Anno 1800: How to Trade and Move Resources

Here is a quick guide on how to trade and move resources between your islands. Picked up Anno 1800 after its free week on Epic and Uplay? No clue how to do many of the vital or cool things the game has to offer? We got you covered.

Anno 1800 Trade Guide Cover

If you just picked up Anno 1800 from the Epic or Ubisoft stores, it might take you a bit to wrap your head around it. One of the things which took me a while to figure out when I started was how to trade/move resources between islands. So I think it’s worth to explain it for beginners out there.

Still feeling overwhelmed every time you start a new game in Anno 1800? Here is another guide with some essential things all beginners need to know.  

How to Trade and Move Resources in Anno 1800

There are five steps to establishing a trade/transport route:

How to get to the trade route screen.

How to get to the trade route screen.

1. First, select the ‘trade route’ icon in the bottom left, under the mini-map, and press ‘create route’. Then select ‘trade route’. Otherwise, select a free ship on the game map and press the right icon on the unit card.

Trade route interface in Anno 1800

Trade route interface in Anno 1800

2. Once at the trade route screen, you need to select the islands you want to visit and in what order. You must select at least two of these. If selecting only your islands, this will create an internal transport route (moving resources between these). If selecting one of your islands and an AI/neutral trader one (i.e. a foreign island), this will become a proper trade route. 

3.The next thing you want to do is add a free ship to the route (‘+’ symbol in the top left).

4. With steps two and three done, you can start choosing the cargo you want to move/buy-sell (each ship having a specific amount of cargo they can carry). There are two rows of button per each destination. The top button will unload a chosen good from the ship into an island’s port, the bottom one will load into the ship a selected good taken from the island’s local supply. If you are unloading/loading at a foreign port/island you are of course selling/buying the selected goods for cash.

Using a clipper to transport from Arraceno two stacks of Schnapps (for 80 units) to Baltiway. Once there, my clipper would unload the Schnapps and load one slot (of 50 units) of beer to bring back to Arraceno.

Using a clipper to transport from Arraceno two stacks of Schnapps (for 80 units) to Baltiway. Once there, my clipper would unload the Schnapps and load one slot (of 50 units) of beer to bring back to Arraceno.

5. After selecting the type good and specific quantity you want to load/unload at each port you visit, press ‘Accept’ to confirm the route. The route will continuously move the selected goods unless stopped by the player. A common issue that arose during my first playthroughs was that my ships were unable to unload at a selected dock. This is caused by a trading post reaching max storage capacity. To fix this you can upgrade your port or build depots. 

Chartering a ship in Anno 1800.

Chartering a ship in Anno 1800.

Lost your only ship to pesky pirates? Don’t panic! You are still able to move vital goods between islands or engage in trade without ships.  For one, in Anno 1800 you can establish charter routes. These can be used to move exclusively goods between your islands (so no trading at foreign ports with them). You select one good and the quantity you want to transport, the pick-up harbour and the destination harbor. After that a neutral AI ship will appear and start transporting these, charging you a bit of money with each voyage.

Example of passive trade in Anno 1800.

Example of passive trade in Anno 1800.

Anno 1800 also has a system of passive trade. Essentially, from your port, you can select any resource contained in it to be put on sale. To do so:

  • Select your trading post.
  • Choose a good you want to put on sale.
  • Press the ‘sell’ icon (left pointing arrow) and set the ‘minimum stock’ you want to keep for the island. 
  • With that done, AI ships will often come to pick up any surplus beyond the minimum set. Trading has never been easier!

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