commercial ports

[Bob]

Im trying to figure out if having commercial ports and/or shipyards in every region I take over necessary? If only 1 commercial and shipyard is enough in a growing empire, that would make life easier in regions that needs more food.

Thx for answers.

[operating1]

You do realize that trading ports in general are OK, the focus of having a commercial port should be a home region priority first, then extend to other most favored trading ports for commercial development. If a region needs growth to help develop cities by all means a fishing port will do the job till at some point it should be replaced by a trading port/shipyard. Personally, I tend to keep a shipyard or better in each theater when applicable such as: One in the Baltic, Western Europe and Africa, Both ends of the Med., North and South Americas, and India. I do not see a need for a gazillion shipyards, trading ports are more of an importance to my strategy, especially if there is trading commodities available.. Fishing ports are only a temporary phase of a campaign when needed, after that they tend to create over population problems.

[Bob]

Originally posted by operating1:

Thanks a lot.

[Insaniac]

Trading ports all the way. They provide more long term growth overall and open you up to trade. Having a few Naval facilities scattered here and there will usually suffice.

[Xcorps]

You need as many commercial ports as upgraded as possible. The order you upgrade them depends on the other industrial buildings you have and what tech you have. For instance, the final tier of trade ports costs 10,000 to build and gives 500 region wealth +5 per turn. However, the final tier of textile gives as much as +1300 wealth/ +16 per turn and only costs 6,000. The obfvious choice would be to upgrade the textile building, but by the time you can make those upgrades your economy should already be in pretty decent shape so the upgrade question isn't as critical as it is in the early game when income is severly limited.

You need 1 shipyard per theater at most.

Fishing ports are only useful if you need population growth for new town emergence. Once the region reports that no new towns are avaialbe, Fishing ports should be replaced with commercial ports. Fishing ports even fully upgraded have a small impact on region wealth and no per turn growth and population has zero impact on tax income.

[Bob]

Originally posted by Kumelowski:

Originally posted by Xcorps:

Thank you all, good advice.