Why is China a deterrent for Silk Route?

[Logoncal]

Why doesnt the Silk Route expand to China? Is there a reason?

 

[Tigranes]

I am guessing China already has enough food/commerce and the purpose of Silk Road was to sustain those desert cities in the first place... But one north-western Chinese city can get it and I was lobbying to extrapolate Silk Road to include Chinese starting location. Because AI settles capital in place(which has no river) while human players settle 2E1S or 2E and rip all the benefits. Changan/Xian was an important city and capital should benefit from SIlk Road anyway. But my voice alone is not enough to sway Leoreth so I am glad you have opened this thread.

 

[Logoncal]

I mean, i guess it kinda makes sense in terms of gameplay but historical accuracy it's just stupid. China was the one who invented the Silk Road anyway. Why prevent the creator on using it?

 

[Tigranes]

I mean, i guess it kinda makes sense in terms of gameplay but historical accuracy it's just stupid. China was the one who invented the Silk Road anyway. Why prevent the creator on using it?

I was advocating for HQ for Silk Road in Chinese capital which could function just the way Trade Company wonder works for Europeans, because Silk Road's HQ can have the very same meaning and effect Trade Road HQ has for Europeans: brunches give gold to HQ. In that context, not having many Chinese cities with Silk Road branches makes sense: entire China collects goods to capital which sells it to the closest city west of it. Traders from there sell things to the neighbouring city further west and so on. Thus you get Silk Road cities benefiting from Silk Road branches while Chinese capital benefits from Silk Road HQ, and no need for other Core Chinese cities to have any branches...

 

[Logoncal]

I was advocating for HQ for Silk Road in Chinese capital which could function just the way Trade Company wonder works for Europeans, because Silk Road's HQ can have the very same meaning and effect Trade Road HQ has for Europeans: brunches give gold to HQ. In that context, not having many Chinese cities with Silk Road branches makes sense: entire China collects goods to capital which sells it to the closest city west of it. Traders from there sell things to the neighbouring city further west and so on. Thus you get Silk Road cities benefiting from Silk Road branches while Chinese capital benefits from Silk Road HQ, and no need for other Core Chinese cities to have any branches...

This, coupled with the Grand Canal, Porcelain Tower, Centralism and Regulated Trade would make Luoyang the BEST CAPITAL IN THE GAME*

*At least until you get Hydraulics and Railroad. D:<

 

[LikeNothing]

Because the Silk Route was never "trade" from China's point of view.

It's only ever the glorious Universal Monarch showering tributary barbarians with magnanimous gifts.

 

[Hightower]

The Silk Route is just a balancing mechanic to make medieval cities along the historical Silk Route better. (Thus in particular why it generates food, which otherwise doesn't make any sense.) China doesn't need it. Also, the Silk Route trade was pretty minor from China's perspective and much more significant for the central Asian states in particular and also the Middle East to a lesser degree. Silk Route does expand to Chinese cities along the Tarim basin and Hexi corridor (Dunhuang and Kashi as defaults), where it was economically significant.

 

[Leon Michiel]

Because the Silk Route was never "trade" from China's point of view.

It's only ever the glorious Universal Monarch showering tributary barbarians with magnanimous gifts.

That sounds really cool and interesting. Can you tell or share more on this? I have a vague memory of something similar in the Mongol empire.

Or was it the Klingon empire?

 

[Leon Michiel]

The Silk Route is just a balancing mechanic to make medieval cities along the historical Silk Route better. (Thus in particular why it generates food, which otherwise doesn't make any sense.) China doesn't need it. Also, the Silk Route trade was pretty minor from China's perspective and much more significant for the central Asian states in particular and also the Middle East to a lesser degree. Silk Route does expand to Chinese cities along the Tarim basin and Hexi corridor (Dunhuang and Kashi as defaults), where it was economically significant.

I do appreciate the silk road as more than just a balancing mechanic. It was historically incredibly significant for the Eurasian continent, both its European and Asian cultures and states. I also disagree with the notion that the Silk Road was minor from China's perspective. I remember reading its economy when to shambles at some point because everyone ended up silk farming. Also the outflux of gold and silver from Europe to Asia and especially through the silk trade was a big thing, starting from the Roman empire and into the colonial era. So it's really nice to see it represented as a game concept.

 

[youtien]

By the way: rather than let central Asia cities have silk plantation in their BFC, why not set silk on the city tile, if they weren't actually 'planting' silk? (Yeah in ancient time, western people was told that silk grows on tree, until someone stole a couple of silkworm.)