Contest Trade Route action

This action is summarized in Domain action descriptions. This page expands upon the basic BRCS description and adds various alternative interpretations and options.

[top]Basic

This action is used to prevent the operation of a trade route by another domain. The exact method could vary but the outcome is the same - prevention of the generation of profit from organised trade through non-military means.

[top]Variants

Some methods that might be used:

• convincing a noble to ban the trade, or levy heavy taxes that eliminate profit
  
• hiring raiders to disrupt the trade
  
• rousing patriotic sentiments to discourage trade with foreign provinces
  
• bribing caravan guards to warn bandits of trade timetables
  
• sowing corruption amongst caravan leaders and ship captains
  
• paying for celebrations which distract townsfolk in a key location from the trade
  
• hiring porters, animal handlers, or other people crucial to some stage of the trade route for alternate tasks.
  

The key difference between contesting a trade route, and suppressing it, is that the latter action involves significant military force to prevent the trade - contesting the route merely reduces the profit and political control over the trade rather than stopping it completely.

[top]Variants

This is the sort of action which could be used to suppress other trading activity, block the importation of key goods, etc - even though these things tend not be be formalised as trade routes.
Repeating a contest action on 'back ground trade routes' could lead to embargoes, deprive cities of foodstuffs, armouries of needed steel, prevent certain groups from trading (for example goblins, black marketeers) and so on.