What is the point of Free Trade law in this game?

[Saul Goodman]

AI is trying to export all your stuff (both raw and advanced resources) even with high export tarifs. So, what is the point of Free Trade law in this game?

[Prisoner 76561197992841073]

I can't confirm, but in theory it should make your industries cheaper to run - no tariffs on imports so cheaper cost of goods and no tariffs on exports so more competitive on the global market. This could lead to higher economic growth.

[Rialm]

Then start producing more of that stuff. Don't ignore the investment pool and use it for your own advantage. And if not import the same good from other markets. Free trade is really OP but I see that many are missing the point of what it means, if the demands it's really high then produce more of that.

[Saul Goodman]

Originally posted by Joostorm:

I can't confirm, but in theory it should make your industries cheaper to run - no tariffs on imports so cheaper cost of goods and no tariffs on exports so more competitive on the global market. This could lead to higher economic growth.

You can apply no import tariffs on goods you interested in both under Mercantilism and Protectionism.

[ShepherdOfCats]

Originally posted by Rialm:

Then start producing more of that stuff. Don't ignore the investment pool and use it for your own advantage. And if not import the same good from other markets. Free trade is really OP but I see that many are missing the point of what it means, if the demands it's really high then produce more of that.

There's nothing worth investing in. Sure, I can turn Portugal into a menial-job dye-producing capital of the world (it already starts at something like #3 top-producer), but heaven forbid I need to keep the raw materials to build manufacturing plants to do something more lucrative with that dye.

And importing the same good back that you just sold is frankly absurd. I hope they patch circular loop trade routes.

[VoiD]

Zero imports and exports, cheaper and more competitive trade lanes mean you can have several partners to seek the absolute best prices, free of tariffs, against every other nation.

IE: Instead of selling iron to france which would lower their purchasing price from, say 70 to 30 you can instead sell to both france and austria lowering the overall price from 70 to 50 and 60 to 45, meaning by having 2 partners taking a share of iron each you get to sell the same ammount for higher prices, and you can eventually push out their other trading partners as well.

Meanwhile your industry will get more profitable, which means that, while you do get less out of tariffs, you can also, depending on taxing levels and laws, take more out of their higher proffits anyway.

Not saying it's better, nor worse, it's different.

Oh, also, nations are much more inclined to help you out or favor you during diplomatic incidents if you have a lot of trade volume with them too.

[Prisoner 76561197992841073]

Originally posted by Saul Goodman:

Originally posted by Joostorm:

I can't confirm, but in theory it should make your industries cheaper to run - no tariffs on imports so cheaper cost of goods and no tariffs on exports so more competitive on the global market. This could lead to higher economic growth.

You can apply no import tariffs on goods you interested in both under Mercantilism and Protectionism.

Yes, and same for export tariffs. But you must have those tariffs, it means you can't have zero tariffs.

[Rialm]

Originally posted by ShepherdOfCats:

And importing the same good back that you just sold is frankly absurd. I hope they patch circular loop trade routes.

Yeah I would not say it's absurd, it's funny, because basically you can import goods from another market, then put tariff and sell it back. That's why if I'm not mistaken in real life there are treaties and more stuff to make it more """fair""".

Originally posted by ShepherdOfCats:

There's nothing worth investing in.

well if that product has high demand, then it make sense to keep investing in that product. Why start making cars if it's riskier than selling wood? And since that industry gets bigger, you taxes them and you can finance your army for example. I don't know Portugal cases, but that's what I understood while playing as Sweden.

One thing that this game needs, it's foreign investments. because it can happen that no other country is investing in Oils, and the only way to get that Oil is by conquest or colonization.

[Saul Goodman]

Originally posted by Rialm:

Originally posted by ShepherdOfCats:

And importing the same good back that you just sold is frankly absurd. I hope they patch circular loop trade routes.

Yeah I would not say it's absurd, it's funny, because basically you can import goods from another market, then put tariff and sell it back.

