i would go buy 1k iron for 100k and 2k coal for 360k, smith 1k steel bars, and make cannon balls from that 1k steel bars( 4k cannonballs) then sell them for 150 or 200 ea 100k + 360k is 460k starting cash 4k cannonballs is (150 ea) 600k 4k cannonballs is (200 ea) 800k 600k (150ea) - 460k would be 140k profit w/ 63,100 smith exp 800k (200ea) - 460k would be 340k profit w/ 63,100 smith exp some numbers for you ;)