The Age Old Question

[unmerged(1454)]

I know that this has been asked numerous times but I still have questions. Colonies vs. Trading Posts:

This is what I think I understand-

Colonies- Production Income, Tax Income, Can build armies and navies at a certain population level.

Trading Posts- Contribute to a CoT

My questions:

1) Can a colony also contribute to a CoT or not at all?
2) How does the trading post decide which CoT to contribute to? If you set up a trading post and it contributes to some random CoT (not yours) didn't you basically waste your money because it helps EVERYONE, not just you.

 

[ph4n_swe]

1. As far as I understand, colonies contribute to your CoT as normal provinces.
2. If you have a CoT in your nation, they contribute to that. Otherwise I'd guess they contribute to the CoT that your capital belongs to..?

Regards,
ph4n_swe

 

[Dark Knight]

1) Colonies contribute to COTs just as normal provinces do. A starting colony produces less trade than a trade post, but it will eventually have more trade as well as normal production.

2) The COT that a province belongs to depends on the proximity of COTs, the nations those COTs belong to, and the nation owning the province. Usually, trade posts will belong to COTs that you control. Otherwise, you can always place merchants in that COT. If the nation owning it excludes you, go to war and take over the COT province .