Transport Wharf

Overview

Egyptian armies moved along the Nile as readily as on land. Transport ships let companies cross water that would otherwise force a long march around, or reach landing sites on the far bank during campaigns. In Pharaoh this is modelled as a dedicated naval berth: one wharf, one ship, controlled through the Military advisor alongside forts and warships.

The Transport Wharf unlocks alongside other naval buildings on missions that need river crossings — for example Meidum and Buhen. It is smaller and cheaper than a Warship Wharf, needs fewer workers, and does not require timber at the wharf itself (the Shipwright consumes timber when building the hull).

Mechanics

Ship order

Each month, a staffed Transport Wharf with open water access and no live boat in its boat slot raises a city-wide transport-ship request. The Shipwright polls those requests and builds a transport hull when timber and labor allow. When the finished ship is created it is linked to the wharf (BUILDING_SLOT_BOAT) and sails to the docking points.

If the ship figure dies or is no longer a transport ship, the wharf clears the slot and will request a replacement on a later month.

Labor & coverage

The wharf belongs to the Military labor category and needs 5 workers. Like other service buildings it sends a labor seeker when nearby house coverage is below the threshold (min_houses_coverage: 50 — matching original Pharaoh, which generates a seeker when houses_covered < 51). Without road access the seeker cannot spawn and the wharf will not stay staffed.

Moored look

While a transport ship is waiting or docked at the wharf, the building switches to the moored “wait” ambient animations for its facing. When the ship is away (sailing or en route), the working water animations play instead.

Info window

Right-clicking the wharf opens the Military advisor as the first linked advisor. The description comes from language text group 174 (entry 1) when the building has road access; otherwise the generic “no road access” string is shown.

vs. Warship Wharf

Build Transport Wharves when you need to move companies; build Warship Wharves when you need to fight on the water. Both share the same Shipwright pipeline and the same shoreline placement rules.

Placement

The planner requires shoreline and water access. Put the wharf on a straight stretch of coast so docking points stay clear — awkward bends and blocked channels stop ships from reaching the berth. Orientation is relative to the water edge.

Road access is mandatory for labor. Connect the wharf to the city road network, but keep a buffer from housing because of the −8 desirability. Pair it with a Shipwright that has timber (and preferably its own road connection to the same labor pool).

When selected, the game highlights the two water-access / docking tiles in green so you can verify navigability.

Tips

• One wharf = one ship. Need two companies on the water at once? Build two Transport Wharves (and enough Shipwright capacity).
• If a wharf stays empty, check staffing, open water access, Shipwright timber, and whether another request is already queued.
• Use the Military advisor to embark/disembark companies and to issue sail orders — the wharf itself only berths the ship.
• On long Nile maps (e.g. Buhen), place wharves near both the garrison and the expected landing zone so ferry trips stay short.
• Demolishing or undoing a wharf clears its boat link; any orphaned ship will need a new home wharf.

building_transport_wharf = {
  animations : {
    preview : { pack:PACK_TERRAIN, id:17 },
    base    : { pack:PACK_TERRAIN, id:17 },
    work_* / wait_*  // ambient water / moored sprites by facing
  },
  building_size : 2,
  planner_update_rule : { relative_orientation: 1 },
  meta : { text_id: 174, help_link:"message_building_transport_wharf" },
  needs : { water_access : true, shoreline : true },
  labor_category : LABOR_CATEGORY_MILITARY,
  // OG spawn_wharf: generate_labor_seeker when houses_covered < 51
  min_houses_coverage : 50,
  cost: [ 40, 70, 100, 150, 300 ],
  desirability : { value:[-8], step:[2], step_size:[2], range: [4] },
  laborers:[5], fire_risk:[1], damage_risk: [1]
}

ACTION_211_TRANSPORT_SHIP_WAITING
ACTION_212_TRANSPORT_SHIP_GOING_TO_WHARF
ACTION_213_TRANSPORT_SHIP_DOCKED
ACTION_214_TRANSPORT_SHIP_SAILING

[es=building_info_window]
transport_wharf_info_window {
    first_advisor    : ADVISOR_MILITARY
    related_buildings [BUILDING_TRANSPORT_WHARF]
    ui : baseui(building_info_window, {
        background   : outer_panel({size: [29, 16]}),
    })
}

// init: lang group meta_text_id (174) entry 1, or #building_no_road_access
window.warning_text.text = __loc(reason)
building_info_window_setup_advisors(window)