Caravan vs. Cargo Ship?

[Bridger]

I don't remember across the many versions how these two units have been balanced against each other at this point. It seems like caravans get a 25% bonus if they are next to a river and sea routes get an inherent bonus of 25% (plus the ability to reach further?)?

Can anybody lay out the pros/cons of these two? I know the goal was to avoid the vanilla situation where the cargo ship simply eclipsed the caravan because it provided 2x multiplier to income.

Also: are there any major differences on hammer/food production between them?

 

[tu_79]

Caravan. Earlier. Can access landlocked cities in your continent. Improves villages and towns in the tiles they use for traveling.
Cargo ship. Later. Can access coastal cities in other land masses. Bigger yields, faster movement.

Basically.

 

[Stalker0]

Late game if you have peace cargo ships are the way to go. They just generate more yields in general.

However, they are generally more risky in my experience. When wars break out, its a lot easier to cut them.

 

[tu_79]

Late game if you have peace cargo ships are the way to go. They just generate more yields in general.

However, they are generally more risky in my experience. When wars break out, its a lot easier to cut them.

I leave always a trade route or two in long voyages, just for the villages.

 

[vyyt]

I leave always a trade route or two in long voyages, just for the villages.

This is a very good point. The extra gold from villages is not apparent on the first sight, so I think many people just compare the net income from the trade itself without considering the extra gold from villages.

 

[Stalker0]

This is a very good point. The extra gold from villages are not apparent on the first sight, so I think many people just compare the net income from the trade itself without considering the extra gold from villages.

One thing to remember is that any trade route will trigger it. So if someone else sends a land route to you your villages will trigger even if you have all sea routes.

 

[vyyt]

One thing to remember is that any trade route will trigger it. So if someone else sends a land route to you your villages will trigger even if you have all sea routes.

Another good point. Although, you have no control over this one.

You can turn on the visible trade routes overlay (is it a default option or is it done by one of the Whoward's minimods?) and see where exactly are all the trade routes passing through - so you can get a rough idea about the number of trade routes and where they are passing through.

 

[cammcken]

Another good point. Although, you have no control over this one.

You can turn on the visible trade routes overlay (is it a default option or is it done by one of the Whoward's minimods?) and see where exactly are all the trade routes passing through - so you can get a rough idea about the number of trade routes and where they are passing through.

I use this, and unless I'm not paying close enough attention, it doesn't show other civ's trade routes. Only yours. You have to wait for the caravan unit to come into your view and roll-over it to see their path.

 

[vyyt]

I use this, and unless I'm not paying close enough attention, it doesn't show other civ's trade routes. Only yours. You have to wait for the caravan unit to come into your view and roll-over it to see their path.

Oh I see. I never really paid much attention to it before. I only noticed that I could see the caravan routes from other civs to me. So you are saying that I was hovering over the foreign trade unit with my mouse cursor... interesting.