Yep, that's what I'm talking about. Having a treaty port in british market, buying opium from them, puting tariff and selling (with profit) to China.

[Elexymorph]

Originally posted by Rialm:

Then start producing more of that stuff. Don't ignore the investment pool and use it for your own advantage. And if not import the same good from other markets. Free trade is really OP but I see that many are missing the point of what it means, if the demands it's really high then produce more of that.

But the problem with this is the AI will just increase their Imports from you.
Played as Prussia (later Germany) and was -4K in Tools since France is buying 8.5k from me, so I imported 2.5k and France just upped its import to 11k (The same happens with a bunch of other goods).
Sure I can Embargo France in my current position, but as a minor power that's just not possible.

[Prisoner 76561197992841073]

Originally posted by Elexymorph:

Originally posted by Rialm:

Then start producing more of that stuff. Don't ignore the investment pool and use it for your own advantage. And if not import the same good from other markets. Free trade is really OP but I see that many are missing the point of what it means, if the demands it's really high then produce more of that.

But the problem with this is the AI will just increase their Imports from you.
Played as Prussia (later Germany) and was -4K in Tools since France is buying 8.5k from me, so I imported 2.5k and France just upped its import to 11k (The same happens with a bunch of other goods).
Sure I can Embargo France in my current position, but as a minor power that's just not possible.

If they are importing 11k from you, that's a huge opportunity for your tools industry. Spam those factories and throw on the tariffs, you'll be swimming in money and economic growth.

[VoiD]

Originally posted by Saul Goodman:

Originally posted by Rialm:

Yeah I would not say it's absurd, it's funny, because basically you can import goods from another market, then put tariff and sell it back.

Yep, that's what I'm talking about. Having a treaty port in british market, buying opium from them, puting tariff and selling (with profit) to China.

That's.... Not supposed to be unreasonable, sounds like it's working as intended.

That's kind of the point of having those ports, and why you can get them through wars, you can take their goods and proffit off them, or get them cheaper, or even insert your own into their market more easily.

[Rialm]

Originally posted by Elexymorph:

but as a minor power that's just not possible.

Then become more authoritarian. That's one of the beauty of this game, if you don't find this type of gameplay fun, then do the opposite.

And yes, It would be nice a big expansion about treaties and other international agreement, just to give the player another type of gameplay.

[Elexymorph]

Originally posted by Joostorm:

Originally posted by Elexymorph:

But the problem with this is the AI will just increase their Imports from you.
Played as Prussia (later Germany) and was -4K in Tools since France is buying 8.5k from me, so I imported 2.5k and France just upped its import to 11k (The same happens with a bunch of other goods).
Sure I can Embargo France in my current position, but as a minor power that's just not possible.

If they are importing 11k from you, that's a huge opportunity for your tools industry. Spam those factories and throw on the tariffs, you'll be swimming in money and economic growth.

I'm swimming in money that's true, but my domestic industry is dying since tools are too expensive.

[VoiD]

Originally posted by Elexymorph:

Originally posted by Joostorm:

If they are importing 11k from you, that's a huge opportunity for your tools industry. Spam those factories and throw on the tariffs, you'll be swimming in money and economic growth.

I'm swimming in money that's true, but my domestic industry is dying since tools are too expensive.

Can always produce more so you can even crash the prices on their markets, while proffiting even more.

Or just subsidize your industry a bit, you should be making more than you're losing anyway.

Or, ofc, sell more of their final products so they can get more profitable.

[Elexymorph]

Originally posted by Rialm:

Originally posted by Elexymorph:

but as a minor power that's just not possible.

Then become more authoritarian. That's one of the beauty of this game, if you don't find this type of gameplay fun, then do the opposite.

And yes, It would be nice a big expansion about treaties and other international agreement, just to give the player another type of gameplay.

What do you mean? I'm an absolute Monarchy with no Voting Rights? And I still can't stop the AI sucking my marked dry.