Ok. Hmm, I'm considering a trade system that could create some less predictable gameplay. I've considered these ideas:
You can trade with the nations that border your land and all nations with access to the sea (if you have access to the sea too). This could make it strategically important to have access to the sea.
This would also count for the lakes, but then the two nations have to have access to the same lake.
When two nations have agreed to trade, it would increase the growth of both nations. It could be most beneficial to the smaller nation or equally beneficial. The systems could be:
1: For every nation you're trading with, the number of zones you can claim pr. turn is increased by one.
2: When you trade with a nation, a percentage of the growth they get is shared (without them losing any growth). Like if you have a nation with
10 zones and trade with a nation with
20 zones, the following would happen to your growth:
You get a bonus of
20/25 = 0.8 zones pr. turn.
The other nation gets a bonus of
10/25 = 0.4 zones pr. turn.
When that is added to the un-rounded number you may claim, you round the number, so if you had 12 zones, you would without trading be able to claim 3.4 zones pr. turn, rounded down to 3, but if you received 0.2 from trade, it would become 3.6 zones pr. turn, and you could round it up to 4.
What do you think about the system?