Best trade partners

**ztn3** · April 09, 2009, 03:22 PM

What is your experience with trade partners?
I listed a poll so you can pick your favourite.
I must also add that a result of a trade partnership diverse with different nations ofc. Nations with the most provinces is usually a good choice to trade with (and also those having an access to good resources).

My tips while playing the colonial powers (GB, FRA, Spain, UP) and also Prussia:
Russia (after they get a trade port, they seem to be on of the best choices)
Ottoman Empire (always good)
Marathas

Afterwards Austria and Sweden are fine, Spain, France, GB and New Spain following.
Usually rather poor income comes from trading with UP and Portugal. I would not recommend Denmark and Persia, because they get their ports blocked often.
It would be nice if someone actually does exact research of the trade system

**Jor95gen** · April 10, 2009, 01:12 PM

Ottoman Empire it's big, many people who needs my products = alot of cash

**~~nilats~~** · April 10, 2009, 01:21 PM

marathas pay most for trade agreement on turn one up to 4k

**TiTiTimmy** · April 10, 2009, 01:35 PM

The Ottoman Empire...

**ztn3** · April 13, 2009, 07:50 PM

The key is probably to trade with a nation having the most regions connected to his home-region and trade ports...

**nimoto** · April 13, 2009, 08:23 PM

A new trade agreement with Spain netted me 13k a turn as the Marathas.

I still am not sure if it's best to have complimentary exports with your trade partner (i.e. they have tobacco, I have none, I have tea, they have none).

I feel like that would make sense, but I have no science to back it up.

**the_mango55** · April 13, 2009, 11:13 PM

Ottoman Empire is the best

Followed by whoever wins between Marathas and Mughals

**MyKingforahorse** · April 14, 2009, 07:19 AM

The Ottomans or the Swedes and then eventually Russia, both are for the most part tucked away far enough that they pay a mint for any trade goods, especially Coffee and Sugar since more often than not they are already importing some spices/tea from Persia.

**Faris ad Din** · April 14, 2009, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by MyKingforahorse

The Ottomans or the Swedes and then eventually Russia, both are for the most part tucked away far enough that they pay a mint for any trade goods, especially Coffee and Sugar since more often than not they are already importing some spices/tea from Persia.

Where did Persia get spices and tea? There isn't any in their lands. Do you mean the Marathas? The Marathas are great trade partners (assuming the majority of cases in which they win against the Mughals) - 2k a turn on turn 30. Furs are a good export to those strange Indians. I just have to start up another campaign to see if the Ottomans are really the best money-makers, I can't tell right now because I'm playing them!

**MyKingforahorse** · April 14, 2009, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Faris ad Din

Where did Persia get spices and tea? There isn't any in their lands. Do you mean the Marathas? The Marathas are great trade partners (assuming the majority of cases in which they win against the Mughals) - 2k a turn on turn 30. Furs are a good export to those strange Indians. I just have to start up another campaign to see if the Ottomans are really the best money-makers, I can't tell right now because I'm playing them!

Apologies, yes Marathas after they have taken over persia more or less. At least in many of my games if you leave India alone by the late period 1770 or so, almost nearly 100% of the time the Marathas have spread out to conquer all of India and on into Turkey.

The ottomans are great early trade partners, but as others have mentioned in the late game it switches around a bit as they start to lose their holdings in Europe. If either poland or prussia breaks out and grabs a region with a trade port, they instantly become numero uno on the trade list. Being land locked much of the time and at war with nearly everyone else they pay top dollar for almost every trade good in existance.

And as also said, everyone pays top for Ivory, so try to monopolize the ivory coast asap.

**MrOsterman** · April 14, 2009, 08:44 AM

My problem right now is that I've let myself have a trade agreement with the Marathas for 40 years, and most of it the Mughals have raided and blockaded into nothingness. So now I'm building a fleet to go start a war with the Mughals but I'm stuck with half of my first rates blocked in the Med by a bunch of Morrocans I don't want to start a war with.

On the upside I'm building a steam powered dry dock outside of Philly so in a few years I'll start building ships there too to send to India and the Ivory cost to deal with these Mughal Privateers.

Oh.. and I'm Prussia. Did you meet my little protectorate Ireland who I'm about to hand Scotland to?

**Faris ad Din** · April 14, 2009, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by MrOsterman

... I'm stuck with half of my first rates blocked in the Med by a bunch of Morrocans I don't want to start a war with.

On the upside I'm building a steam powered dry dock outside of Philly so in a few years I'll start building ships there too to send to India and the Ivory cost to deal with these Mughal Privateers.

Oh.. and I'm Prussia. Did you meet my little protectorate Ireland who I'm about to hand Scotland to?

Wow, now that's REAL globalization!

**Walternat0r** · April 14, 2009, 07:33 AM

I find that Marathas once they have half of India or more make a good'un. But then, I never seems to make more than 1-1.5k from each trade partner (turn 80 odd with Prussia) which is a bit poo. Admittedly i'm trade partners with basically everyone so i'm pulling in about 15k from trade but it don't seem much at all.

**♔DARTH LEGO♔** · April 14, 2009, 07:47 AM

for me marathas hands down...no matter what faction im playing, i get my trade up first and then general alliance/trade agreement with them asap.
ports are easy to defend if you do the world patrol thing and have navies circling as their natural enemies only have galleys and very few if any ships of the line.
plus they always seem to consume loads of ivory which pretty much stays the most expensive commodity....

so quick trade lock....
load up north africa(ivory coast) and madagascar with indiamen ships. at least 3x per theatre
ally and trade with marathas....watch the cash roll in.

secondary trade you should target the indies as spices generally trade just below ivory most of the time.

@walter; you have to make sure your goods have markets with your euro partners also if you that far in and stable ensure your trade spots have roughly between 3-5 indiamen on them. i also find the more trade spots you have the more of a monopoly you control...

no word of a lie im playing france 1767ish and im netting 60-70k a turn my treasury is in the millions now and i dont know what to do with the cash....

pirate wise they only send fleets to these theaters very occasionally and comprise mostly galleons and trade ships so should be quick work for a strapping admiral.
However i must strees that if GB spain or france is one of your opponents then build a reliable fleet first and take one theatre at a time starting with the ivory coast .... and watch your routes
also should the marathas port get blocked for any reason and you are campaigning you need to hotfoot it otherwise your once pretty treasury balance goes horribly pear shaped.

**Spartan90** · April 14, 2009, 08:09 AM

Completely depends on what commodities you have monopolized, and what market you are attending too. No need controlling tea, then trying to trade with the Indian factions and expect to make money. Russia is a good trading partner, as it always pays heaps for the exotic commodities. If you control the Ivory Coast, however, almost all factions become excellent trading partners.

The Ottomans are excellent to trade with in the beginning -- due to their large spans of lands, and their almost infinite supply of multiple resources. Nevertheless, when their Empire starts to rapidly decline, there are usually better trading partners out there.