What does that button do?

There is already a "move to" function, and that's all the patrol function would need to be usable. Zone of control is not an issue; units need to be hostile to exert zone of control, and spotting a hostile unit would wake the patrolling unit. If the unit can't get where it needs to go, it will wake up and ask for new orders, just as with the current "move to" function.

Of course the automated patrol won't be optimal and the player could control it better manually, but that's as it should be. But moving a ship up and down the coast repeatedly is pretty tedious.
 
What civ is that in the upper right corner. I don't think its japan the dot is black not red.
 
I believe you need to be within a couple tiles, and directly in the path of the caravan/cargo ship to its destination.

Having an enemy ship sitting on the path and plundering money is easier to micro than chasing the cargo ship and attacking every turn.
 
Ha, called it!

Since cargo ships can pass through non-enemy units, the devs would have to create a new mechanic (ie, a "blockade port" button) to prevent their movement. As yet, there's no evidence of this, but it would make for an excellent addition.

I very much hope that it siphons gold as well. Destroying the cargo ship has pluses and minuses: you drain the enemy's production but you also free the TR so they can establish a new one. Which makes me wonder if you'll be able to see the turns remaining on enemy TRs - seems doubtful but it would be a nice feature.
 
I wonder if they did it this way because they wanted to ruin a trade route in war, but destroying a trade unit is too devastating early on, especially on low production starts.
 
I wonder if they did it this way because they wanted to ruin a trade route in war, but destroying a trade unit is too devastating early on, especially on low production starts.

Oh, I fully expect that you'll be able to both blockade and destroy the trade units - whichever suits your purpose.
 
I don't see why people think a patrol function would be impossible to implement correctly. The caravans and trade galleons already automatically go back and forth, aka patrol.
 
It's a "plunder trade route" button. You must have declared war with the owner of the trade route, and it will - unsurprisingly - damage relations with the destination civ ;)

Wait. If we haven't met the civilization yet but we see its International Trade Route, then would we simply meet it or not?

I'm hoping it would say something like: Unmet Player ~ Marrakech (Morocco)

When stumbling upon a trade route, I would hope that it doesn't show you who the destination civ is. I mean if you see a Portugese cargo ship, you shouldn't automatically know where its going.

Especially in the case of warfare. If you happen to be at war with Portugal, you would have to make that decision of whether or not to actually harm that TR, because you don't know if its one of you're allies on the receiving end of that TR. Since it damages relations with the destination civ as well.

But of course you may likely be able to figure it out based on geographical position, but I dont think they should make it as easy as just showing you exactly who the TR is between
 
As the cargo ship appears to be going to Marrakech, and the galleass belongs to Morocco, why would one wish to plunder/destroy it? I could understand if it were going to another destination; however, I suppose the plunder option is there by default.

Also, Zac said that you've had to need to have declared war with the owner of the trade route - so in this case, Morocco is at war with Brazil - but trade is still happening....
 
The Moorish cargo ship is going from Rabat to Marrakech. The Brazilian one is going to Rabat - the sail is the other way round and there is no Brazilian city on the coast above Rabat. So it has to be a Brazil to Morocco trade route all the way round the coast.

So, is Morocco at war with Brazil, which seems likely from the units, but the trade route is still running or, more likely, has just declared war.
 
@Zac - What exactly does destroy trade route mean? Does this mean that trade route between the two locations has been removed from the game? Does it mean that this will be gone for the rest of the game?

Or does this simply mean the trade route is stopped and then can be re-established at some point?
 
I don't see why people think a patrol function would be impossible to implement correctly. The caravans and trade galleons already automatically go back and forth, aka patrol.

Trade units move in their own layer and can't be blocked by other units. You can calculate the route when you set it up and move the units along it and that's it. Combat units are affected by other combat units and civilian units, and would have to have the route recalculated every turn.
 
As the cargo ship appears to be going to Marrakech, and the galleass belongs to Morocco, why would one wish to plunder/destroy it? I could understand if it were going to another destination; however, I suppose the plunder option is there by default.

Also, Zac said that you've had to need to have declared war with the owner of the trade route - so in this case, Morocco is at war with Brazil - but trade is still happening....
Not necessarily. The option might be active in peacetime, but executing it will result in declaration of war (like moving into foreign territory without Open Borders).
 
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