How Manor Lords Trade Works

Manor Lords trade is a vital part of the game, so let’s find out it how it works

Manor Lords’ trading system lets your growing village fill resource gaps and boost its economy. Need stone but lack a quarry? Trade for it! Got a stockpile of berries? Turn them into profit! However, navigating trade routes and managing surpluses can be tricky at first. This guide will help you unlock the full potential of Manor Lords trade.

How to Trade in Manor Lords
You would often feel the lack of resources in your village. This could be due to poor soil for a specific crop, or simply not having enough workers to make everything you need. Military force is definitely one way of filling the void, but if you want to pursue a more peaceful avenue, trading is an option as well. How does Manor Lords trade work? Let’s find out.

Credit: Slavic Magic

Manor Lords offers two buildings to get your trading going: the Trading Post and the Livestock Trading Post. As their names suggest, the Trading Post handles general goods and materials, while the Livestock Trading Post is for buying and selling animals. Despite this difference, both buildings function similarly for importing and exporting your village’s resources.

After building your trading post, head on over and click the “Trade” tab. You’ll see a list of available goods (including animals for the Livestock Trading Post). Each good can be either imported or exported. Use the “+” and “-” buttons to set your “Desired Surplus” – this is the amount of that good you want to have in your town after the trade is complete.

For example, if you have a surplus of wheat and want to sell some off, you’d set a negative Desired Surplus for wheat. Conversely, if you lack wood and want to buy some, you’d set a positive Desired Surplus for wood.

Once you’ve set your Desired Surplus for a good, choose how you want to manage it with Trade Rules. Here are your options:

Never Trade: This speaks for itself! Use it for goods you absolutely don’t want to import or export.
Import: This option lets you import a specific good until you reach your desired amount.
Export: Choose this to get rid of any surplus of a good until it reaches your desired level.
Full-Trade: This option automates the process. If you lack your desired amount, it’ll import. If you have too much, it’ll export, keeping your stock balanced.

This way, you can fine-tune your Manor Lords trade strategy and make sure you’re getting the resources you need without unnecessary clutter.

Manor Lords Trade Tips
You can boost your Regional Wealth significantly by following these Manor Lords trade tips:

Low Cost Exports For High Profits
Early in Manor Lords, focus on exporting goods that require minimal investment. Eggs are a great example! Simply expand your Burgage Plots with Chicken Coops, and you’ll have a steady supply to sell for a decent price (2 Regional Wealth each). This strategy lets you build your wealth quickly without needing complex production chains.

Here’s why eggs are a good choice:

Low Investment: Chicken Coops require minimal resources to build.
Easy to Manage: Eggs require no additional resources to produce, just happy chickens.
Decent Profit: Selling for 2 Regional Wealth each, they offer a good return for minimal effort.

This strategy can be applied to other low-maintenance goods as well, like firewood turned into charcoal (requires a Charcoal Kiln but uses readily available wood). Identify these low-investment, high-profit options to jumpstart your regional economy!

Turn Clutter into Cash
Struggling with overflowing storage? Don’t just build more! Consider exporting your excess materials. This frees up valuable space and injects some wealth into your Manor Lords village.

Here’s how to make it work:

Identify storage hogs: Look at your resource list and see which materials are piling up the most. Stone, for example, can be quite plentiful early on.
Check your needs: Make sure you’re not accidentally exporting something you still need for construction or production.
Trade for profit: Export those excess materials for Regional Wealth, which you can then use to invest in your town’s growth!

By strategically exporting your surplus, you can keep your storage organized and your town’s economy thriving.

Simple vs Sophisticated Exports
Manor Lords categorizes goods into Minor Trades and Major Trades.

Minor Trades: These are basic goods like eggs, firewood, or basic tools. They require minimal resources and buildings to produce, making them ideal for early exports. They offer a steady income stream, but their profit per unit is lower.
Major Trades: These are more complex goods like weapons, armor, or ale. They require multiple buildings and production chains, making them a later-game focus. However, they offer significantly higher profits per unit due to the added value of processing.

Consider your village’s development when selecting export goods. Early on, focus on Minor Trades for a quick cash flow. As your village grows and your production capabilities expand, graduate to Major Trades for higher profits. This balanced approach keeps your economy humming while you build your industrial might.

Maximize Exports with Trade Routes
Major Trades, those valuable processed goods, require a special perk: Trade Routes. These are purchased in the Trade menu and act like dedicated shipping lanes for your high-value exports. Once established, a specialized merchant visits your town every month specifically to handle your Major Trades, ensuring a smooth flow of these goods and maximizing your profits. Here are benefit of Trade Routes in Manor Lords:

Focus on Production: Trade Routes free you from micromanaging exports. The dedicated merchant takes care of everything.
Maximize Profits: Regular monthly exports ensure you capitalize on the high value of Major Trades.
Scale Up Your Industry: Trade Routes encourage you to invest in complex production chains, knowing you have a reliable way to move the goods.

While Trade Routes aren’t mandatory for Minor Trades, they do offer a significant advantage: consistency. With a Trade Route, a dedicated merchant visits monthly to handle your exports, ensuring a predictable flow of income.

Without a Trade Route, any Minor Trade exports rely on random visiting merchants. This can be less reliable, with periods of no exports and potential gluts when multiple merchants arrive at once. Not sure how to take the decision? Here are the things you should consider:

Prioritize Cost: If you’re happy with a more random approach and want to save some Regional Wealth, you can skip Trade Routes for Minor Trades.
Value Consistency: If you prefer a predictable income stream and a smoother flow of goods, consider investing in Trade Routes for even your Minor Trades.

Supercharge Your Manor Lords Trade with Developmental Upgrades
The Development Upgrades tech tree offers powerful tools to boost your trading endeavors. Two key upgrades to prioritize early on are Trade Logistics and Better Deals:

Trade Logistics: This upgrade significantly reduces the Regional Wealth cost of establishing Trade Routes. It allows you to invest in these valuable export channels sooner and unlock the benefits of regular trade.
Better Deals: This upgrade eliminates the import tariff, essentially giving you discounts on all imported goods. This helps you stretch your Regional Wealth further and acquire essential resources at lower prices.

By focusing on these upgrades, you’ll unlock the full potential of trade routes, maximize your export profits, and optimize your import costs.

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