Empire: Total War trade routes, ports and income
Turn overseas commerce into reliable income without leaving every route exposed.
Edition covered
The 2009 Empire: Total War Grand Campaign and Road to Independence. Pictures come from the Definitive Edition store listing, which bundles additional units and campaigns. Napoleon: Total War is a separate game.
Distinguish a trade ship from a warship
Trade ships placed at trade-theater nodes generate goods for commerce. They are weak combat investments, so use warships for route defense instead of expecting a trading fleet to win a naval battle.
| Theater | Strategic purpose | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Overseas trade nodes | Rival fleets and raiders |
| Strait of Madagascar | Overseas trade nodes | Contested sea lanes |
| Ivory Coast | Overseas trade nodes | Enemy control of node access |
| East Indies | Overseas trade nodes | Distance from supporting fleets |
Develop towns and ports deliberately
Regions contain outlying settlements as well as a capital. Farms, mines, industrial towns and ports contribute differently; inspect wealth, public order and access before committing the construction budget.
| Location | Income connection | Planning reminder |
|---|---|---|
| Farm | Agricultural wealth and food-related development | Check regional growth and upgrades |
| Mine | Extractive wealth | Protect the province and improve output |
| Industrial town | Manufacturing wealth | Balance industrial growth and unrest |
| Commercial port | Trade capacity | Needs safe sea access |
| School | Research production | Does not replace an income building |
Use diplomatic trade agreements
An agreement needs a workable route and can disappear in war. Overseas commitments are valuable, but your treasury should tolerate a blockade or lost partner.
Protect the near end of the route
A distant trade node is not useful when the home port is blockaded. Keep patrol forces near important ports and monitor naval threats in every theater you depend on.
A distant trade node is not useful when the home port is blockaded. Keep patrol forces near important ports and monitor naval threats in every theater you depend on.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Publisher game and edition listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Publisher manual | shared.fastly.steamstatic.com |
| Publisher-hosted trade reference | wiki.totalwar.com |