Blockade Blues

[Straight Arrow]

How does the blockade box above the West Indies work, and what does it impact?

What's the best way to keep ships on station?

Are ships stationed on blockade affected by storm events?

[Captain_Orso]

I've never played Britain, which I guess really lives from trade, so I'm not too sure about this, but from my understanding, the Shipping Boxes work pretty much like the Shipping Box in Civil War I & II.

A faction which has transports, or merchantmen, in a shipping box will earn money (WSU too?) through trade each turn, or every few turns; I believe I read that somewhere.

If you want to mess with an enemy faction's trade, put some raiders into a Shipping Box where he has trade ships. Aside that they might attack the trade ships, their presence, will reduce their trade income from those trade ships.

There is a Blockade Box, but only one. I'm guessing, but I imagine that it's only useful for the Brits to blockade France, but I'm not sure, and I don't imagine it would work otherwise.

You can also Brown Water Blockade not only coastal harbors, but also harbors with coastal waters as their river front, by stationing enough combat ships in the ocean if from of the harbor and/or river mouth.

For example: park enough British ships in front of Rochefort, and they will not only blockade Rochefort, but Bordeaux as well.

This is going from what little I've read about it, and extrapolating some from CW.

Edit: Storms etc. hell yes, ships at sea are affected by bad weather

Best way to keep them on station, is to rotate them per need. Check their cohesion. I believe they can receive supplies from ships in the trade boxes, but I'm not too sure.

[Straight Arrow]

The all knowing, all seeing Captain Bear has delivered again!

Danke Captain Bear!

[Durk]

I do agree with Captain_Orso's advice, but would add this clarification. Be careful to differentiate between the Commerce Box and the Blockade Box as I think there is a slight variation between WON and CWII.

The French target the commerce box with their card for runners. The Commerce box can also be used by Britain (and perhaps Spain) for merchant shipping.
The anti-French forces use the Blockade Box to limit French imports.

But both boxes are primarily for use of Regional Decision cards, not active units. That is my understanding, I would love for someone to clarify my clarification.

[csiemers]

I do agree with Captain_Orso's advice, but would add this clarification. Be careful to differentiate between the Commerce Box and the Blockade Box as I think there is a slight variation between WON and CWII.

The French target the commerce box with their card for runners. The Commerce box can also be used by Britain (and perhaps Spain) for merchant shipping.
The anti-French forces use the Blockade Box to limit French imports.

But both boxes are primarily for use of Regional Decision cards, not active units. That is my understanding, I would love for someone to clarify my clarification.

When I play the French I send war ships into the Commerce box to hopefully hunt British commerce ships. I also place French commerce ships in the commerce box that seems to bring in a little bit to the France. I honestly don't play close attention to the results or analyze the best combinations.

[Captain_Orso]

I do agree with Captain_Orso's advice, but would add this clarification. Be careful to differentiate between the Commerce Box and the Blockade Box as I think there is a slight variation between WON and CWII.

The French target the commerce box with their card for runners. The Commerce box can also be used by Britain (and perhaps Spain) for merchant shipping.
The anti-French forces use the Blockade Box to limit French imports.

But both boxes are primarily for use of Regional Decision cards, not active units. That is my understanding, I would love for someone to clarify my clarification.

The French "Runner" RGD can only be played in a French controlled harbor with high French loyalty, so mostly harbors in France.

I believe the Commerce Box is about equal to the Shipping Box in CW2, except that all factions can use it equally. In CW2 the Confederacy has no benefits from having transports in the Shipping Box.

In CW2, transports in the Shipping Box also facilitate Naval Supply; ie moving Ammo and GS from any friendly coastal harbor to any other friendly coastal harbor. I believe the Commerce Box does exactly the same thing, but for all factions.

And then you have these local "Trade" Ovals, okay, let's call them "Boxes" too . The tool-tips of both the Commerce Box and the local Trade Boxes state about the same, and appear to do about the same. So why have both? I have no idea.

Looking at a game I used for testing something completely different, I see that the Birts have 240 transport capacity in the Commerce Box AND the same in the North East Atlantic Trade Box. But the Commerce Box brings £155, while the NEA Trade Box brings only £115. How and why? I have no idea.

In CW2 enemy raiders in the Shipping Box reduces income from transport capacity you have in that box. I imagine it's no different here, just with a lot more possibilities.

[Durk]

The French target the commerce box with their card for runners. The Commerce box can also be used by Britain (and perhaps Spain) for merchant shipping.
The anti-French forces use the Blockade Box to limit French imports..

Yes, I am corrected. I meant 'Export Goods' is played in the commerce box.
Otherwise, some arena of action as others report.

[Captain_Orso]

Mr. Durk, you said, "The French target the commerce box with their card for runners". I looked at the French "Runner" RGD, and it works as I stated

You are now my Hero of the Day

[ess1]

Thanks for topic. Most interesting.