Trading Post is the most crucial Infrastructure and Harbour building in the game, it grants the ownership of the island it is built on. It provides space for storing goods and acts as a Warehouse by having several loading ramps which can be used by buildings' carts to load and unload goods. It also allows to transfer goods and items between ships and the island. Only one trading post can be built on an island.
Constructing the Trading Post[]
A trading post can be constructed by sailing to a free coastline of an unoccupied island with a ship which has enough construction materials on board. When the ship is close to the coastline a transparent trading post appears on the coast, clicking on it and then confirming the construction places the trading post and claims the ownership of the island. In addition to coins and construction materials, building trading posts requires specific amount of influence, depending on the size of the island (and depending on how many influence points are still available within the free limit for islands in the expansion category).
Trading Post connection[]
Many buildings, such as residences, need to be connected to the trading post. Such a connection can rely on a road connecting a building directly to the trading post, or can rely on a road leading to warehouses. Warehouses that are connected to the trading post can serve as a source of the connection for other buildings.
Function during wars and combat[]
Each trading post is equipped with a cannon with the same damage per second and attack range as cannon towers. It provides the island with a decent defence against single ships or small weak fleets in the early stages of the game. If the trading post is the only harbour building of the island, destroying it allows the attacker to takeover the island, or claim all of the island's shares. However, if there are also other harbour buildings on the island, attacking a trading post and destroying it will not immediately result in the takeover. Multiple harbour buildings have to be damaged or destroyed in order to sufficiently lower the island's morale.
Upgrades[]
At first only the small version of the trading post can be constructed, it provides 2 loading ramps and 75 tons of storage space. It is possible to upgrade the small trading post in order to gain more loading ramps, more storage capacity and a faster loading speed. There are a few other means of increasing the storage capacity: placing depots or Docklands depot modules in the harbour area, or utilising certain palace policies.
The trading post can be upgraded up to three times in Old World (and Cape Trelawney), and two times in the New World, The Arctic and Enbesa. Each upgrade has its unlock condition and requires construction materials. Upgrades provide additional loading ramps and storage capacity, up to a maximum of 6 loading ramps and 500 storage capacity in Old World (and Cape Trelawney), and 4 loading ramps and 250 storage capacity in other regions. The trading post has no maintenance costs on any level, so except for initial upgrade costs there are no downsides to upgrading the trading post.
| Level | Properties | Construction/upgrade cost and unlock condition | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old World | New World | The Arctic | Enbesa | ||
| Small | 75 storage 2 loading ramps loading speed: 2 t/s |
2500 10  8 
|
2500 10 8
|
2500 10 8
|
2500 10  8 
|
| Medium | +75 storage +1 loading ramp loading speed: 3 t/s |
2500 10 15 
|
2500 10 15
|
2500 10 5
|
2500 10 5
|
1  Workers
|
1  Obreros
|
500  Explorers
|
1  Elders
| ||
| Large | +100 storage +1 loading ramp loading speed: 5 t/s |
10000 15 25 20 20 
|
10000 15 25 20 20
|
10000 15 10
|
10000 15 10
|
1  Artisans
|
1500 Obreros
|
100  Technicians
|
600 Elders
| ||
| Grand | +250 storage +2 loading ramps loading speed: 5 t/s |
150000 100 100 60 40 20 
|
|||
1  Engineers
|
|||||
Items[]
Some items when equipped in harbourmaster's offices can have an impact on trading posts.
