Chapter 17 Large and small ships

[Regnad]

In Chapter 17 Traders of Unur, I fail to see any advantage to building any of the ships other than the 3 flagships. Looking at the knowledge tree there is an even requirement of 151,000 equivalents of each material type. All that the large and small ships do is allow you to trade one type for one of the other types. Production is gated through the production of Elvarian Zeros and the initial production of whatever material you choose. If you need equal amounts of all materials I see no benefit in switching back and forth and a huge drawback in dedicating the large amount of space these things take up. Am I missing something here?

 

[samidodamage]

knowledge tree there is an even requirement of 151,000 equivalents of each material type.

I'm not sure this is accurate. Using the Research Calculator at Elven Architect, I get:
Antique Artifact: 151,500
Luxurious Luxuries: 307,000
Delicious Delicacies: 610,000

Note that those figures are for research only and does not include possible quests or production requirements.

This is my 2nd time through Traders. I used the advice in this post when I went through it in my first city. I'm just now unlocking the small ships in my 2nd city, but I'm debating how I'm going to move forward. I'm still parked in that first city after the trauma that was the slog of 'not enough shrimp in all the oceans of Elvenar'. Here's a post of mine about how I think they came up with this chapter.

It's worth noting that I haven't been as annoyed with the slog so far this time. That could be because I've adjusted my expectations downward or it could be that I'm not far enough into the chapter yet to be truly discouraged (started the forward movement in Jan 2023). Or maybe a combination of both. So far, unurium has been my bottleneck, but I have extra challenges due to running on zero residences and zero standard goods factories (use event bldgs for pop and goods). My first city runs the same way, so that was an issue then as well. I've got 29 more AW levels in this city than my first one. This has helped compensate some, but not a lot. The lvl 26 BTG (vs the lvl 16 BTG in my first city) has been a bit of a help with the guest productions. Knowing these things (and placing and upgrading the BTG and other relevant AW's before entering the chapter instead of after I'm stuck partway through) has probably also helped.

I'll be watching this thread for any and all suggestions, lol!

 

[Henroo]

In Chapter 17 Traders of Unur, I fail to see any advantage to building any of the ships other than the 3 flagships. Looking at the knowledge tree there is an even requirement of 151,000 equivalents of each material type. All that the large and small ships do is allow you to trade one type for one of the other types. Production is gated through the production of Elvarian Zeros and the initial production of whatever material you choose. If you need equal amounts of all materials I see no benefit in switching back and forth and a huge drawback in dedicating the large amount of space these things take up. Am I missing something here?

It is not an even swap. The amount of goods the large and small ships produce is MUCH greater than the amount required to load them, so it results in a considerable net gain. Especially if you have a high level Blooming Trader Guild. BTG will increase the output of the large and small ships but will not increase the cost to load them, so it has an outsized inpact on the net gain you get from them. The small ships are more efficient than the large ships on a square for square basis as long as you can keep them running. The drawback to the small ships is that the longest production option they have is 3 hours long. So go with small ships if you can log in every 3 hours and cycle them. If you are only logging in a few times a day, large ships might be a better bet. But you will want as many as you can get. It will take FOREVER to do the chapter if all you have is the 3 flagships.

 

[Darielle]

It is not an even swap. The amount of goods the large and small ships produce is MUCH greater than the amount required to load them, so it results in a considerable net gain. Especially if you have a high level Blooming Trader Guild. BTG will increase the output of the large and small ships but will not increase the cost to load them, so it has an outsized inpact on the net gain you get from them. The small ships are more efficient than the large ships on a square for square basis as long as you can keep them running. The drawback to the small ships is that the longest production option they have is 3 hours long. So go with small ships if you can log in every 3 hours and cycle them. If you are only logging in a few times a day, large ships might be a better bet. But you will want as many as you can get. It will take FOREVER to do the chapter if all you have is the 3 flagships.

