worker and merchantilism questions

[yarrakus]

hi there,

I have two questions about the game..

1. is there a way to customize the automation of workers? something like emphasize production over food? like you can select for cities?

2. what is the use of merchantilism civic? it says "one free specialist" and "no foreign trade routes". I tried it out but specialists seem to cost a regular working tile as usual and banning foreign routes sounds like a bad thing cause they bring much more than domestic routes, so what might be rationale of doing so?

 

[Elerion]

1. No

2. "Free specialist" I would believe mean that they don't eat food. Specialists are your scientists, priests, engineers, etc. I have never converted to mercantilism myself, the tradeoff hasn't seemed worth it. Foreign trade routes give $$ and improve relations. It could be viable if you have highly specialized cities or are alone on a continent though.

 

[Heroes]

1. No

2. "Free specialist" I would believe mean that they don't eat food. Specialists are your scientists, priests, engineers, etc. I have never converted to mercantilism myself, the tradeoff hasn't seemed worth it. Foreign trade routes give $$ and improve relations. It could be viable if you have highly specialized cities or are alone on a continent though.

Free specialist is a specialist who doesn't cost your citizen. Even a new established city immediately get 1 citizen working tile and 1 specialist. It doesn't mean you can't trade with others, just that your cities cannot benefit from trade route with other civs.

 

[Elerion]

Free specialist is a specialist who doesn't cost your citizen. Even a new established city immediately get 1 citizen working tile and 1 specialist. It doesn't mean you can't trade with others, just that your cities cannot benefit from trade route with other civs.

That increases the usefulness, but my comment on trade routes still stand. They give more income than national trade routes, they improve relations, and they spread your religion.

Mercantilism seems suited to mass-expansion strategies with no religious aspirations then.

 

[yarrakus]

Free specialist is a specialist who doesn't cost your citizen. Even a new established city immediately get 1 citizen working tile and 1 specialist. It doesn't mean you can't trade with others, just that your cities cannot benefit from trade route with other civs.

is it so? this was my expectation from a free specialist but it seemed to cost a citizen to me... hmm... perhaps I didnt notice the real effect as it was a crowded city..

and for foreign trade routes; they earn more and improve the relationship so this must be the con side of the civic, free specialist being the pro I guess?

 

[Heroes]

That increases the usefulness, but my comment on trade routes still stand. They give more income than national trade routes, they improve relations, and they spread your religion.

Mercantilism seems suited to mass-expansion strategies with no religious aspirations then.

No, you can still trade with others, and improve relations and spread religion, etc. The only difference is that your cities cannot have the "trade route" income from foreign cities.

 

[Good Omens]

I've been trying some duel games, and, as you'd probably guess, mercantilism is great there. After all, once you're at war with your only rival, trade doesn't really work so well.

 

[SPQR300]

These trade routes don't improve relations, but spread religions, and give $$$.

 

[Elerion]

No, you can still trade with others, and improve relations and spread religion, etc. The only difference is that your cities cannot have the "trade route" income from foreign cities.

Of COURSE you can still trade with others, improve relations and spread religion, but you won't have the trade routes to assist you with that. Religion spreads across trade routes, especially ocean/coast routes are effective for this. You can and should use missionaries still, but trade routes significantly speed up the process, as well as bringing it to places you can't reach on foot.

I was also under the impression that the "Our years of fair trade etc" point on the relations meter was affected by trade routes, in addition to resource/tech trades. I've had higher rates there than my resource/tech trades with that particular nation should imply.