Disappearing Traders?

[Miles Emerson]

Does anyone understand why my traders keep disappearing from the game? In at least three games that I have played, my traders just vanish and I have to recreate them. Just now, I went from four traders to zero and I have no clue why? No change in government, no wars fought ... just vanishing traders--and I don't mean trade routes. I mean traders. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[Aachen]

So they’re not actively on a route and being plundered?

[Miles Emerson]

Aachen: They are not. They just disappear from the game, as if they never existed.

[grognardgary]

I've had them killed by barbs or other civs but never just disappear.

[Miles Emerson]

Hm. I wonder if that's what is happening? I'm not at war, but ... maybe. Thanks.

[SLG]

Also the natural disasters can kill them.

[ACS36]

They are being plundered. It's 100% what's happening. Barbarians can plunder trade routes. You don't have to be at war with anyone. You have to take that in consideration in the early game if you're sending your trade routes through unsettled portions of the map, they are likely to die. Try to send them on short routes that can be protected or through a bunch of other cities.

[Sarisin]

Yes, barb Scouts and Zombies if you have them in your game seek out Traders. Also, if your trade routes go anywhere near barb camps (or barb camps spawn anywhere near your trade routes as they are apt to do), your Traders will get plundered. However, you should know what this happens as there is a notification to that effect and your total Trade units will decrease by one.

If possible, I try to send an escort along the trade route with the Traders as you cannot make them stop, start, or deviate from the route once created. It is a bit of a micromanagement chore but might prevent the routes from being plundering.

[SLG]

The icon for the plundered trader looks like a box with coins coming out of it.

[Miles Emerson]

Thanks, everyone. I haven't noticed any notification of a trader being plundered, but that doesn't mean it wasn't shown. I certainly didn't see a box with coins falling out it. My early trade routes tend to be through another civ and not open territory, but I could still be missing the barbarians killing them off. I'll keep an eye out in the future and also try sending along an escort.

Thanks again!

[布莱克]

Maybe the volcano eruption killed your traders?

[Oaks]

Why do you have traders sitting around not doing a trade route? I don't think the game lets build traders if you are at the trade route limit.

[jonnin]

Originally posted by Oaks:

Why do you have traders sitting around not doing a trade route? I don't think the game lets build traders if you are at the trade route limit.

correct, you can't make above your capacity.
an idle trader can happen if sending it out is too high a risk, eg if you get a free one in the ancient era (cree, maybe?) and the only target is your neighbor across 20 tiles of barbarian infested woods. You may also hold them back to send them where needed most. The first 2-3 eras, my traders are playing musical chairs, being sent to whatever city is doing a wonder or slow build project (even if the slowness is lack of workers) to boost production via 'gear' trade routes. Sometimes I have them idle for a few turns until I need to apply one, so I get it to the correct place where it is most needed. Eventually they will settle into forever routes with the AI or city states or something, of course.

[colostmy4]

@Oaks if you are at the trade route limit and the other civs vote to give you an extra trade slot, when the turn period ends for that extra slot, you can still have an extra trader beyond your limit that can not trade.

[Lemurian1972]

Originally posted by 布莱克:

Maybe the volcano eruption killed your traders?

Fairly certain that doesn't happen.

[SLG]

Originally posted by Lemurian1972:

Originally posted by 布莱克:

Maybe the volcano eruption killed your traders?

Fairly certain that doesn't happen.

Natural disasters can kill your units. I had a worker near a volcano while it was erupting. The worker was killed after 2 turns.

Traders can be plundered by storms on land and at seas also.