Try playing with this rule: You can only trade with players that you are adjacent to by land or can reach by sea. Makes Astronomy much more important!

I think many people (myself included) are of the opinion that trading is the center of this game. If you resrict it more than it already is, all you are doing is slowing down the early game by empoverishing it. Later in the game, it is a mere formality.

I would love to hear of other house rules you may have tried, and I'm sure other people have other opinions of the one you mentioned, welcome.

Jeff

I agree with mcbeth, it would only be caotic "Wait I can't trade with you, I'll have to trade with him so he can trade with you." Not good.

A houserule I like is to put the non-tradable calamity randomly as one of the 3 bottom cards. That way you can't try to avoid them by razing your (or somone-elses) cities etc. One less thing to keep in my poor head as well...