Caribbean Islands-Too poor?

**x0teutonic0x** · March 24, 2009, 07:29 PM

I'm taking a a class right now on England's colonies in the Atlantic. Something that always comes up is how the sugar colonies in the Caribbean were the main source of cash for any empire during this time period. But in ETW, some of these islands are dirt poor, while the holdings on the continent (13 colonies, Canada) are generally way better. Do any of you guys think that sugar should trade for alot more than it does? It would certainly make the naval game more interesting (once it's fixed by a patch).

**Hounf of Culan** · March 24, 2009, 07:54 PM

Yah I agree, I noticed the same thing when playing as Spain with all their island possessions. They don't really bring in that much cash, and I had them very well developed. When I finished the mission to get New Spain to join me I noticed that all the mainland areas were far wealthier than my island possessions. Some of it makes sense as Mexico was renowned for its lucrative gold and silver mines, but at the same time places like Cuba, Jamaica, Hispanola etc were all known for their lucrative sugar plantations.

**onetthome** · March 24, 2009, 08:24 PM

yeah, I definetly noticed that the carribean doesen't pay off, I had trade routes with spain, france and the ottomon empire and all my sugar and tea colonies didnt pay off. India is much more profitable.

**x0teutonic0x** · March 24, 2009, 08:37 PM

Yeah, when they make mods, I hope they remedy this. It would make the Atlantic MUCH more interesting. Just like the Revolution, if you want to scare the British into moving their soldiers and Navy away from the continent, attack their sugar colonies! I can't imagine that the British would basically sacrifice the 13 colonies just so they can make like 400 a year in Port Royal

**~~conard~~** · March 24, 2009, 08:35 PM

I completely agree, I have studied this time period as well, and i KNOw that this is one thing that is way off! England should be heavily dependent on those caribbean islands. Thats why they defended them so heavily. ANyways enough of my blood-pressure rising, for anyone feeling similar I came across this video, which is outrageously fun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhqfC0nX7Y8

**the_mango55** · March 24, 2009, 08:41 PM

I think the price of sugar gets so low because it comes from so many places, and there is so much on the market. All of the Caribbean and South America is sugar plantations, and the Brazil coast.

**masterproctor77** · March 24, 2009, 08:42 PM

Yeah, that's one thing I noticed about how the game progresses because the Carribean literally flops in comparison to Canada and other northern provincens, while historically it was the other way around.

The issue is pretty closely tied to slavery since it was such a dynamic economic factor for the British, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese, but as it has been mentioned, CA decided to leave that troublesome topic out.

**x0teutonic0x** · March 24, 2009, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by masterproctor77

Yeah, that's one thing I noticed about how the game progresses because the Carribean literally flops in comparison to Canada and other northern provincens, while historically it was the other way around.

The issue is pretty closely tied to slavery since it was such a dynamic economic factor for the British, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese, but as it has been mentioned, CA decided to leave that troublesome topic out.

Good ol' political correctness...lame. In Rome Total War, you could enslave the Mediterranean