Blockade, how does it work?

[Virtual Alex]

I sent some privateers out to blockade, I heard money sounds and collected various little sums of money however I don't really get what's going on.

How much area do they blockade?

What effect does the blockade have on my enemy?

Do they lose the money I am getting?

Do they lose access to resources?

What determines the amount of money I get?

If I have a stack of 4-5 ships all blockading the same spot, do I get money for each or is this a waste of ships?

What are some of the best way to use this?

 

[God-Emperor]

How much area do they blockade?

It's similar to the area they can see - if you click on a ship that is set to blockade, the area is indicated with some dark color (dark grey or dark blue) as an outline and diagonal lines through the area, similar to the way the area an airship/fighter/bomber can perfom missions in is marked (except the color).

What effect does the blockade have on my enemy?

They can't have trade routes pass through the area, or work any of the tiles.

Do they lose the money I am getting?

Yes. You are getting the money they would have gotten from trade routes that you are blocking, or somethign like that.

Do they lose access to resources?

I don't think so. They can't work the tiles, but I think they still get the resources in the area (which is why you should plunder them before you blockade). This is like putting a land unit on a resource next to a city (when you are at war with them) - they can't work the tile, but still get the resource until you destroy the improvement.

What determines the amount of money I get?

I think it's the base value of the trade routes you're blocking (before any modifiers the city would add), but I'm not sure. It often seems to me that it is about the value of just one trade route.

If I have a stack of 4-5 ships all blockading the same spot, do I get money for each or is this a waste of ships?

It's a waste of ships, from the money aspect. On the other hand, privateers are not all that strong so using more than one can be a good idea - when they finally manage to send a frigate it will tend to win against a privateer, but it will also tend to be damaged enough that a second privateer can destroy it.

 

[Ghpstage]

I sent some privateers out to blockade, I heard money sounds and collected various little sums of money however I don't really get what's going on.

How much area do they blockade?

3 tiles in all directions totalling a large 7*7 square, the same as all cities. For Privateers to gain gold from a specific city however, you MUST make sure the city tile itself is blockaded AND you must not be at war with the blockaded civ.

What effect does the blockade have on my enemy?

I think of blockade doing 3 jobs, this greatly simplifies how it works.
1) Prevents cities working of all coast/ocean tiles in the blockade zone, provided the ship can physically reach them.
2) Blocks trade networks passing through blockaded tiles. This prevents trade routes forming and prevents the movement of resources, but only if all possible routes are blocked.
1) and 2) work for all ships at war and for Privateers at all times!
3) All coastal cities inside the blockade zone lose all trade route commerce provided the Privateer can physically reach the city. All blocked commerce is given to the blockading player as gold.
Other cities however, can trade to the blockaded city, (including yours ) and resources are not blocked unless all possible network routes (i.e. road/river/fort) are blocked.
3) only applies with Privateers blockading cities belonging to someone you are not at war with.

Do they lose the money I am getting?

They lose the commerce the trade routes would otherwise create

Do they lose access to resources?

Sea resources caught in the blockade are immediately lost, land resources still need the trade network cut.

What determines the amount of money I get?

The total commerce value of all trade routes in the blocked city, 1 ship can also affect multiple cities

If I have a stack of 4-5 ships all blockading the same spot, do I get money for each or is this a waste of ships?

You only gain the gold from one ship, stacking is wise however as they provide a detterent against massed AI caravels that like attacking Privateers.

You can find some more info in this thread
And I posted some examples of Privateer mechanics in this one

 

[Virtual Alex]

Thank you both.

 

[Warspite2]

@Ghpstage thanks! I looked at your examples and it clarifies a lot about blockades that I too wondered about. Certainly much more detailed then what I ever thought. I never tried, but can subs blockade too?

 

[TruePurple]

If a unit has moved or attacked that turn, does it still blockade that turn?

 

[earthy]

stacking is wise however as they provide a detterent against massed AI caravels that like attacking Privateers.

This can get really funny if the AI has a large inlet where they stack their caravels. With 5-6 privateers you can just keep picking off caravels and the AI will respond by pumping even more out. I've had level 4-5 privateers this way that later upgrade to strong destroyers. Fun strategy at lower difficulties..