I figured out what is wrong with Trade...and how to fix it

[vonGenf]

Actually that is false. Nobles would ask their peasants for taxes, yes, but only a stupid or desperate one would do try to bleed them dry.

Not literally dry, of course, but there were, hum.... let's call them "clever" ways of raising money.

A particularly nasty example was given by Philip the Fair:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_IV_of_France#Expulsion_of_the_Jews

[Gustav Kuriga]

which did not work, putting that under the "stupid" department of raising money.

[Kwanstein]

Those methods were commonly used. Also, I wouldn't confuse stupidity with ignorance. We, in modern times, are blessed with a level of understanding of economics that is unprecedented. While it might seem natural to us to avoid such methods, as they are (in some ways) self-defeating, medieval rulers were not so enlightened. Furthermore,these practices weren't entirely a means of acquiring finances; they were also intended to impoverish the lower classes, in order to make them easier to control.

[vonGenf]

which did not work, putting that under the "stupid" department of raising money.

Oh, I'm not saying they worked! Only that they happened!

[Gustav Kuriga]

Oh, I'm not saying they worked! Only that they happened!

I'm not saying they happened, just that it wasn't the only thing they did. most nobles at least knew enough to realize what would and wouldn't upset the peasants enough for revolt.  Not because they were afraid of the peasants, but because peasants revolting would cause the kingdom he was a part of to have to concentrate their army on putting down the revolt. That would invite invasions from other nearby kingdoms.

[feyeleanor]

But as others have noted, no one other than myself and a few other weirdos are interested in nursing a region for an extended period of time.

I don't see there's anything weird in it. There's sufficient challenge in managing a region - especially in wartime - that it's easily as much fun as marching troops to battle.

[Gustav Kuriga]

For you it may be fun... I'm bored sitting in Golden Farrow, trying to keep it supplied with enough food to feed it each week.

[feyeleanor]

Then perhaps looking after a city like Golden Farrow isn't for you?

[Telrunya]

Or get a steward who handles food for you.

[Chenier]

It appears to me like you would preffer being lord of a dwilight rural region.

[egamma]

For you it may be fun... I'm bored sitting in Golden Farrow, trying to keep it supplied with enough food to feed it each week.

"Poor me! I'm so unfortunate as to be the margrave of one of the richest cities on Dwilight. I was kidnapped from my family as a young lad, taken out of a life of pleaseant impoverishment and enjoyable hunger, and forced against my will to sit atop piles of gold."

That's what you're saying, right?

Also...I've seen the trade offers made by Golden Farrow (although this was Allison at the time; it's been a while).

Most lords don't have 500 bushels sitting around...try using the "F5 key" method to throw a bunch of 50 or 100 bushels out there.

Have you looked at the world statistics and contacted the realms that show a surplus, offering them 50 gold per 100 bushels for as much as they can sell you?

[Gustav Kuriga]

Actually egamma, price has nothing to do with it. Iashular withheld shipment because of church politics for a short time. Besides which, we haven't been sitting around twiddling our thumbs, I just bought 500 bushels of food that our banker secured, while Asylon has also been trading with us (one of the conditions for the food from Asylon was signing the defensive alliance treaty with them in the first place).

So if you'll excuse me while you get off your high horse.

By the way, the 500 bushels was secured at over 50 gold per 100 bushels. So it isn't like we're being miserly.

[Dishman]

Now that I've had one character as a trader and one character as a steward for a week or so, I understand why the trader class is pretty much useless. Honestly, I think a simple fix would be a reworking of trade range.

If lords could only initiate trade within 50-100 miles (the regions around them) then traders would actually be useful in facilitating. Since trader's troops cost twice as much, I think it would be a fair exchange that they get 4 or 5 times the trade distance to lords. It still wouldn't solve much of the problems with supply/demand, but it would at least make having 1 or 2 traders per realm a great boon rather than a futile effort. The realm could still do without them, but they would have to trade in such a way to funnel food towards where they need it.

I still prefer the 'secret stash' option for traders, but nerfing lords trade range at least seems the easiest and least change to mechanics. 

[Anaris]

Now that I've had one character as a trader and one character as a steward for a week or so, I understand why the trader class is pretty much useless. Honestly, I think a simple fix would be a reworking of trade range.

If lords could only initiate trade within 50-100 miles (the regions around them) then traders would actually be useful in facilitating.

Worth noting that 50-100 miles sometimes won't even get you to the region next door.

[Dishman]

Worth noting that 50-100 miles sometimes won't even get you to the region next door.

Yeah, I pulled that number out of my bowels...but after checking it seems like about 200 miles would be a good upper limit. That is the longest trek I've seen from my characters region to region(Dwilight-170 miles Nyusshi to Desert of Silhouettes). This still gives newbie traders over twice the range and gives the experienced traders a real edge on the market.