Trade with "red" ports

[Dino.707]

After I had gotten tired of crossing the open ocean multiple time to do trade with one faction or another, only to find I can't enter the port Xb, I thought, What if one could purchase a Trade Lisence with a particular "faction" which allows one to enter any of that particular factions ports, even though they are red to you?

 

You could display this purchased liscence by flying a certain penant from the mast indicating to the port you are doing trade with them and allowed to enter.  This penant would fly as long as the liscense is good for.

 

There could be limitations placed on what you buy and sell of course, but it would open up more ports to do trade with (such as, the Dutch trading with Americans for example).

 

But, if I flew a French Trade penant and tried to enter a British port for example, it would be seen as me doing business with the enemy, and the British would fire upon me, or attack me while in open waters.

 

Just thoughts.

[maturin]

I do believe that would be called 'smuggling.'

[AKPyrate]

If allowed, we could always just have players sporting the 'contraband onboard' designation until offloading the cargo obtained in a red port.

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

What if they're running cargo into a red port? What stops them from doing that?

You'd need some sort of "Mark as Contraband" flag they'd have to engage prior to leaving port to enable them to drop off cargo at a red port.

[Dino.707]

I was a little rushed when I was typing my initial query and may not have been very clear,

 

What I meant was, Do legitimate trade with nations that you are currently red with.  As a Dane, I can only trade with other Dane's or neutrals, I can't enter the ports of any other nation, such as, Americans.  I get the message, "You can't enter port".  So I was just thinking to just purchase a liscence from the Nation (in my example it would be the Americans), then I can enter port to buy and sell rescources, or goods in any American port world wide.  This would be opening up a larger trade network to me, but of course, it would have consequences (as it does anytime one chooses a side over another).

 

Let contraband remain contraband and subject to all ill effects of transporting it, but I'm refering to resources produced in national ports.

[Dino.707]

As far as running contraband into a port that one has a liscence for, I would assume cargo is inspected by the port authority before leaving the ship, thereby dealing with the consequences then.

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

The point is that you are at war with that Nation. Selling supplies (or buying them) from an enemy port is treason.

[maturin]

Not treason, I'd imagine, but definitely contraband.

 

There was a lively cross-channel trade during the Napoleonic Wars, and I don't imagine the smugglers involved were often hanged when caught.

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

Fair statement, however, you certainly didn't go to the local magistrate and try to buy a license to sell goods to the enemy.  

[Dino.707]

Well,

 

your comments were appreciated  , I was just trying to open up more ports for trade, instead of the few that are open to me now.  I didn't realize (silly me) that all nations are at war with each other. Being (in game) from Denmark, really hinders one to the number of ports that are availible to you.  I guess as more maps are released, there will be a bit more of a balance, and perhaps a better working market.

 

Anyway, thank you again for your input.

[Henry d'Esterre Darby]

The current war footing is likely for testing.  I expect (no guarantee) that after release that you will see varying states of war between nations, giving you an ever shifting tapestry of ports with which to trade.  I'll agree, once the Neutral Ports are all captured and held, being from a smaller nation will be more of a challenge than choosing Britain or Spain.  

[admin]

Free towns will be added next patch. 

They will act as un-capturable cities that allow entry for all nations including pirates and provide bases for nations that lost most ports in the conquest. Most likely some of them will grow into trading hubs. 

[Dino.707]

Very nice!!