Mercantilism
Mercantilism is a Commerce Age technology that converts Coin into 2,000 Experience toward Home City shipment progress. It can bring a useful shipment forward without relying on treasure collection or fighting, but the research itself does not select a card or deliver the shipment.
Research profile
Effect
It costs 1,500 Coin and takes 15 seconds to research. Access varies: listed options include selected Churches, the Hausa and Ottoman Mosque, and the Italian Basilica; African civilizations also pay 1,500 Influence. The technology adds 2,000 Experience to the player's inventory, which contributes to the next shipment according to the current Home City rules.
Research condition
Commerce Age. Building access and African Influence cost vary by civilization; the technology advances Home City Experience only in modes that use shipments.
Research decision
Research when the next shipment is valuable and the shipment progress is close enough that 2,000 Experience changes its arrival timing. Compare the Coin and, where applicable, Influence cost with the military spending or age-up it delays. A shipment still depends on the selected Home City deck and the rules of the current mode; modes without ordinary Home City progression do not benefit in the usual way.
A timing purchase, not a direct resource crate
The 2,000 Experience is progress toward a shipment, not Food, Coin, units or a chosen card delivered immediately. The player must still have a useful card selected and meet the mode's shipment rules. If the next shipment is far from ready, Mercantilism may not create a near-term timing; if it is close, the research can shorten the wait and bring a planned unit or resource card into the match earlier.
Account for civilization and mode restrictions
The research is not available at every civilization's religious building. The listed access differs among Church, Mosque and Basilica users, and African civilizations have a separate Influence cost in addition to the standard resources. Independence removes Home City and Experience progression, so its altered rules must be checked before assuming Mercantilism will advance a shipment. Use the technology tree for the selected civilization and current mode rather than transferring its standard-game availability everywhere.