How effective is the Trade Economy?

[Turquoiside]

I've recently found most of my empiredbeing propped up by other A.I.s. In my current game as Hannibal (Worthless UU and UB, as I was inland on Pangea) I warrior rushed Babylon and, almost on accident, began to REX ( I had no idea waht to do with it, so I had it build Settlers) Soon I had 0% research and 8 cities in the B.C. A little fast, but I was alive. Yet, I could never find the way to salvage my economy. My usual religious Economy failed, then my CoL strategy went downhill. Then, stupid Washington is suddenly Cautious and gives me Currency for some techs. Suddenly, resource trade props me up to about 40%, then 60%, and finally 80% to 70%.
On higher levels, will this stretegy be even viable? Mainly on Monarch, becaause I hear that is a huge step up. It probably only worked then because I had nine rival empires who almost all traded with me. I would give them Gems or Wine for 10, 16 gold, and that would let me up research, so I could keep up in techs.

 

[Joshua368]

Yes, but usually only on water maps where overseas trade really strengthens the routes, and often with the Great Lighthouse which obviously makes it very strong. On archipelago maps the GLH/Trade Route economy can be almost overpowering.

On pangaea though it isn't quite as strong... the fact that you were unable to recover without it shows that you probably didn't know how to heal your economy correctly. Were you working a bunch of cottages in most of your cities?

It's still a nice boost though regardless of maps, try to get those open borders!


On a side note, how is Hannibal's UU useless when landlocked?

 

[Turquoiside]

Yes, but usually only on water maps where overseas trade really strengthens the routes, and often with the Great Lighthouse which obviously makes it very strong. On archipelago maps the GLH/Trade Route economy can be almost overpowering.

On pangaea though it isn't quite as strong... the fact that you were unable to recover without it shows that you probably didn't know how to heal your economy correctly. Were you working a bunch of cottages in most of your cities?

It's still a nice boost though regardless of maps, try to get those open borders!


On a side note, how is Hannibal's UU useless when landlocked?

It isn't useless due to being inland, but rather landlocked, not to mention its really meant as a seige counter. For my purposes, it wouldn't be too much help. Cottages tend to be something I don't use heavily, due to maybe inexperience, but yes the cottages I did use webt into the salivation of my empire.

 

[FriendoftheDork]

Yes trade can really make a difference, especially on water maps where you get intercontintal trade with alot of other civs, and if you can get large cities. On my recent USA game I managed to get 12 per trade route in my largest cities on the east coast, and with UN 6 trade routes! I didn't build a single cottage that game and still kept up in tech and got ahead in the modern area. (start rennaissance).

Ok enough bragging, Joshua is right that you shouldn't have to be dependent on trade if you can build cottages in the BC, and courthouses should also help alot.

 

[Joshua368]

Cottages tend to be something I don't use heavily

Yet, I could never find the way to salvage my economy.

Everything's alright, I'm just pointing out there's a connection here.

 

[FriendoftheDork]

Cottages are long-term investments, so I can understand the hesitation to use them. I seldom use them myself in resource-heavy cities as working the resources provides more benefits. Since I favour sea cities there is often not enough space to build many cottages. Trade can make up for this though, and the combination of food resources and coastal tiles quickly gives alot of commerce.

Landlocked cities with lots of grassand is ideal for cottaging though. You can cottage plains but that requires heavy food resources or to farm 2 grassland (which is of course better to cottage them and farm the plains instead).

 

[Turquoiside]

I did use cottages, when I could but, it took an insane amount of time to get it, probably the longest I had been without Pottery a game. Besides, cottages aren't THAT great, sure 5 commerce is good, but propping them up takes the time connecting resources could take.

 

[Jewman]

u can run a really nice economy by just farming and not building a single cottage.
but that is called a Specialist Economy and it takes a lot of close watch and care to make it work nicely.
cottages are easier. you build one and you watch it grow and give you money over time.
the point being, pick one of these strategies at the beginning of a game and stick to it.

 

[Roxlimn]

NarutoAvatarDBZ:

Successfully dealing with the AIs is worth at least one level of difficulty up in the game - it's quite viable all the way.

Indeed, most people find that the most viable way to keep solvent in the face of monstrous maintenance is to keep leeching off the AI in various ways. The better you can leech off of them, the better off you'll be in the game.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

You will always do better in civ if you forfeit all concept of "running an economy" altogether. Trade routes can have a very meaningful impact with great lighthouse and either foreign or offshore trade.

 

[Roxlimn]

OP appears to be talking about "running an economy" off of GPT deals garnered off of AIs. That's an "economy," too, and I've found it useful the higher level I go. Usually, lower difficulty AIs just don't have the gpt to give you a good deal.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

It's a source of GPT that can allow one to run the slider higher (or buy things - techs, wars, or buildings/units), nothing more, nothing less.

But it's useless to pigeonhole such an "economy". You can easily do that in addition to managing tiles properly.

I'm not going to pretend I always make the correct tile use choices based on the map, but I can put forth a pretty strong body of evidence from both myself and players who win on deity, that you want to take advantage of absolutely everything you can. Trying to run extra cottages or specialists can easily be to your detriment. So can ignoring either and focusing on your trade deals while working tile suboptimally.

I know it sounds nice to say you're running SE or something, but that's all it does...sound cool. You won't win a game running SE. You'll win it attaining enough tiles and using them well. Even the most dedicated SE player will have passive commerce, and the good one will take advantage of it. Same for cottages (Have you ever seen resident cottage spammer (cottages!! = 10 char) DaveMCW tell you never to run specialists?! I think not).

 

[Roxlimn]

Absolutely. Always play the tiles - play the map. This is why I've always said that it's not land that's power, but population. Land defined as the number of tiles in your cultural control is worth nothing if they're not worked, and not all population will be working tiles all the time anyway.

But to the OP, let's focus on what's important. He doesn't know about SE or CE or TRE or whatever. He's asking if it's important and advantageous to work the GPT deals for money. I would say that yes, it is.

 

[Turquoiside]

Well, I KNOW what they are, I just choose not to use them. There is a difference. Anyway, I did say Trade, not Trade Route, and I specified in the post... But thank you to all of you who posted. This willl certainly help my next game.....well....

 

[Roxlimn]

Well, that's fortunate. It's best not to get swayed by a rigid mindset when playing the game. You should always play the strategy you find fun and most effective. Using specialists doesn't require an "SE" and cottages a "CE." Those are just shortcuts for more complicated situations anyhow. Any particularly optimized economy tends to have aspects of all of those - it just runs whatever works best.

 

[PaintPowerGirl]

Not. These days.

I mean look at the market!!!!!