The Trading Company is a type of port in Napoleon: Total War.
Description[]
A massive enterprise monopolising part of a nation's trade will improve both region and town wealth.
Trading companies can be enormous, with fleets of armed merchant ships carrying all manner of cargoes. An enterprise of this size greatly improves export capacity and increases trade value; it also improves the wealth of town and region each turn. The improved ship building capacity provided by this port also increases the number of sea trade routes that can be utilised. Unfortunately, the happiness of the lower classes is greatly affected by their unpleasant working conditions in the company enterprises.
Historically, the great East India companies of Britain, France and the Netherlands were armed, quasi-independent mercantile states. The British East India Company was wealthy almost beyond imagining: its trade represented about one-sixth of the British national income. Like the French "Compagnie française pour le commerce des Indes orientales" and Dutch "Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie", the "John Company" had its own fleet and army. In India it fought wars and had its own foreign policy, giving the British government little choice but to support its actions. In modern times only petrochemical, mining and arms companies have commanded comparable power over developing nations.
General Information[]
Pays for self in 47-62 turns, including build time. This assumes just the taxation of the region with the commercial port, however; the global wealth generation is a powerful benefit, particularly for factions controlling multiple regions. In addition, the additional trade route this building generates can potentially bring in thousands more gold, easily justifying its cost.
Unlike their prerequisites, trading companies can build two ships at a time, making them twice as efficient at filling up trade nodes. Merchantmen that are built from them also have two chevrons of experience, though this won't help them much against proper warships.