Newb Trade Question

[EAKOP]

Ok I have been given fur and oil as my resources. Now I know that these are not really the best choices out there. So I was wondering if anyone could help me with the best possible trade combinations I need to grow more successfully.

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Thank you.

[LJ Scott]

Get these trades: [Aluminum] [Cattle] [Coal] [Furs] [iron] [Lumber] [Marble] [Oil] [Rubber] [sugar] [Water] [Wheat]

Bonus Resources: [steel] [Automobiles] [beer] [Construction] [Asphalt]

The specifics:

Initial infrastructure cost:	  -42%
Infrastructure upkeep: 	-23%
Population increase: 	16%
Citizen income increase: 	$3.5
Population happiness increase: 	10
Initial land cost: 	-20%
Purchased land area increase: 	45%
Natural growth increase: 	10%
Technology cost decrease: 	0%
Environment increase: 	10%
Environment decrease: 	-1

Soldier increase: 	38%
Soldier cost decrease: 	$-6
Soldier upkeep cost: 	$0
Tank cost decrease: 	-5%
Tank upkeep cost: 	-5%
Aircraft cost decrease: 	-16%
Aircraft upkeep: 	0%
Aircraft limit increase: 	10
Cruise missle cost decrease: 	0%
Cruise missle upkeep: 	0%
Nuke cost decrease: 	0%
Nuke upkeep: 	0%

Water increases number of citizens per mile before population unhappiness by 50.

Edit: Due to recent land changes the wheat + water won't increase your purchased land. This doesn't matter tho that much when your so small.

Edited April 1, 2008 by LJ Scott

[EAKOP]

Thanks LJ. How were you able to calculate those numbers? Is there a calc. in this site that I'm missing?

[+Zeke+]

The above suggested trade set is perfectly fine. It will serve you well. But sometimes you cannot pull down the exact set you want.

So I'm going to suggest a second set that is also good now that Admin changed the resource rules a bit.

Simply consider this another viable alternative.

Coal, Fish, Furs, Gems, Gold, Iron, Lead, Lumber, Oil, Silver, & Wine.

That leaves one flex slot open that I recommend you fill with something like Wheat, Marble, or Water, depending on what you find.

This combo really boosts income and population. Nice tech discount that's useful for young nations in tech deals too.

Putting in a resource that discounts Infra, like Marble, would result in these kinds of numbers:

Initial infrastructure cost: -27%

Infrastructure upkeep: -18%

Population increase: 13%

Citizen income increase: $13

Population happiness increase: 14

Initial land cost: -5%

Purchased land area increase: 15%

Natural growth increase: 300%

Technology cost decrease: -13%

Environment increase: 0%

Environment decrease: -1

Soldier increase: 18%

Soldier cost decrease: $-6

Soldier upkeep cost: $-0.5

Tank cost decrease: -13%

Tank upkeep cost: -13%

Aircraft cost decrease: -4%

Aircraft upkeep: -20%

Aircraft limit increase: 0

Cruise missile cost decrease: -20%

Cruise missile upkeep: -20%

Nuke cost decrease: -20%

Nuke upkeep: -20%

Edited April 1, 2008 by +Zeke+

[EAKOP]

Thanks Zeke for the suggestions, I think your resource group would be good for me now, but later on when I get bigger, I'll probably need lesser infra bill.

Does that make sense?

I found the calc. and started to tweak with them and came up with this combo, what do you guys think?

Fur, Coal, Oil, Iron, Lumber, Marble, Aluminum, Rubber, Wheat, Water, Gems, Fish

Initial infrastructure cost: -42%

Infrastructure upkeep: -23%

Population increase: 16%

Citizen income increase: $5

Population happiness increase: 11.5

Initial land cost: -15%

Purchased land area increase: 40%

Natural growth increase: 10%

Technology cost decrease: 0%

Environment increase: 10%

Environment decrease: -1

Soldier increase: 38%

Soldier cost decrease: $-6

Soldier upkeep cost: $0

Tank cost decrease: -5%

Tank upkeep cost: -5%

Aircraft cost decrease: -16%

Aircraft upkeep: 0%

Aircraft limit increase: 10

Cruise missle cost decrease: 0%

Cruise missle upkeep: 0%

Nuke cost decrease: 0%

Nuke upkeep: 0%

[+Zeke+]

It's a good set. Work for you well if you can get it.

One of the reasons I put up my suggestion is that certain resources tend to be traded in certain trade groups. Those groups are Luxury, Growth, and Industrial.

LJ's and yours are Industrial. My suggestion is Luxury. Oil is a definitely Industrial resource. Furs are decidedly Luxury.

You do have a bit of a trading issue because of this. The players that want your Furs likely won't want your Oil. The opposite is true for those who want your Oil. Trading will present more of an issue for you throughout the life of your nation than for most other players. It's a burden you will need to be ready to deal with if you don't restart. One way to deal with it is to learn multiple good trade sets and be prepared to shift on short notice to another group that is easier to pull down at the time. If Industrial isn't working that day then change tack and go Luxury.

Oil and Furs simply present an extra challenge. Your choice if you want that that. If you do then you should become a highly proficient resource trader. If you aren't one already then I suggest you make your alliance home at a place where there are highly skilled resource traders and learn the tricks of the trade.

[EAKOP]

Thanks Zeke, I understand now exactly what you are saying.