Opening Context
The safest beginner maritime trade template: prioritize economy and trade before expansion, and master the "capacity—routes—fleet" trio. Safe maritime starter focused on trade capacity, early market income, and controlled wars while you learn logistics and automation basics. Portugal's position offers excellent opportunities for trade development without immediate major threats.
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Learning focus: Portugal teaches the "capacity—routes—fleet" pattern. Master this before attempting complex trade networks or aggressive expansion.
First 50 Years Checklist
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Follow this checklist to establish Portuguese trade dominance in your first 50 years.
- Iberian Alliance: Ally Castile or Aragon to avoid Iberian internal conflicts. Choose based on your strategic needs. Avoid early rivalry with France.
- Low Peacetime Maintenance: Keep maintenance low during peace to save cash. Fund navy first. Raise maintenance only when war is imminent or you're actively protecting trade.
- Prioritize Navy and Ports: Build and maintain a strong fleet. Secure ports for naval resupply. Naval dominance enables blockades and decisive peaces.
- Build Marketplaces in Lisbon and Key Ports: Build marketplaces in Lisbon and key Atlantic ports to expand trade capacity. Focus on capacity before adding complex routes.
- Run Short, High-Margin Routes: Establish short, high-margin export routes first. Keep routes short and protected until fleet scales. Export surplus high-margin goods.
- Ensure Routes Can Be Protected by Fleet: Only create routes that your fleet can protect. Don't overextend beyond naval coverage. Fleet protection is essential for trade stability.
- Mission Track: Trade Focus → Development of Trade: Pick Trade Focus in Develop a Capital Economy, then follow The Development of Trade mission chain. Progressively unlock wharfs, entrepôts, market center, and merchant fleet milestones.
- Staff Buildings Before Expanding: Staff buildings before expanding. Import construction inputs to cheapen roads and docks when needed. Unstaffed buildings drain maintenance.
- Food and Housing: Ensure core provinces have sufficient food and housing. Fill jobs before expanding.
Diplomacy Targets & Risks
Key Targets:
- Castile or Aragon: Potential allies to deter Iberian conflicts. Choose based on your strategic needs.
- North African States: Potential expansion targets, but watch for raids and maintain naval control.
Risks:
- Overextended Trade Routes: Routes that are too long consume more capacity and are harder to protect. Keep routes short until fleet scales.
- Insufficient Capacity: Zero or low capacity means you can't create trade routes. Build marketplaces first, then expand routes.
- Underfunded Navy Leading to Blockade Losses: Losing naval control means losing trade routes and blockades. Fund your navy adequately to protect commerce and enforce peaces.
- Two-Front Commitments: Avoid commitments beyond Iberia early. Focus on one region at a time.
- North African Raids: Watch for raids from North African states. Maintain naval control to deter attacks.
- Early France Rivalry: Avoid early rivalry with France. Focus on trade and maritime development first.
Trade Plan
Portugal's economy relies on a one-primary-market strategy with short routes first:
- One Primary Market Strategy: Focus on one main market (Lisbon) first. Build marketplaces to expand capacity before expanding to other markets.
- Short Routes First: Start with short, high-margin routes. Keep routes short and protected until fleet scales. Gradually expand to longer routes only after capacity and fleet improve.
- Synchronize Shipbuilding and Port Capacity: Build ships and ports simultaneously to grow capacity. More ships enable more trade routes, and more ports improve access and control.
- Mission Track Unlocks: Follow Trade Focus → Development of Trade mission chain to progressively unlock wharfs, entrepôts, market center, and merchant fleet milestones. These provide crucial trade advantages.
- Staff Production Before Expanding: Ensure all production buildings are staffed before building more. Unstaffed buildings drain maintenance.
Military Posture & Logistics
Portugal's military strategy emphasizes naval dominance:
- Naval Dominance: Build and maintain a strong fleet. Naval superiority enables blockades and decisive peaces.
- Blockades: Use blockades to force short wars on your terms. Naval control is key to victory.
- Avoid Mountain Attrition: Avoid mountain attrition and long inland campaigns. Focus on coastal operations.
- Peacetime Maintenance: Keep maintenance low during peace. Fund navy first for maritime operations.
Alternate Routes
Alternative strategies for Portugal:
- Inland Push: After economic base stabilizes, push inland via missions for territorial expansion.
- Coastal Focus: Stay coastal and compounding capacity. Maximize trade income without territorial commitments.
- Early Colonization: Focus on early exploration and colonial routes after securing trade base.
Recommended Mission Track
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Mission Strategy: Start with Develop a Capital Economy → Trade Focus, then follow The Development of Trade mission chain to progressively unlock wharfs, entrepôts, market center, and merchant fleet milestones. This aligns with Portugal's natural trade strengths and teaches the "capacity—routes—fleet" pattern.