Sea Lanes? What, when, how?

[TheBlackHand]

Well, how the hell do you set these things up? The game says you need an overseas route between two cities with a harbor. So, does that mean I nead to ENTER the other guys harbor? Do I need to contact his embassy? How the hell do I know which cities even have harbors?

I know about the prerequisie advancements....but I have no idea how to use them once I got em.

I'm finding out that there's a LOT of stuff that isn't covered in the manual...or if it is...it isn't covered very well.

 

[Captain Pugwash]

I had the same confusion about sea routes for trade...thought I had to send one of my ships to their port but now I believe that is not necessary. Here's how I think it works.

To trade, you have to connect the capital cities. If their capital has a port, fine, but if not then their capital needs a road route to one of their cities with a port. Similarly for your own civ.

When you both have ports (with a Harbour), then those two ports need to be connected by uncovered (ie non-black) coast/sea/ocean squares. The squares can be uncovered by trading maps or by visiting them with your ship, it doesnt matter how.

Be careful though about the difference between "ocean" and "sea" squares. Ports cant be connected by a route which includes "ocean" squares unitl you have Navigation. If there is a route which goes through only sea squares and coast squares then it will work before you get Navigation.

It is true that you dont know whether the other civ has a port or not so keep checking with your trade advisor from time to time. But dont bother visiting all squares with your ships...its boring and not needed...trading maps is the way to uncover the route imho

 

[Zouave]

Privateers.

Since caravans no longer exist, the prescence of privateers in sea lanes should effect trade as they specialized in attacking commerce.

But in Civ III, privateers can only attack (with limited effectiveness) enemy warships, which they didn't do historically.

This should also hold true for submarines - their mere prescence along sea lanes should effect trade.

 

[Proteus]

In a certain manner they do.

If you´re at war with another Civilization and this Civilization has a Traderoute passing through a strait (and no way to bypass the strait) you can block the Traderoute effectivly by blockading the Strait with your Ships.

Some People told, that you can do it also with Nations you are at peace with by using Privateers.

 

[Zouave]

And if there is no straight??

German subs attacked civilian shipping in WWII in the Atlantic between North America and Britain. U.S. subs attacked Japanese shipping between all their overseas possessions (especially the oil fields of Indonesia), and they did so along TRADE ROUTES and SHIPPING LANES.

Straights, by the way, are easily defended and covered by naval units of the trading nations making them death traps for subs or privateers.

 

[Quokka]

You can tell which of their cities has a Harbor the same way you can tell if one of yours has one, there is a small Anchor Icon just above City Size number. Later on the Plane Icon shows on cities that have airports.