ok I have been trying to work this out
If I want to have each port buying at least one crate of each of the six reasources it needs(not gold)
what is the minimum number of fleets I need?

Answers on a postcard please.....

Told myself I wasnt interested in working this out.... then I worked it out...

ports (21) * resources (6) = 126 : so thats how many trips are required : each fleet can do 4 ports on a trade route so : 126/4 = 31.5 fleets reqd.

of course, working out the routes so they cover every resource to every port would be a logistical nightmare...

But : if you used manual loading from a central 'hub' port, thus loading a selection of all 6 required resources into one fleet which then returns from its destination with a full load of one resource... then 20 fleets would suffice... and being online 24/7 to keep them loaded.. in which case, you could then feasably do the task with one fleet...

Imho, a fully automatic system would need 108 fleets. You could do a semi-automatic one with 36.

A manual system needs only one fleet with one Large Merchantman, or if you prefer, a fleet of 4 Cutters. It would take 26 trips. Other than solving a math question, I don't know why you would want to do this though.

I tried and am halfway through filling my warehouse.

Ahh i think I might need to upgrade to lvl 3 now though

Cdv wrote:Imho, a fully automatic system would need 108 fleets. You could do a semi-automatic one with 36.

A manual system needs only one fleet with one Large Merchantman, or if you prefer, a fleet of 4 Cutters. It would take 26 trips. Other than solving a math question, I don't know why you would want to do this though.

108? I dont see that : total number of movements reqd is 126 : that is 6 resources delivered to each of 21 ports : as each fleet can deliver at 4 ports using an A>B>C>D trade route... 32 fleets is sufficient : complicated to set up, but enough.

My bad. 7 resources to be delivered to 18 ports that don't have them, so, it should be 18*7=126 and not 18*6=108 as I had previously calculated. So, 126 fleets for a fully automatic no-touch system.

If a four-point trade route is used, one will be the supply port with the other 3 taking deliveries. It will be semi-auto since there is no way to drop partial loads and move on to the next port. That bit will have to be done manually. 126/3= 42 fleets needed

No Danik is right on the required fleets. Each fleet can deliver to 4 ports so it would be 32 fleets, they can deliver the end of there route back at the start.

@Shaydo: If that is so, then I must be thinking wrongly. Can you explain it to me in a bit of detail? Maybe, with an example?

I think its this : OP stated that gold was NOT included, so its just 6 resources per port reqd.

Danik wrote:I think its this : OP stated that gold was NOT included, so its just 6 resources per port reqd.

It's bad enough I'm at work today! No more maths Please!