Wonder if we can invent privateers early.
But the Trelli just did. They figured out how to make a profit from Mercenaries when you aren't renting them out to fight: Set them to slave raid on their own
You're right about the rest of your post considering risk. I will probably change my vote, but...
Natural northern coniferous forests as they were before the 19th century clearcuttings were a huge mix of various tree varieties. Admittedly, trees such as ponderosas are absolute shit for shipbuilding, but there's more than just these. Redwood, which is what I suspect those trees might be, is quite good for ship building, though other Sequoia varieties aren't so much. Many varieties of spruce are also quite good. I know firs are used for plywood and so is lodgepole. I couldn't find anything about building plank from those.
Mmm, that does make sense, but also keep in mind that significant amounts of timber trade isn't happening. Logs are very high bulk, very high volume goods, so trading wood is difficult long distances until we improve boat tech a fair chunk more.
Either way, a Northern Trade Post isn't going to produce a benefit right
now, because it takes time to claim them for managed forests and then figure out what they are good for, and apply those materials to shipbuilding.
And the now-term is rather important.
Predicted Northern trade post timeline:
-Turn 1: Main New Settlement, Main Expand Economy(may fail due to unfamiliar climate)
-Turn 2: Main Docks,Main Walls(expected around the point they realize that a high settlement wall greatly cuts down fuel demands in winter by eliminating wind chill)
-Turn 3: Main Trade Mission, Main Expand Forest
Turn 3 is the soonest I would expect them to be able to provide us northern wood in seeds/saplings, they'd be more likely to focus on acquiring the high trade value, low bulk furs and amber initially.
To ship down the bulk quantities of timber needed for ships would require on site shipbuilding capabilities and a new boat design for Size + Size + Portable to make shallow draft barges that can fit trees.
[X] [Exp] Found Far Northern Trade Post
[X] [Diplo] Need a bigger boat (Main More Boats)
I like the synergy of North and Boats.
But...there isn't one? North pays out boat improvements generations down the line. They won't help the current boat batch.
But the bronze they already have do not vanish all of the sudden does it? I'm saying that if they do choose to play (naval) hardball with us, we could likely receive considerable backlash (think repercussions from cut off sea routes and difficulty in supporting Greenshore). All of which could be avoided if we could match them on naval terms or didn't draw aggro from them. There are certainly pros to your approach but I personally do not like the risks involved.
Current bronze remains in circulation, but weapons and tools lost can't be replaced, and new weapons/tools can't be made without a fresh supply. The Bronze Age collapse was due to this, an economy geared around the expectation of bronze elite artisan tools and elite warrior equipment collapses when you become unable to grow and keep up with the demands of a growing population.
Think for instance, you have 10% of your population armed with bronze. The Tin supply cuts off. Your population loses 10% of their gear to misadventure(especially common with warriors!), and also grows by 10%. Now you have 8% of your population armed with bronze a generation later.
Which gives you people who want or need bronze equipment fighting over who gets the limited stuff. You lose it at an even higher rate in war if you fight to grab it.
Which leads to the solution here: By controlling the Tin supply, they must either beat us within 2-3 turns, surrender in the same timespan or implode.
...kind of like a Nomad Waagh really...
Uh.
So, this vote is willing right now.
And while I can definitely see the use of everything for, it puts us at 6 econ. That is... a problem. Weren't we going to try to finish the palace next turn? Provinces aren't going to spend us down past 1, so that is only 5 econ free. And if they try to keep a buffer of 2 for the city tax, it is only
three econ free. That would not only make it impossible to finish next turn, but possibly screw us out of multiple free actions (law bonus, symphony bonus).
@veekie - thoughts?
This turn Econ 11/Expansion 6
-Trade Post -2
-More Boats -2
-Festival -1
This turn end 6/Expansion 11
-More Boats +1
Next turn start 7/Expansion 12
-More Boats +1
-Baby Boom +5
-City Tax -2
-Palace -4
Next mid-turn start 7/Expansion 14
So barring unexpected events:
Current Project progress 3/8-10
-Main Palace +1
-Province +1
-Law bonus +1
-Symphony bonus +1
Next mid-turn project progress 7/8-10
-Main Palace +1
So we won't be screwed out of full efficiency.
We will not complete it next main turn unless the provinces don't factor Symphony bonus into their calculations.
We will get partial Palace benefits next turn no matter what(7 actions committed > 6 criteria)
We may or may not finish the Palace on the next mid turn.
We definitely can start the Census the turn after.
Does that satisfy?
