all myself) In fact, sometimes, they're just building roads in their city limits & aren't even connecting them to their others. Am I just not far enough into the game, or is the AI just not interested in trade?

Later Days,
Dylan :-)

[loleod]

They really annoy me when they do that. What I did was set out and made colonies near their capital city , and built a harbour in the new city. this only works if you have a high culture and get along with them.

[ixnay]

They'll eventually get around to doing that. I've had them neglect trade improvements and infrastructure for a long time in some of my games, but they should connect eventually.

[Odin]

Originally posted by loleod
They really annoy me when they do that. What I did was set out and made colonies near their capital city , and built a harbour in the new city. this only works if you have a high culture and get along with them.

It drives me NUTS!!!

[Playa del Carmen]

Originally posted by dman2430
I'm starting to get pretty far into my game (1/2 way through the Middle Ages) & am ready to trade my many luxeries & such. However, none of their coastal cities will build a harbor, & their workers aren't even attempting to build roads to connect our empires. (I'm not about to do it all myself) In fact, sometimes, they're just building roads in their city limits & aren't even connecting them to their others. Am I just not far enough into the game, or is the AI just not interested in trade?

This annoys me too. I usually just give up and start building a road to the other empire.

I have heard it suggested (at Civfanatics, I believe) that if you're really desperate to trade with them and you have harbors but the do not and if they have some free land near the coast of their empire, you can send a settler to the unincorperated land, build a small coastal city (even if there's just one square of free land) and rush a harbor.
Connect that city to their cities and you'll have a harbor that connects to their cities. Even if their culture takes if over, it will be worth it because they now have a city with a harbor, curtesy you.

I've never tired it though, but in theory it should work.

[GeneralTacticus]

I have heard it suggested (at Civfanatics, I believe) that if you're really desperate to trade with them and you have harbors but the do not and if they have some free land near the coast of their empire, you can send a settler to the unincorperated land, build a small coastal city (even if there's just one square of free land) and rush a harbor.

That's what I generally do if I have the resources. I build a city there as a trading post. Often the location of it determined by whether I can sneak off with an unclaimed luxury (the AI is generally smart enough not to leave strategic resources lying about).