First trade route, what's good timing?

[anandus]

I'm trying to get a feel for BNW, in general it's working out fine.

But I just can't get the timing for my first caravan right.
It's relatively expensive, and I'm not sure where to place it in my build order.

When is it a good time to build one, any rules of thumb?

Now I build it around turn 50/60, I have 2 luxes up. Is that about right?

When do you build a caravan of forego one?
ASAP, even without luxes? With 1 lux up? 2?
Of course it depends on the situation, how far is it, how is the destination doing, how safe is it, etc.

I'd like to hear you opinions

 

[VainoValkea]

It's a tough decision, yeah. One thing I learned the hard way: definitely NOT before the route is clear of barbs (encampments can spawn next to the route and plunder it before you can react, wasting the trade unit!)

I think it might be viable to postpone the founding of the first route until after the second city is founded, as you won't be needing much gold before that.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

I'd say pop the first caravan/cargo ship when your surroundings are secure AND you are finished with your vital buildup. I currently tend to start my trade routes rather late - mostly because I don't want to risk that a stray barbarian unit plunders the unit after the first few rounds and returns with his friends...

Overall I think as long as you can keep a more or less balanced budged, there is no need for an early trade route. So: Better late than early, imho.

 

[seamus2010]

If you're trading with caravans you're doing something wrong.

 

[HeraldtheGreat]

I usually wait until after I've built a settler or two, so around turn 60-70, which seems too late, though it's hard to balance with NC. If I have gems, gold or some other gold producing lux I might postpone it a little further.

 

[triheptyl]

If you're trading with caravans you're doing something wrong.

Sea routes aren't always the most profitable, just usually. Plus, pangaeas generally have more options for land routes than sea routes.

 

[Hpuk]

If you have a civ within 10 tiles, asap (before libraries), otherwise it can wait in my opinion. This is on Immortal and Deity, on lower difficulties I don't know if the AI's have enough extra techs to provide 3+ science per turn from trade routes.