Using your Merchants to "attack" other economys

[tapewormlondon]

I just got to thinking, couldn't you use a spare merchant and a tonne of light ships to push forward a load of cash from an enemies trade node, with no other purpose than vastly decreasing the amount of cash they are making out of trade, and thus cripple their economy? Could this be a viable short term strategy, before war?

For example if I were Venice and Portugal has set me as a rival, but we are not yet at war. Would it be beneficial to go park a spare merchant and a shed load of light ships in Sevilla to forward on a boat load of cash, so that they couldn't collect it? With the aim of causing them to have to turn down maintenance and then attack them whilst this is in place?

 

[Dutchling]

It will probably be more cost effective to use them for your own nodes and spend the extra money on mercenaries.

 

[Battlecry]

There's also some rules about having power in the previous node, in order to effectively transfer power from a node. Note that you're transferring power, not money, so I'm not sure how much near-term effect this would have on Portugal since they have provinces in Sevilla's zone, and thus much more power there than you. In monetary terms, I would think we're talking a few percent (perhaps up to 20%) of whatever percentage trade makes up of their total income. So I'd agree that strengthening yourself directly would be far more efficient.

EDIT: And while you're spending time transferring power away from Sevilla, Portugal can transfer power to Sevilla from Genoa or Tunis and do it more effectively because of their relative power in Sevilla.

 

[Illanair]

You'll be much too busy using them for your own trade - The offense is attacking their trade fleets during war. You can exploit a weak CB and decimate their fleets while they are trapped, then peace out asap with white peace if possible.

 

[knul]

I can certainly imagine it being viable if you get enough income (all level 3 advisors, force limits maxed, and so on) and want to hurt a rival. If your country would still benefit from more income, however, I doubt this strategy will be that advantegous, as you yourself become weaker while damaging your opponent. All other countries will basically get an advantage on you.

 

[Peter Ebbesen]

Yes, you can, but there is a much more powerful way of doing it than what you propose, which is merely directing some trade from nodes they control to yourself.

The more powerful way is to do exactly what you are doing and trade embargoing them, setting them as rivals for the most ludicrous outcome where you hurt their trade power without your own suffering at the same time as your ships are collecting/forwarding trade value.

Of course, they are likely to embargo you back if you being such a scoundrel, but if you have light ship dominance you will likely hurt them much more than they hurt you.

Note that embargoing them may trigger a war if you piss them off enough. (If both are merchant republics - which is not the case in your demo example - it is extremely likely that the trade war CB will be used.)

 

[ranbir]

I think if you want to attack their trade, don't do it at their home node (because they'll have ridiculous power there) but at any nodes along the way.

I managed to divert a lot from the Americas to London, taking a lot of Portugal, Spain and France's trade from north America. Chesopeek Bay or whatever, I love you.

 

[Lessing]

There's no such thing like "a spare merchant". .p

 

[unmerged(773066)]

Seems definitely possible, but I guess it comes down to whether using those Merchants / Fleets to fight a soft war and tear down their economy and influence is worth more than fighting a declared war and taking them on and Ally backlashes with Manpower. Situational but it's an intriguing option once Colonial Empires are really up and running.

 

[Illanair]

There's no such thing like "a spare merchant". .p

Probably this - Even a trade focused nation would gain more by focusing their merchants on pulling trade that matters them themselves, and then take colonies or smash fleets from opponents.