World market and flows
Prices form every week on the World marketWorld marketMechanicPrices form every week from the supply and demand of all states. When supply fails – through blockades or crises, say – prices rise; crises from the threat stage add a risk premium to the goods of the states involved. from the supply and demand of all states. The simulation assigns the quantities to Trade flowsTrade flowsMechanicEvery week the simulation links exporters and importers of each good into flows (up to 4 partners). Long routes make imports dearer; alliances and economic unions favour partners.: for each good a nation trades with up to 4 partners; distance, alliances and economic unions decide the choice. The TradeTradeMap modeTrade flows by group of goods and chokepoints on the routes. map mode shows the flows as lines.
Routes cost
Every flow follows a route over land and sea. Long routes make imports dearer and reduce the value of exports; transport costs are capped at 25% of the value of the goods. Services are not shipped.
Chokepoints
Many routes pass through a few straits and canals – the chokepointsChokepointMechanicStraits and canals that many trade routes pass through. Whoever controls or blockades them forces flows onto detours or cuts them – imports get dearer, exports are missing from the world market.. In the trade mode their symbol shows how much value flows through and who controls them. If a chokepoint is blocked, flows look for detours or fail: imports get dearer, and missing exports drive up world market prices.
War and trade
In war, a fleet with clear Sea controlSea controlMechanicYour side's share of the presence of fleets, naval aircraft and coastal batteries in a sea zone at war. Clear sea control allows blockades and landings; submarines deny the sea rather than control it. can close a sea zone to the enemy's trade by BlockadeBlockadeMechanicA fleet on blockade closes a sea zone to the enemy's trade when its side has clear sea control. If the zone is part of a chokepoint, the chokepoint counts as blockaded; a fully blockaded port no longer supplies troops.; the Trade warTrade warMechanicSubmarines, surface ships and maritime patrol aircraft on interdiction intercept enemy trade flows. Escorts and anti-submarine forces lower the interception rate. intercepts flows where there is no blockade. Crises from the threat stage impose sanctions between the camps and raise the prices of the goods they supply.