Items specific for trading posts[]
 BruiserCommon | ||
|---|---|---|
| He'll sort people out. | ||
 Equipped in Harbourmaster's OfficeAffects Trading Posts and Piers |
Effects Harbour Activity: +10% Every time passive trade happens at the trading post, there is a chance of gaining 5t of  Grain,  Hops,  Potatoes,  Grapes,  Red Peppers. |
Expedition Bonus Diplomacy: +10 |
 ScammerUncommon | ||
|---|---|---|
| Could sell a nut shell for the price of a schooner. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Trading Posts and Piers |
Effects Harbour Activity: +15% Every time passive trade happens at the trading post, there is a chance to tax 500 coins. |
Expedition Bonus Diplomacy: +20 |
 Savvy Customs OfficerRare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Knows every boat that washes in and out of her jurisdiction. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Trading Posts and Piers |
Effects Harbour Activity: +20% Every time passive trade happens at the trading post, there is a chance of gaining 5t of  Weapons,  Dynamite,  Advanced Weapons,  Sails. |
Expedition Bonus Diplomacy: +30 Force: +10 |
 Taxman TimEpic | ||
|---|---|---|
| When Timothy welcomes you into port, you know things will be very taxing indeed. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects All Trading Posts |
Effects Harbour Activity: +25% Every time passive trade happens at the trading post, there is a chance of gaining 5t of Weapons, Advanced Weapons.Takeover Lockdown Prevents another party from taking ownership of your island when they possess all shares. |
Expedition Bonus Diplomacy: +40 Force: +20 |
 Khadija Tsegaye, Angereb's Market MasterLegendary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Her humble origins as a hawker's daughter is the source of her brilliance in trade negotiations. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Trading Posts and Piers |
Effects Harbour Activity: +30% Every time passive trade happens at the trading post, there is a chance of gaining 5t of  Ceramics,  Tapestries,  Clay Pipes,  Illuminated Script,  Lanterns.Loading Speed: +30% |
Expedition Bonus Crafting: +20 Diplomacy: +45 |
| Available from Emperor Ketema quest: Full Disclosure | ||
 Lady Banes, Proponent of ProtectionismLegendary | ||
|---|---|---|
| The ultimate defender of national self-interest, Lady Banes makes sure what comes in, doesn't go out. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects All Trading Posts |
Effects Harbour Activity: +30% Every time passive trade happens at the trading post, there is a chance of gaining 5t of  Bread,  Goulash,  Canned Food,  Sausages,  Chocolate,  Fried Plantains,  Tortillas,  Beer,  Schnapps,  Champagne,  Rum,  Coffee.Will of Steel Residences no longer lose happiness as a result of morale loss during island wars. Share Lockdown Locks the shares of your island, preventing another party from purchasing them. |
Expedition Bonus Diplomacy: +55 Force: +25 |
Items that affect all harbour buildings[]
 Carpenter's ToolsCommon | ||
|---|---|---|
| Good for repairing buildings. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Harbour Buildings when activated |
When activated Self-Repair +200% Duration:00:45Active Healing Your buildings constantly repair themselves, even during combat. Destroyed after use |
Expedition Bonus Crafting: +6 |
 Builder's ToolsUncommon | ||
|---|---|---|
| Excellent for repairing buildings. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Harbour Buildings when activated |
When activated Self-Repair +300% Duration:01:00Active Healing Your ship constantly repairs itself, even during combat. Destroyed after use |
Expedition Bonus Crafting: +8 |
 Dockyard ToolboxUncommon | ||
|---|---|---|
| Helps your harbour recover fast! | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Harbour Buildings |
Effects Maintenance Cost: +15% Self-Repair: +50% |
Expedition Bonus Crafting: +20 |
 Dockyard ToolchestRare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Helps your harbour recover even faster! | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Harbour Buildings |
Effects Self-Repair: +75% |
Expedition Bonus Crafting: +30 |
| Dockyard Tool System Epic | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wow, there's actually a system for keeping the dockyard running smooth now. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Harbour Buildings |
Effects Self-Repair: +100% Active Healing Your buildings constantly repair themselves, even during combat. |
Expedition Bonus Crafting: +40 |
| Deke's Indispensible Dockyard Crate Legendary | ||
|---|---|---|
| A chest any salty sailor would be proud of, filled with things to keep your dockyard running whatever the weather. | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Harbour Buildings |
Effects Maintenance Cost: -25% Self-Repair: +150% Active Healing Your buildings constantly repair themselves, even during combat. |
Expedition Bonus Crafting: +50 |
 Hogarth the Harbourmaster, Veteran Of TrelawneyLegendary DLC Required
Sunken Treasures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Joined after you helped the Queen at Trelawney. Was in charge of logistics during the war, so expect military efficiency at the docks! | ||
| Equipped in Harbourmaster's Office Affects Harbour Buildings |
Effects Harbour Activity: +30% Every time passive trade happens at the trading post, there is a chance of gaining 5t of Coffee,  Gold,  Cotton Fabric, Rum, Chocolate.Loading Speed: +100% |
Expedition Bonus Diplomacy: +50 |
| Available from The Queen quest: Tribute to a Legend Unique: you can have only one such item in the game | ||
Screenshots[]
