Improving Trade

**TWoxy** · September 16, 2009, 01:42 PM

I am about twenty years into a game as Austria and having decided early on to have a crack at trade, it was going swimmingly for a change. I had five merchants in Venice, but then they began to get competed away, until I had none. I've tried to remedy this, but I've managed to place a maximum of only three merchants into the centre of trade, the rest failing to compete away any rivals. And even the successful traders will soon be competed away.

My question is, how can I improve my trading ability and the "staying power" of my merchants?

**Ishoss** · September 17, 2009, 12:42 AM

I figure Venice is still Venice's province, in that case a high free-trade rating will help you.

**Devilmaypoop** · September 18, 2009, 01:54 AM

Allways move towards Free trade when possible.

**Musthavename** · September 18, 2009, 06:01 AM

Allways move towards Free trade when possible.

As Austria, don't. You should really be aiming to either take Venice or take and construct a CoT in Gorz.

As Mercantalism, only ever put Merchants in your CoTs. You just don't have the compete chance to have any staying power in home territory CoTs. The exception is far eastern CoTs before the Europeans set their sights on them where you'll have much higher TE than the locals, but otherwise, keep to your own.

Really, as Austria, don't focus on trading. A CoT in Gorz or taking Venice is great. Grab National Bank, and if you have IN, do the Fuggers mission/decision. Your gold provinces should give you a very high monthly income and those -inflation bonuses can really help you rack up a sizeable income without so much as a single merchant.

If you really want to succeed at trading, you need Free Trade moreso than anything else. National Trade Policy (+10% efficiency, which gives +5% compete chance) and Shrewd Commerce Practice (10% compete) also help. If you're a baltic nation, the Hanseatic League bonus is great. Also, you're looking out for Compete Chance, foreign if stated. Things like the "Merchant Chance" bonus listed under the Plutocracy Slider are red herrings. All those do is increase "Placement Chance", the chance of taking an empty slot, not the chance of taking other merchants slots / protecting your own.