How many light ships to protect Trade Node

[Claudius Aetius]

Hi all,

Usually, I make a lot of light ships and put 5 or 6 of them in each of my trade nodes. But I see the AI nations, even the powerful ones, and they doesn't seems to bother have a lot of light ships. Sometimes the ships even protect anything. They remain docked.

So, is it really necessary to put so many ships to protect trades? If we have 6 light ships protecting a trade node, that means we have 6 times the profit?

I appreciate any help! Trade still is by far my weakest skill in EU4...

[Victrixy]

Yes, it is worthwhile to put light ships to protect trade. But you should concentrate in specific bottle neck that will help steering trade value to the trade node that you desired.

And no, 6 light ships /= 6 times profit. When you put light ships on protect trade mission, they add trade power to the trade node that you specified. And as you upgrade your light ships, you increase the trade power of each individual light ship.

For example, as Venice you want to increase the amount of trade toward Venice from Alexandria, so you send light ships to increase your trade power in Alexandria. For this example, let's say you have 100 trade power in Alexandria and there is a total of 300 trade power and 100 trade value in Alexandria. Now you send 20 Barques (2 trade power each). Assuming there's no modifier, now you have 140 trade power in Alexandria and you now steering 41.18 trade value instead of the original 33.33 trade value towards Venice.

For more in depth guide, go watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edjLVFMjPyo

[Claudius Aetius]

Originally posted by Victrixy:

Yes, it is worthwhile to put light ships to protect trade. But you should concentrate in specific bottle neck that will help steering trade value to the trade node that you desired.

And no, 6 light ships /= 6 times profit. When you put light ships on protect trade mission, they add trade power to the trade node that you specified. And as you upgrade your light ships, you increase the trade power of each individual light ship.

For example, as Venice you want to increase the amount of trade toward Venice from Alexandria, so you send light ships to increase your trade power in Alexandria. For this example, let's say you have 100 trade power in Alexandria and there is a total of 300 trade power and 100 trade value in Alexandria. Now you send 20 Barques (2 trade power each). Assuming there's no modifier, now you have 140 trade power in Alexandria and you now steering 41.18 trade value instead of the original 33.33 trade value towards Venice.

For more in depth guide, go watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edjLVFMjPyo

Thank you very much!

[僕の名前 (仮)]

Use calculator. Ship trade power * amount, then compare of trade power of anyone else. If you want transwer power, you only compete with nations who collect here or steer into other directions, and cooperate with anyone else who steering in your direction. And then there other modifiers (hover over numbers to see them)

It's always different. In some nodes you need tons of ships and in others less and in some dont need them.

You also need to think what you need, money or trade-in bonus. If you want money you need put them in nodes that steer in your direction and you need get more money than upkeep of ships. If you want 20% goods share then it doesnt matter where it steers (but preferrable into your direction, of course)

Dont forget about upstream nodes too (up until your main node where you collect), if you have 90% steering into your direction from one node (cooperating with others) and then you get only 10% trade power in next node, then it's not good use of ships.

Also with Cradle of Civilization trade power can be used for other things than trade (siege, espionage, diplomacy and religion for muslims) – u'll also need trader here. But light ships are the ones that give you most trade power if you have no lands in that node.


I usually have majority of ships are light, more than galleys, heavy ships and transports.

p.s. trade is one of most confusing mechanics of game. It took me longest to figure out how it works and when I was new I almost completely ignored it. I still need to calculate things though, I dont know any easy ways to know how much money I will get after I send X ships here. When I'm lazy I dont even bother calculating, just sending some ships here and see if I need more or send some to other nodes.

[Fantastic Fwoosh]

You can see the trade power that a fleet will contribute and a estimation of their maintenance vs potential for profit off their contribution in the tooltip when you hover over the option to set to protecting trade.

• ETC: i select my newly built light ship, halt my existing fleet at the start of the month so i don't lose profit, combine & set to protect trade, i hover over the constantinople trade node option and it does a little readout.

The trade power is all you really need to know without wasting time min-maxing how much they'll contribute to each node via trial and error.

If you have a 100 or more trade power in a node, dedicate less ships for a small 20+ or so advantage if you pulll out your trader collecting and instead focus on provincial power through ideas, development (max development not partial tax/prod/mil) and buildings while using remaining ships to pull more power into the node from those upstream.

[Victrixy]

Originally posted by Fantastic Fwoosh:

• ETC: i select my newly built light ship, halt my existing fleet at the start of the month so i don't lose profit, combine & set to protect trade

If you send your new light ships to protect trade, they will automatically combine the existing fleet.