Probably one of my surprises was finding a listing of the nations and what they produced, what they wanted, and specialty goods they sought. Yay! We can have shipping routes that make sense. Okay, perhaps you aren't excited by this, but I am, mostly because I know my usual group of players, and I know that this would come up in the first few sessions.

What what what?

A game setting with a well described and plausible economy?

So that conflicts can be based on plausible motivations?

Madness! Madness I Say!