What effect does blockading enemy ports actually have?

[NapoleonComple]

So far I've ascertained it increases Warscore and War Exhaustion. Doesn't seem to do a whole lot besides that.

 

[deadmeat1471]

The Manual says it reduces province income too, makes sense.

 

[Alomoes]

You can't siege Gibraltar and some other Islands without a naval blockade. Considering that Gibraltar has about 40k men in it, I would not want to assault it.

 

[Secret Master]

It also speeds up the time between siege events, so any fortress under blockade should surrender faster. This is on top of the "island fortress" problem facing anyone besieging Gibraltar, Malta, and Rhodes.

 

[Thanik]

From game files:

blockaded = {
local_tax_modifier = -0.90
regiment_recruit_speed = 0.33
ship_recruit_speed = 0.33
}

Also less tax -> less bonus to ship recruit speed.

Also it has indirectly effect to enemy -> give money to you.

Take a look at the 'Spoils of War' line in my Income statement. That's entirely from blockades...

P.S. Additionally if you manage to blockade all their ports they get additional nasty modifier:

total_blockaded = {
war_exhaustion = 0.2 #increased by war exhaustion.
}

 

[Dalwin]

The bit about getting money only applies to Britain as they are usually the only ones with naval dominance. It is part of the harbor fees.

It does increase war weariness which has several indirect penalties.

I do not think it raises warscore.

As stated above it can speed up coastal sieges. The person who said you cannot siege Gibralter without a blockade is incorrect. It will take a very long time to siege Gibralter without a blockade but it is allowed. The restriction is that you cannot assault it without a blockade.

Does anyone know of any locations other than Gibralter with the same restriction? I have not run into any yet.

Not quite the same as blockading exaclty, but along the same vein is the way fleets interact with straights. There are several narrow bodies of water that troops are allowed to cross without tranports. The crossing is not allowed if an enemy fleet is present.

 

[StephenT]

The bit about getting money only applies to Britain as they are usually the only ones with naval dominance. It is part of the harbor fees.

I do not think it raises warscore.

Your first paragraph is not correct: every country gets income from blockades. I just tested this with Russia in a new game: declaring war on Prussia and blockading a single port, Danzig, brings in about 9 ducats per month income.

It also gave me about 1% of war score. I suspect that will be capped, as it is in EU3; but blockading a country certainly does contribute a little to warscore.

 

[marat271]

So far I've ascertained it increases Warscore and War Exhaustion. Doesn't seem to do a whole lot besides that.

Never underestimate war exhaustion. Wars are won with war-exhaustion in MP games.

 

[unmerged(281782)]

And don't forget it cuts supply to blockaded port via sea. Have nasty British come into mainland? Blockade the port they came from, and they run out of supply fast.

 

[historybuff22]

Does anyone know of any locations other than Gibralter with the same restriction? I have not run into any yet.

Malta, Corfu, and Rhodes as far as I know.