A Twilight of Empires

Hands-Free Trade

Open Nations do not have to build transports to convert into MSP. Instead, when they open a new trade route, the system calculates a starting set of MSP for the route, based on the nation's NMV, the size (Total Trade Value) of the route, and the free capacity at the port basing the route.

The trade partners on a given route are also now noted as to whether they can provide MSP for the route (a "Yes" or a "No" in the proper column of the trade route display). You can provide MSP for a route if you are able to Open the route with your current trade range and conduit setup.

Open trade routes for which you can assign MSP, which are based at a port with free MSP basing capacity, and which are under-capacity for the whole route (a non-negative "FreeCap" number) will automatically accrue new MSP to "fill up" the route at the rate of:

  NMV × FreeCap

Nations using the HFT system cannot manipulate the MSP on a route directly, so you don't have to shuffle MSP about. MSP are added and removed by the program, depending on whether the route is under- or over-capacity and whether the base port is under- or over-capacity.

You may change the Base Port of the route, or close the route, or open new routes. Note that changing the base port of a route may mean the route can accumulate more MSP and gain you more money. You are also free to attack the shipping of your trade partner (secretly, of course) to reduce their MSP allocation, thus allowing yours to grow and make you more money.

MSP may be removed from a HFT route, at the usual rate of 4GP per 4 MSP, which produces 1 HT unit.