The Trading Port is a type of port in Napoleon: Total War.
Description
A port will improve a region's wealth and open up trade routes.
A port will improve a region's wealth and open up trade routes. Most roads are simply terrible, and bulky cargoes must go by ship: it is the only way of moving goods cheaply and relatively quickly. Trading ports improve a country's export capacity and increase trade value. They also make the whole world a marketplace, by allowing sea trade routes to be established.
Sometimes, customers were not sure what to make of the goods they were being sent: British merchants insisted on exporting heavy woollen cloth to India for years, even though there was no market for it! Coastal trade was also an easy way to turn a profit in Britain, the leading trade nation. A "cheese fleet" did nothing but sail back and forth between London and the northwest of England, bringing Cheshire cheeses to the London market. By a happy accident of geology, Cheshire had rock salt mines that provided the preservative needed for the local cheese to make the sea journey to London. Although salty, this was undoubtedly healthier than most food on a gentleman's table!
Effects
Requires empty port slot, 1,200 gold, and 4 turns. Can be upgraded into Commercial Port.
- Improves export capacity (increases trade values)
- +3 trade routes possible (sea)
- +100 to region wealth
- +10 per turn to town wealth in the region
- Recruitment capacity (ship under construction): 1
- Enables recruitment and replenishment of: Merchantmen (Trade Ship)
Pays for self after 17-24 turns, including build time. However, trade ports are far more valuable than their region wealth and town wealth suggest: they allow factions to trade with other factions and build trade ships, potentially making thousands to tens of thousands more gold per turn. Having at least one or two trade ports is beneficial for practically any faction at any stage in the game.