Trade Routes?

Hi guys. How do trade routes exactly work in CivIV. What are the factors that determin a good trade route and a bad trade route?

I was gonna add a thread but I thought it might fit in...In war is it possible to cut trade routes of our ennemy if yes how do we know we are cutting a route ?

I too am curious.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=159047

To form a connection (needed for a trade route) you need to be able to trace a path along roads/railroads/rivers, and coastal/ocean tiles if the tech is present through territory that you are Not at war with. So putting your territory on the only pathe of your enemy is the only way to cut a trade route (an enemy ship near a coastal city might also cut its connection to the coast)

so trade routs are sort of an automatic thing?

Krikkitone said:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=159047
So putting your territory on the only pathe of your enemy is the only way to cut a trade route (an enemy ship near a coastal city might also cut its connection to the coast)

Click to expand...

What if you raze the road(s) connecting the cities?

So you can have trade with someone's foreign cities even if you don't have open borders?

And.. What does +50% trade route yield from harbors actually mean? The same goes for the temple of Artemis.

That means that a traderoute that yielded 4 cpt before will yield 6 cpt after.

Jawsofwar said:

So you can have trade with someone's foreign cities even if you don't have open borders?

Click to expand...

Nope. You have to have (a) open borders with the civ, (b) an explored unblocked route to the other civ (via roads, rivers, coast/ocean with appropriate tech), and (c) an open trade route 'slot' in your city. If all three conditions are met, you may get a trade route to the foreign city.

And.. What does +50% trade route yield from harbors actually mean? The same goes for the temple of Artemis.

Click to expand...

If you have a trade route worth +2cpt before the harbor, the route will be worth +3cpt after the harbor is built. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that cities with harbors may also get paired with better foreign cities (thus yielding higher trade route values even before the multiplier).

I'm sure I had trade routes with a civ without open borders agreement. Maybe if your only routes are by land, and non by sea, then open borders are required? Not sure about this, I'll have to check it sometimes.

Zophos said:

Nope. You have to have (a) open borders with the civ, (b) an explored unblocked route to the other civ (via roads, rivers, coast/ocean with appropriate tech), and (c) an open trade route 'slot' in your city. If all three conditions are met, you may get a trade route to the foreign city.

Click to expand...

... you may get a trade route (emphasis added).

We really should have just given the real explanation to this, instead of a bunch of replies through the whole thread.

The real answer of course is, "it's an arcane computer algorithm which uses a heuristic approach with unknown (albeit suspected) preconditions to arrive at a result that appears without your involvement needed (or desired, really)."

In short: "magic".

Wodan

Well the requirements for a Route to/from Berlin to show up in Rome

1. Trade connection
(Road/Railroad/River/Coast*/Ocean path, all points of which must be visible to Either Romans or Germans, and not go thrrough the culture of anyone at war with Rome or Germany)
*To enter a Coast square it must go through a coastal city/river

Not this is the three arrows symbol...will indicate that a foreign capital is connected to yours Or that your city is connected to your Capital

2. Romans and Germans must Both not be running Mercantilism

3. Either Open Borders or the UN Free Trade resolution must be in place

4. Because Berlin is a Foreign city, only 1 Roman city may have a trade route with it, and the city of Rome has a limited number of trade routes SO
First no Other Roman city must have a Trade route to berlin
Second Rome must not have trade routes to so many other cities that It has no more space left for Berlin