Principle
Import from a market center that has embraced the institution. Trade routes bring institutions home over time while feeding your economy. This is an efficient way to adopt new institutions without relying solely on domestic development.
Routes bring the institution home over time while feeding your economy. Trade routes don't just move goods—they also spread institutions. Keep routes active until the institution embraces in your territory.
Steps
Follow this sequence to import institutions via trade:
Step 1: Place a Market Center Within Trade Range
Identify a market center that has embraced the institution. Look for market centers in regions that have already adopted the institution (often Italian cities, Egyptian hubs, or advanced European centers).
Ensure the market center is within trade range. Check that you can reach the market center with your trade routes. If it's too far, you may need to build intermediate markets or improve infrastructure.
Step 2: Secure Capacity via Marketplaces
Build marketplaces to expand capacity. Marketplaces are essential for creating trade routes. Build them in your primary trade hub and the target market center.
Ensure capacity is sufficient for the import route. Check that you have enough capacity to create the route. If capacity is tight, pause low-profit routes to free capacity.
Step 3: Set Import from the Foreign Center
Create an import route from the foreign market center. Set up the route to import goods (and institutions) from the foreign center. This route will spread the institution over time.
Keep the route active until embrace triggers. Don't pause or cancel the route until the institution has embraced in your territory. This may take several years, so be patient.
Step 4: Monitor Progress
Check institution spread regularly. Monitor how quickly the institution is spreading. Some institutions spread faster than others, depending on your infrastructure and trade volume.
Keep routes active until embrace completes. Once the institution has embraced, you can adjust your trade routes. Until then, maintain the import route.
Tips
Practical advice for importing institutions efficiently:
- Temporarily create or connect to Italian/Egyptian markets for early institutions: Italian and Egyptian markets often adopt institutions early. Connect to these markets to import institutions quickly.
- Pause low-profit routes to free capacity while importing: If capacity is tight, pause less profitable routes to free capacity for the institution import route. You can resume them after the institution embraces.
- Build infrastructure to improve spread rate: Roads and ports improve trade volume and institution spread. Build infrastructure to speed up adoption.
- Consider multiple routes for faster spread: If you have capacity, create multiple routes to the same institution-embracing market center. This speeds up institution spread.
Common Mistakes
- Pausing the route too early: Don't pause the import route until the institution has fully embraced. Premature cancellation slows or stops institution spread.
- Insufficient capacity: Don't create import routes if you don't have sufficient capacity. Zero or low capacity means routes won't work.
- Choosing markets too far away: Don't try to import from markets that are too far. Keep routes short and protected for best results.
- Ignoring infrastructure: Don't skip infrastructure improvements. Roads and ports improve trade volume and institution spread.