Resource access from islands

tonyhaug · December 2, 2002, 08:24

I ran into an iteresting anomaly in PTW. As I recall, it also existed for Civ III. For my recent game, my civilization had no access to iron or horses, making it almost impossible to build any offensive forces. There were several civs that had both but none would trade with me for those resources no matter what I offered!! I subsequently found an island with both resources so I quickly built a city and a harbor foolishly thinking I would then have access through the harbors (one on the island and one on the mainland.) Unfortunately, the harbor network did not grant me access??? So I couldn't build Swordsman or Knights except on the island, which was far enough away that it took 20 turns to build each one. That was after 80 turns to build a Barracks.

Why can I use the trade network to trade with other civilizations but NOT between cities in my own civilization?????? This anomaly should be fixed in the next patch!!!

BTW, in case your interested, it is now 1750 AD and I can't even build Calvary, so my neighbor who just got Knights is invading me with about 1000 Knights and Swordsman, and I can only defend with Musketeers and CANNOT attack back because it's a 2 to 4 attack that I cannot win!

Sunstone · December 2, 2002, 08:28

hm strange thing. Did you build roads to the resources on the island ? Which version do you use.

CerberusIV · December 2, 2002, 08:55

Trace out the route from the harbour on the island to a harbour on your mainland. If it crosses sea tiles you need astronomy to trade, if it crosses ocean you need magnetism or navigation. Do you have the necessary tech?

Alternatively go into the trade advisor screen (F2) and see if the city on the island comes up unconnected.

You can trade across sea/ocean with another civ if they have the necessary advance and you don't but not within your civ.

PrinceBimz · December 2, 2002, 09:27

It all works correctly for me. Like said above, make sure you have the necessary techs and can trace a route to a mainland harbor from that island. Any city which you want to build units requiring those resources needs to have a road/rail connected to that mainland harbor city.

FNBrown · December 2, 2002, 16:01

Most likely a technology (Astronomy or Magnetism - as earlier posted) issue.

It's also possible that you haven't explored a direct route to the island (although, it's hard to imagine how you got there in the first place if you hadn't). Also, if you're restricted to coastal shipping, you can still be blocked if an AI border covers your route.

joncnunn · December 2, 2002, 19:01

1750 AD and Knights are just now appearing???

Cyclotron · December 2, 2002, 19:11

Yes, this is easily explained with tech. Your opponents simply have a shallow trade route, while you do not.

Baggio · December 2, 2002, 23:41

1000 knights???!! ur turns must take an hour each to process!

Inverse Icarus · December 3, 2002, 03:53

build up longbowmen / pikes and take some horses from someone.

Nick727 · December 5, 2002, 00:56

rofl u think that island was bad at least you had saltpeter. Once in a mp game all I had on my small island was wines n cows nothing else!!! I resigned as a result knowing that once the other guy attacked I was screwd knowing all I could use was spearmen. Also to make it worse he was on a landmass that had it all n was 4 times the size of my island. I was in the lead score wise by over 100pts for about the first 1500 years or so before I realized just how screwd I was.