What's the best thing to trade/ net income gain?

[EdgeLord]

I've been experimenting a little in selling stuff, and I've had differing levels of success. I've tried trading opium by settling in warm climate with cretonians selling about 700 opium per year, but the net income gain from selling opium feels kind of abysmal when accounting for the space, labor, and research needed for the farms. Wood also seems to be pretty good, but it does take a bit of micromanaging in having to fell trees with a decently sized oddjobber count. The most success I've had so far was getting dondorian slaves and having them produce and sell tools while producing steel and coal with my garthimi population. I was making approximately 80-100k alone solely from tools exports. I was wondering what is the best goods/ strategy to implement in order to gain the most cash for the early-mid game besides mostly wood inside a forest.

[RoriconKnight]

Originally posted by EdgeLord:

I've been experimenting a little in selling stuff, and I've had differing levels of success. I've tried trading opium by settling in warm climate with cretonians selling about 700 opium per year, but the net income gain from selling opium feels kind of abysmal when accounting for the space, labor, and research needed for the farms. Wood also seems to be pretty good, but it does take a bit of micromanaging in having to fell trees with a decently sized oddjobber count. The most success I've had so far was getting dondorian slaves and having them produce and sell tools while producing steel and coal with my garthimi population. I was making approximately 80-100k alone solely from tools exports. I was wondering what is the best goods/ strategy to implement in order to gain the most cash for the early-mid game besides mostly wood inside a forest.

nowadays selling livestock and gems (not jewelry mind you) is much more stable option in any climate most of the time.

if you live in warm climate opium is cheap af. the same for fungus in cold climate.

silthion ore also may give lots of money if you manage to mine them in warm climate, not that expensive in cold climate surprisingly.

that being said, the map randomness is still the key in deciding what to export.

[Friends with Benedicts]

Mostly tools I've noticed. I do mine iron and make coal out of trees, but ALL the iron in my map ain't enough for making steel bars. My smelters are way faster than the whole output of my map.

So I buy steel. No worries. It's always worth to turn it into armor/tools/bows/weapons. You can also use those for your own benefit, as they are useful for industry (tools) guardposts (armor) and wars (armor/weapons/bows).

Smithes are a perfect way to make money IMO, just not good for early game when you're still stabilizing your food reserves and raw materials reserves. (like wood is essential and I have 10k stored, along with 7k fish)

[Friends with Benedicts]

Oh yeah, and some secondary produces like bread, fabric, coal and other stuff is usually not worth the turning price. Cotton has a better price than fabric in my save.

[Caronte☭]

Originally posted by EdgeLord:

I've been experimenting a little in selling stuff, and I've had differing levels of success. I've tried trading opium by settling in warm climate with cretonians selling about 700 opium per year, but the net income gain from selling opium feels kind of abysmal when accounting for the space, labor, and research needed for the farms. Wood also seems to be pretty good, but it does take a bit of micromanaging in having to fell trees with a decently sized oddjobber count. The most success I've had so far was getting dondorian slaves and having them produce and sell tools while producing steel and coal with my garthimi population. I was making approximately 80-100k alone solely from tools exports. I was wondering what is the best goods/ strategy to implement in order to gain the most cash for the early-mid game besides mostly wood inside a forest.

Step 1: Play cretonians
Step 2: plant cotton
Step 3: money
Step 4: Fruit orchards
Step 5: You have too much food, sell it too
Step 6: Damn thats a lot of money
Step 7: Conquer your neighbors with mercenary armies
Step 8: Damn too much money
Step 9: Happiness

[Friends with Benedicts]

How do you employ mercenaries?

[RoriconKnight]

Originally posted by Friends with Benedicts:

How do you employ mercenaries?

I reckon you had to create "Army" on the strategic map, select the army and you can see Hire Mercenary button.

They cost a lot with wide range of capabilities and equipment, some are hardly useful but to be meatshield *nervously looking at Cretonians mercenary with minimal equipment*