It has been some time since I introduced my new trade system in v1.0. I've done my best to make it fully functional in time for the next release, but I ran into a major problem: The only way to enable a certain unit type in a province is to add allow_unit_type = x in the effects of its trade good. This fact has been a royal pain in my ass for some weeks now. Even though a province may have the province supply called horses, it won't be possible to recruit cavalry there unless the trade good has a line saying allow_unit_type = cavalry. Since I can't add this line to every single trade good, I have to make sure the province in question always exports horses. No regulation of provincial export!
I've discovered other problems with my supplies, too. Most of them give a global bonus, since the number of provincial modifiers is far to limited. (There's no such thing as a local building cost modifier or heavy infantry cost modifier). Global bonuses can easily become quite unbalanced, since they make the large countries even stronger. In my opinion, the only good solution is to let triggered modifiers handle the global bonuses. Small countries get larger bonuses for the same number of supplies.
I've decided to scrap my supplies entirely, and extend the list of available trade goods instead. I'll start off with showing you a list of the new trade goods.
For reasons I've already explained, none of these trade goods will have global bonuses. Instead, I've divided them into three categories. First, we have the luxury items, trade goods that satisfy the needs of the upper class in society (citizens). Trading these will, obviously, make the local aristocrats happier, which grants a small bonus to research points. Then we have a couple of trade goods that I have linked to the middle class (free men), such as textiles and pottery. These ones increase the local manpower value. Finally, there's a number of trade goods that are supposed to make things easier for the lower class (slaves), and consequently increase the local tax revenues.
This division is somewhat crude, but I can't come up with anything better with so few provincial modifiers available. At least it's very balanced. Check the code box below to see what it looks like in tradegoods.txt. The last trade goods (beginning with wood) aren't used in-game, they're just there for compability.
Note that the unit types are called light/heavy/missile infantry, light/heavy cavalry and war elephants in-game (see previous update). Quite illogically, missile infantry can only be recruited in provinces with asphalt, currants, carpets or figs. This is because I've located these trade goods to provinces where the Romans historically recruited their auxiliary archers. Asphalt is found in Nabatea, currants on the Balearic Islands, carpets in Phrygia and currants on Crete.
In case you haven't noticed, there's a trade good that really stands out. It's called no_trade_good. This trade good makes it impossible to trade with other provinces. I've given it to every single province with a civilisation value below 50.
It works a bit like in EU III, where colonies start out with a question mark in the trade box. You've no idea what kind of trade good a colonised province will produce (unless you know your history), until it becomes civilised enough to start exporting products to other provinces. Each province has a flag given to them, which triggers an event once their civilisation value reaches 50. This event gives them the trade good that they exported historically. Naturally, provinces with civilisation values above 50 start out with trade goods from the beginning.
With no trade routes to save them, uncivilised provinces will take a long time to get civilised. Luckily, I'm going to add a number of events that increase the local civilisation value once certain buildings are built. Colonisation won't be impossible in Imperium, only more expensive.
When it comes to unit types, I'd say my new system reflects the situation during Antiquity quite well. Typically, you recruit heavy infantry from your cities and archers and light cavalry from your colonies. Uncivilised tribes have three unit types to play around with, which is a lot more fun than just one. (This could make up for the fact that I've prevented them from trading.)
Cheers!
I've discovered other problems with my supplies, too. Most of them give a global bonus, since the number of provincial modifiers is far to limited. (There's no such thing as a local building cost modifier or heavy infantry cost modifier). Global bonuses can easily become quite unbalanced, since they make the large countries even stronger. In my opinion, the only good solution is to let triggered modifiers handle the global bonuses. Small countries get larger bonuses for the same number of supplies.
I've decided to scrap my supplies entirely, and extend the list of available trade goods instead. I'll start off with showing you a list of the new trade goods.
Code:
amber
asphalt
carpets
cattle
coal
colours
copper
cork
currants
dates
drugs
figs
fish
furs
geese
glass
gold
grain
hemp
honey
horses
incence
iron
ivory
lead
linen
marble
no_trade_good
olive_oil
papyrus
parchment
perfumes
petroleum
pottery
purple
salt
silk
silver
slaves
spices
sulphur
swine
timber
tin
wa
wild_animals
wine
womens_hair
wool
zink
For reasons I've already explained, none of these trade goods will have global bonuses. Instead, I've divided them into three categories. First, we have the luxury items, trade goods that satisfy the needs of the upper class in society (citizens). Trading these will, obviously, make the local aristocrats happier, which grants a small bonus to research points. Then we have a couple of trade goods that I have linked to the middle class (free men), such as textiles and pottery. These ones increase the local manpower value. Finally, there's a number of trade goods that are supposed to make things easier for the lower class (slaves), and consequently increase the local tax revenues.
This division is somewhat crude, but I can't come up with anything better with so few provincial modifiers available. At least it's very balanced. Check the code box below to see what it looks like in tradegoods.txt. The last trade goods (beginning with wood) aren't used in-game, they're just there for compability.
Code:
amber = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
asphalt = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = archers
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
carpets = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = archers
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
cattle = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
coal = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
colours = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
copper = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
cork = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
currants = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = archers
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
dates = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
drugs = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
figs = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = archers
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
fish = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
furs = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
geese = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
glass = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
gold = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
grain = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
hemp = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
honey = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
horses = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = cavalry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
incence = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
iron = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
ivory = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = warelephant
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
lead = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
linen = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
marble = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
no_trade_good = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_trade_routes = -10
allow_unit_type = horse_archers
allow_unit_type = archers
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
olive_oil = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
papyrus = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
parchment = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
perfumes = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
petroleum = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
pottery = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
purple = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
salt = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
silk = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
silver = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
spices = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
sulphur = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
swine = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
tin = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
wax = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
wild_animals = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = warelephant
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
wine = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
womens_hair = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_research_points_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
timber = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
wool = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_tax_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
zink = {
color = { 0.7 0.0 0.0 }
local_manpower_modifier = 0.1
allow_unit_type = heavy_infantry
allow_unit_type = trireme
}
wood = {
color = { 0.0 0.5 0.0 }
allow_unit_type = trireme
allow_unit_type = archers
}
stone = {
local_defensive = 1
color = { 0.0 1.0 0.0 }
}
elephants = {
allow_unit_type = warelephant
color = { 1.0 0.8 0.8 }
}
cloth = {
local_ship_recruit_speed = -0.25
color = { 0.3 0.7 0.9 }
}
wild_game = {
local_start_experience = 0.1
color = { 0.0 0.8 0.8 }
}
In case you haven't noticed, there's a trade good that really stands out. It's called no_trade_good. This trade good makes it impossible to trade with other provinces. I've given it to every single province with a civilisation value below 50.
It works a bit like in EU III, where colonies start out with a question mark in the trade box. You've no idea what kind of trade good a colonised province will produce (unless you know your history), until it becomes civilised enough to start exporting products to other provinces. Each province has a flag given to them, which triggers an event once their civilisation value reaches 50. This event gives them the trade good that they exported historically. Naturally, provinces with civilisation values above 50 start out with trade goods from the beginning.
With no trade routes to save them, uncivilised provinces will take a long time to get civilised. Luckily, I'm going to add a number of events that increase the local civilisation value once certain buildings are built. Colonisation won't be impossible in Imperium, only more expensive.
When it comes to unit types, I'd say my new system reflects the situation during Antiquity quite well. Typically, you recruit heavy infantry from your cities and archers and light cavalry from your colonies. Uncivilised tribes have three unit types to play around with, which is a lot more fun than just one. (This could make up for the fact that I've prevented them from trading.)
Cheers!
Last edited: