Fish Trap
A Fish Trap is a buildable water-based Food source. Fishing Ships place it so the fishing economy can continue after nearby natural fish stocks are depleted. In the Definitive Edition update accompanying The Baltic Powers, Fish Traps became available to all civilizations; older version rules may differ.
Recorded values
- Cost
- 80 Wood
- Available
- Exploration Age
- Builder
- Fishing Boat, Hausa Fishing Canoe
- Function
- Infinite source of food on water
- Construction
- 30 sec · up to 5 builders · limit None
- Structure
- 400 hit points · 2 line of sight · 1x1 footprint
Function & construction
A Fishing Ship constructs the trap and then gathers Food from it. Access to water, the map layout and the version in use determine whether the site is practical. Unlike a natural fish school, a trap is deliberately placed, so the ship must travel to the build site and remain exposed during construction.
Research condition
Definitive Edition — The Baltic Powers update: available to all civilizations; built and gathered by Fishing Ships.
Placement & timing
Use Fish Traps to extend a fishing economy when accessible water and naval protection make the investment worthwhile. Scout the shoreline and routes before sending ships away from the fleet; compare a distant build site with relocating to another natural fish source. Protect the boats and working area if enemy ships can raid them, and check the version-specific rules before applying this to an older match.
Infinite water Food at a slower gathering rate
A Fish Trap costs 80 Wood, takes 30 seconds to build and has 400 hit points. Fishing Boats and Hausa Fishing Canoes can construct one on water; Fishing Boats and other eligible ships then gather from it. Its Food supply is infinite, but the gathering rate is only 0.6 times the rate from finite Fish, so the Trap provides continuity after nearby schools are exhausted rather than an equal-speed replacement. Technologies that improve gathering from Fish also affect Fish Traps. The 20% siege resistance and small two-point line of sight do not protect the structure from a committed naval raid, and the fishing ship is exposed while building it. Place Traps within water that the fleet can defend, and compare the slow infinite source with moving to remaining Fish. A large number of Traps can stabilize a late-game Food economy, but their Wood cost and gathering penalty still need to fit the land and naval plan.
Renewable Food on water
A Fish Trap is an infinite Food source built by Fishing Ships or Hausa Fishing Canoes. It provides a renewable alternative after nearby Fish are depleted, but gathering still depends on accessible water and the safety of the fishing fleet. The trap costs 80 Wood, takes about 30 seconds to build and has 400 hit points. Its small footprint can fit near a protected shore, though placing it too close to enemy waters can expose both the structure and the ship that constructs it.
Protecting the fishing economy
Choose a location where ships can work without crossing an enemy fleet or exposed coastline. Traps can extend a water economy, but they do not protect themselves; keep naval units nearby and watch for raids on Fishing Boats. Compare the investment with moving to another natural fish source or switching workers to a land economy. A Fishing Ship committed to construction is temporarily unavailable for gathering or transport, so build traps when the long-term Food supply is worth the time. Several traps can support a continuing economy if the water remains under control.