Chapter 17 is the reason I am parked in Chapter 18. I detested, hated, loathed it more than any other chapter, by an exponential amount. Once I got through it, I told myself I wasn't going to subject myself to that garbage ever again. I parked at the beginning of 18 and have not yet built the portal/guest buildings/whatever they want me to build.

Inno really turned me off to the game with Chapter 17. I hated it so much I literally got sick to my stomach. I honestly think it if I had to do another chapter like that I would definitely quit the game. So there I sit at the beginning of Chapter 18, afraid to start over with that nerve-wracking, stomach churning, stressful, irritating CARP ... and you can reverse letters if you wish. I have no way to tell anyone how much I hated that chapter. Just thinking about it raises my blood pressure. ... I need to go off to my happy place playing the tourney or spire.

 

[Regnad]

I'm not sure this is accurate. Using the Research Calculator at Elven Architect, I get:
Antique Artifact: 151,500
Luxurious Luxuries: 307,000
Delicious Delicacies: 610,000

Note that those figures are for research only and does not include possible quests or production requirements.

This is my 2nd time through Traders. I used the advice in this post when I went through it in my first city. I'm just now unlocking the small ships in my 2nd city, but I'm debating how I'm going to move forward. I'm still parked in that first city after the trauma that was the slog of 'not enough shrimp in all the oceans of Elvenar'. Here's a post of mine about how I think they came up with this chapter.

It's worth noting that I haven't been as annoyed with the slog so far this time. That could be because I've adjusted my expectations downward or it could be that I'm not far enough into the chapter yet to be truly discouraged (started the forward movement in Jan 2023). Or maybe a combination of both. So far, unurium has been my bottleneck, but I have extra challenges due to running on zero residences and zero standard goods factories (use event bldgs for pop and goods). My first city runs the same way, so that was an issue then as well. I've got 29 more AW levels in this city than my first one. This has helped compensate some, but not a lot. The lvl 26 BTG (vs the lvl 16 BTG in my first city) has been a bit of a help with the guest productions. Knowing these things (and placing and upgrading the BTG and other relevant AW's before entering the chapter instead of after I'm stuck partway through) has probably also helped.

I'll be watching this thread for any and all suggestions, lol!

I used the term "equivalents" because there is a 1:2:4 production and usage ratio between the three materials. Producing 1 Ancient Artifact costs the same as producing 2 Luxurious Luxuries, as producing 4 Delicious Delicacies and you spend them in the same ratio. They balance out to be equivalent.

 

[Henroo]

Chapter 17 is the reason I am parked in Chapter 18. I detested, hated, loathed it more than any other chapter, by an exponential amount. Once I got through it, I told myself I wasn't going to subject myself to that garbage ever again.

Players: Orcs is the worst chapter ever, nothing could ever be worse than that!
Inno devs: Hold our beer...

 

[Darielle]

Players: Orcs is the worst chapter ever, nothing could ever be worse than that!
Inno devs: Hold our beer...

bwahahaha ... Thanks for making me laugh about that loathesome chapter.

 

[Glandeh]

Chapter 17 is the reason I am parked in Chapter 18. I detested, hated, loathed it more than any other chapter, by an exponential amount. Once I got through it, I told myself I wasn't going to subject myself to that garbage ever again. I parked at the beginning of 18 and have not yet built the portal/guest buildings/whatever they want me to build.

Inno really turned me off to the game with Chapter 17. I hated it so much I literally got sick to my stomach. I honestly think it if I had to do another chapter like that I would definitely quit the game. So there I sit at the beginning of Chapter 18, afraid to start over with that nerve-wracking, stomach churning, stressful, irritating CARP ... and you can reverse letters if you wish. I have no way to tell anyone how much I hated that chapter. Just thinking about it raises my blood pressure. ... I need to go off to my happy place playing the tourney or spire.

Chapter 18 is much smoother than 17, so give it a try.

 

[Darielle]

Chapter 18 is much smoother than 17, so give it a try.

Thanks Glandeh; I'll consider it after the next FA.