Trading over oceans

[LordHoober]

I see several cities on land masses across oceans, but when I build a new trader, those cities aren't available to trade with in the list. Is this a bug, or does anyone know what you need in order to be able to trade over water? I'm in the modern era.

[Duke Flapjack]

You can only trade from coastal city to coastal city. If they don't have a friendly coastal city you cannot trade with them over water.

[Jeff]

When you research cartography, they will trade over oceans. The other issue you might run into is there is a trade range. I want to say it is 15 tiles, but don't quote me on that. You are likely running into an issue where the range is simply too far.

[Medium Difficulty]

I think there is a maximum distance for trade. The trade posts that you make by completeing trade routes act as reset points regarding this distance. You'll need a trade post or city that is a bit closer in oder to trade with them. Building trade posts in foreign cities that are closer to them should work as well.

[Iron Angel]

Originally posted by captainradish:

You can only trade from coastal city to coastal city. If they don't have a friendly coastal city you cannot trade with them over water.

This is not true. Where did you get that information from?

The range of a trader is 30 tiles on water (15 on land), the trader can only switch between land and water via a city center or a harbor. You need to have researched 'Shipbuilding' for the traders to be able to go over the sea.

[Kayne]

Originally posted by captainradish:

You can only trade from coastal city to coastal city. If they don't have a friendly coastal city you cannot trade with them over water.

Another note to avoid this incorrect info. I've traded from landlock cities to overseas landlocked city. I believe the new trading post system plays a role.

[Duke Flapjack]

Originally posted by Iron Angel:

Originally posted by captainradish:

You can only trade from coastal city to coastal city. If they don't have a friendly coastal city you cannot trade with them over water.

the trader can only switch between land and water via a city center or a harbor.

I did not feel the need to say "over water." You said the same thing I did, however.

[SamBC]

Originally posted by Iron Angel:

Originally posted by captainradish:

You can only trade from coastal city to coastal city. If they don't have a friendly coastal city you cannot trade with them over water.

This is not true. Where did you get that information from?

The range of a trader is 30 tiles on water (15 on land), the trader can only switch between land and water via a city center or a harbor. You need to have researched 'Shipbuilding' for the traders to be able to go over the sea.

Correct. Give this person a pie.

[SamBC]

Originally posted by captainradish:

Originally posted by Iron Angel:

the trader can only switch between land and water via a city center or a harbor.

I did not feel the need to say "over water." You said the same thing I did, however.

No, they didn't. A coastal city is a city adjacent to water. Harbours allow transferring. Also, the route then doesn't have to go to the coastal city. You can trade from inland city to inland city over water as long as there are appropriate embarkation points.

[CJones]

How do you get a Trader to switch from land to sea? I have one, in a city on a coast with a harbor. But there's no option to embark them, or switch to sea trade. Does it just not even give you that option unless there's another coastal city nearby? I see two across the sea, one a city state, that I want to trade with. Seems like they should be close enough, but I haven't actually counted the tiles.

[SamBC]

Originally posted by CJones:

How do you get a Trader to switch from land to sea? I have one, in a city on a coast with a harbor. But there's no option to embark them, or switch to sea trade. Does it just not even give you that option unless there's another coastal city nearby? I see two across the sea, one a city state, that I want to trade with. Seems like they should be close enough, but I haven't actually counted the tiles.

It will take whatever route it determines is best to the city you tell it to go to. A trader can go from inland city to inland city if there are appropriate places to embark/disembark.

[DarthHammer]

Originally posted by SamBC:

Originally posted by Iron Angel:

This is not true. Where did you get that information from?

The range of a trader is 30 tiles on water (15 on land), the trader can only switch between land and water via a city center or a harbor. You need to have researched 'Shipbuilding' for the traders to be able to go over the sea.

Correct. Give this person a pie.

With one exception.

Celestial Navigation is what gives traders the ability to embark. Shipbuilding is for all other land units. (Except builders who get it from Sailing, of course.)

[Iron Angel]

Originally posted by DarthHammer:

With one exception.

Celestial Navigation is what gives traders the ability to embark. Shipbuilding is for all other land units. (Except builders who get it from Sailing, of course.)

Correct. My mistake.

[DarthHammer]

Originally posted by Iron Angel:

Originally posted by DarthHammer:

With one exception.

Celestial Navigation is what gives traders the ability to embark. Shipbuilding is for all other land units. (Except builders who get it from Sailing, of course.)

Correct. My mistake.

It's quite easy to miss. I'd played several games before I happened to mouse over it and find out.

[CJones]

Ah, okay. Thanks. I have all the techs necessary. I guess they're just too far away.

[DarthHammer]

Originally posted by CJones:

Ah, okay. Thanks. I have all the techs necessary. I guess they're just too far away.

Do you have Cartography? Because you need that tech for traders (and all other units) to be able to cross ocean tiles.

It could be that either there's no unbroken path of coast tiles to those cities, or that going by coast they are too far away.