How is tradable goods income calculated?

[Alan McG]

Another probably begginer's question.. Several improvements like roads, markets and such have descriptions saynig something like "increases the amount of tradable goods'. I'm assuming this generates income somehow.

How is that income calculated? Do you get it based just on the size of the city, or do you also need to send a merchant off to some resource (and have him taken over in a couple of turns by an enemy merchant)?

Thanks!
Al

[Cahoma]

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with merchants.

I believe it just gives you another trade route, so the income depends on which factions you have trade agreements with. I am not entirely certain of that though

[Alan McG]

Ah, crap.. so those trade agreements are income sources? I thought they were just in order to give you more cash if you had a merchant in their territory (on top of a resource)!

[Cebwethe]

Roads and ports will give a set amount of income that improves as you improve the structures ie ports, roads, warehouses etc. The exact amount is not set; you can however see the volume of traffic to get a good idea of how much income is being generated- your finance tab (click the gold pot in the corner) will show you an overall amount, and you can see the individual income of each city in the overview.

Trade agreements ensure traffic can pass between you and neighbouring nations, either by land or by sea. For practical purposes, it is only worth securing trade agreements with immediate neighbours, at least initially. For my favourite Portugal, this means Spain/Moors/France.

Merchants are not related. They are agents that can be placed on resources (like ivory) but will be targeted heavily by enemy merchants; likewise, you can acquire enemy merchant assets with your own merchants. An excellent merchant moneymaker is the resource drops around Baghdad, or Timbuktu.

This is my preferred moneymaking strategy, as evidenced below

This is not altered in any way.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This income is summarised thusly :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As merchants advance in time and years, they also improve their moneymaking skills - you are limited in the number you can control, but it is best to have as many as possible that look like this :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

And with a bit of patience and perseverence, soon your trade will look like this :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Please attach images in spoilers

[Ishan]

Trade agreements increase your trade income considerabely.
For example:-
The interaction is between Hre-Venice.

Turn 1 started as venice did nothing waited like an idiot for 10 mins but no increase in trade income still 465.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Started new campaign (turn 1) with Venice and now i sent my diplomat to offer trade rights to the hre they accepted and now my trade income was 685 which is 685-465=220 florins more without clicking the next turn or doing anything else.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These two pics below show the income being received from bologna(Owner-Hre) before and after trade rights with them.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Income Received before acquiring trade rights from HRE = 24

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Income Received after acquiring trade rights from HRE = 76

The same goes with Naval trade routes.

[MJDreamWalker13]

What mod is that, Ishan?
Sorry for the offtopic question.

[Ishan]

It's my mod in early stages from one year ago it has changed a lot now visually etc etc.

[MJDreamWalker13]

I really like the look of the campaign map and the fact it's not crowded with factions as SS.
Is it available for download by any chance?

[Ishan]

I really like the look of the campaign map and the fact it's not crowded with factions as SS.
Is it available for download by any chance?

Thanks Pal.
And no not yet. If you wanna talk about it then post a visitor message not here as it's off-topic.

[HanatielHawk]

It's very handy to have trade ROADS but PORTS are more handy as they can export to non-neighbouring countries, most of the time naval-trade also generates more wealth so when you're playing as Egypt, England, Sicily etc. try to focus on naval trade and protection when in war because a blockaded port is a damaged economy. When playing factions as Russia (early stage expanding south and east) and HRE you could better spend your money on roads as ports bring in little wealth for a land-faction. In the late-era this could be a difference

[Alan McG]

Thanks all for the detailed explanations and pics.. It is much clearer now!

Cheers,
Al