autobuy caravans... stay at destination?

[fodder]

what if... there's a toggle for caravans, once sent out from region will stay at destination until its order is filled? rather than running back and forth empty because either the trip is short or for whatever reason.

there could be a recall link.

perhaps only possible for (sender? destination?) regions with certain building? (market? trader supplies?)

costs more? (obviously only applies when cost is really implemented) perhaps destination can boot caravans?

[Anaris]

what if... there's a toggle for caravans, once sent out from region will stay at destination until its order is filled? rather than running back and forth empty because either the trip is short or for whatever reason.

there could be a recall link.

Hm. Now that twist might actually make it work. Why did I never think of that before? 

That's not a bad idea, and I may try and implement it as I'm working on finishing transitioning the food code.

[fodder]

the down side is that if it just sits there and hoovers up all food, traders could well be squeezed out. because it's done 1st thing turn change  though in a way it's not all that different from someone who logs in early and sends all food away.

question is whether it should work before harvest or after... and whether food consumption is done before or after harvest.

various possibilities

turn change
caravan trade thingy
harvest
food consumed

thus... trade is done 1 day after harvest and gives traders 1 day to beat it. side effect...because trade is done before food is consumed, a region could easily end up with 1 day's portion of food less
--
harvest
food consumed
caravan trade thingy

would probably squeeze traders out
---
food consumed
trade
harvest

sort of best of the other 2 bits... but if a region is starving... harvest won't sooth hunger for yet another day..
----
also probably miss something obvious somewhere.

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or... if caravans are to remain 1 region per day, could consider moving the whole lot to the sunset turn rather than sunrise turn. <--- caravans that is.. not harvest

[egamma]

It's not a problem for the region--at least, it's their own fault if they set their sell orders in such a way that they starve.

As for traders, well, we're few enough as it is. Automated caravans can beat us to the spot as it is already.

Most nobles aren't going to want thousands of their gold tied up in foreign regions for weeks, if not months, waiting for food to become available. So there's room for traders.

[Chenier]

It's not a problem for the region--at least, it's their own fault if they set their sell orders in such a way that they starve.

As for traders, well, we're few enough as it is. Automated caravans can beat us to the spot as it is already.

Most nobles aren't going to want thousands of their gold tied up in foreign regions for weeks, if not months, waiting for food to become available. So there's room for traders.

If it's such a concern, perhaps it could be coded in a way that gives people at least a turn to buy the food before the caravans grab it up.

[fodder]

which is why i suggested moving caravans to sunset turn. harvests/consumption remain at sunrise