Trading Problems/irregularities :/

[bongo]

Enemy units are supposed to disrupt trade but I've had difficulties to get it to work. Making an naval blockade is close to impossible.

BTW Haven't tried it in PTW yet. I will when I get the opportunity.

[rippk]

info on a naval blockaid would be helpful to me as well.

[Catt]

Naval blockades are very difficult. A big part of the difficulty stems from the flexibility of trading networks -- we all get to use other civ's infrastructure. Some examples.

If an enemy civ is isolated on its own landmass, a naval blockade requires placing units in every coastal tile to which every enemy coastal city with a harbor has access -- assuming three coastal tiles per harbor-city, even only 4 harbors would require 12 ships to blockade -- and they have to blockade for an entire turn -- if one of them is sunk, no blockade. What may be more feasible is when an isolated civ has only one coastal or sea lane for trade with a wider world -- in theory (I've never done this) blocking that lane with naval units would disrupt trade for the enemy (this seems the likely issue encountered by rippk -- barbarian galleys disrupting his fragile caostal trade routes from turn to turn).

When an enemy is not isolated, blockades become all but impossible. If enemy civ shares a landmass with neutral civ, there is no way for you to blockade neutral civs harbors -- blockades (i.e., cutting off trade through a tile) only works when at war. Even if you blockade all of enemy civ's harbors, it may still trade across the seas through neutral civ's harbors.

When airports come, forget it.

I've tried naval blockades from time to time -- but I've never found an instance when it wasn't easier and cheaper to build a force sufficient to isolate the enemy capitol through pillaging. There's always the trade embargo, also, although I don't like the inflexibility of the 20-turn length and rarely use them.

Catt

[bongo]

I'v seen a handful of cases where the AI continue to build units when it's access to resources should be cut off(pillaged roads, destroyed harbors...). Too bad I haven't kept more of my save-games. I may have missed some finer details of the AI's trade network in the heat of the battle

[ToeTruck]

There is often a delay between the time the trade network is disrupted (or roads on a strategic resource are pillaged) and unit production tapers off.

In the early game, Swordsmen can take 10-15 turns for the AI. Later, Knights and then Cavalry can take just as long. If you're playing at a difficulty level where the AI doesn't get production bonuses (Regent or under I think), it can take a long time for disruptions to the trade net to manifest as reduced production.

- TT

[rippk]

as I mentioned above, resources are allocated when production of a particular unit starts building. So if they have iron and start building swordsman ... even if you cut off iron supply, that particular city can finish it's swordsman as long as it doesn't swithc productions before completion. That's my experience at least.

luxury cotoff takes a complete run to take effect. so if you move your units t oblockade, I think you will have to wait until after the END of your NEXT turn to see effect.

[ToeTruck]

Yes, I think that is correct rippk.

- TT

[Wittlich]

Yes. If you have (for example) a city building an Immortal (which requires Iron) and your iron deposit has been cut off (after you've started building it in your city) - The city will still finish the building of the unit. The game only looks to see if you have the required resources before it starts building - it doesn't check the resource limitation while the unit is being built.

Oops, just noticed that I said the same thing as rippk.

[bongo]

Do you HAVE to pillage roads to block access to resources or is it enough to just stand on them?

I always pillage, just in case.

[Dr Shot]

Pillage,for fun,not required...

[TheArsenal]

I am finding that racing in and cutting off a resource prior to full attack is my favorite use for Conquistadors.

[Rommel2D]

luxury cotoff takes a complete run to take effect. so if you move your units t oblockade, I think you will have to wait until after the END of your NEXT turn to see effect.

Any idea how this relates to your own cities? When I have trades expire or lose luxuries off my network, it seems sometimes citizens riot immediately and sometimes they show up angry, but wait a turn to riot. Does this just depend on who initiated the trade or network disruption?