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[Livonya]

I just started playing DW a few weeks ago.  Fantastic game.

I was curious about how the trade requests work with each civilization's Liason.

The first year the traders all bring a wide variety of goods, but then after that they only pretty much bring what I requested?

What happens if I request nothing, or what happens if I mark everything as lightly requested?

Any tips on dealing with the Liason?

I did a search but didn't get anything too informative, and the Wiki doesn't really answer these questions.

thanks.

[Samyotix]

AFAIK ...
a) How much stuff they bring depends on the profit from the year before. Trade a lot, give them stuff, the next caravan will be bigger. I think this refers to the number of animals and carts the traders will bring = more total weight.

b) If you tell the liaison to bring specific stuff, they will usually bring it along. Depends on the items' weight though: If you request lots of stone, you'll get some stone (and less of everything else) simply because stone is so very heavy. Request leather and you'll get drowned in bins and bins of it :=)

c) It makes sense to request stuff you don't have just in case a dwarf needs it. For example, say your map has no silk. Ask the traders for silk, but don't produce silk goods unless you know you have a surplus ... in case a moody dwarf wants silk.

If you request things, the trader is quite likely to bring that item, but requesting it increases the price.
If you request nothing, the trader may not bring something you'd want (like silk) but the only price increase will be from stuff the trader wants to buy himself. (That is, if e.g. the humans told you they  will buy anvils for 200%, they'll also bring along anvils next year but at 200%)

[Deathworks]

Hi!

As far as I know, not requesting anything is a special event, as you then don't make a trade agreement with the civ. Basically, though, I suggest making such agreements as it can help make a lot of profit (if they are willing to pay 190% for legwear next year, you can be sure I will be making leggings for major profit).

Requesting a lot of different things will cause just a little of each to be brought, and it is in general not really efficient. The best situation is requesting just a few things you really need and leave the rest to the caravan. Then, they will not increase the prize for goods (for instance, I buy all cut gems I can get, but I never request any. I just hope the caravan brings them, as they are not essential).

Finally, I have observed that besides the requesting of items, decorations can alter what a civilization offers for an item. So, with a decorated item, always 'v'iew it before trading. I had some items where the elves with whom I don't have trade agreements offered me nearly twice the normal value because of some image of larches on them. At other times, I had an item worth 580, but the dwarves offered only 360. I suppose they didn't like the decoration.

In general, trade agreements are good for getting things you really need (wood, colored stone, certain ores come to mind) and the caravan's request are the best way to get enough trade goods ready with the least effort. So, I can only recommend that you try to get some agreements going each year (if nothing else, ask for wood or some other cheap items).

Deathworks