Hey everyone -

Playing as the Korx for my first three games I have been very happy with how quickly I can get my economy rolling, especially coupled with some good trade routes. I had a couple questions regarding freighters and econ starbases before I start playing games on higher difficulties...

1) After setting up an initial trade route, does the speed of your freighter really matter seeing that you get money from trade each turn. I understand that actually getting the freighter to a good trade-worthy planet ASAP is beneficial, but after that does the speed of your freighters matter? I understand the whole you get more trade revenue based on further distance from "home" planet of freighter, does speed affect average or say yearly net trade revenue?

2) Lining trade routes with econ starbases are obviously the way to go...if a freighter is in influence spheres of two or more econ stations...whats the deal with the stacking benefits and/or stacking penalities.

3) In the event you build econ starbases along your trade routes and other civs planets are in the sphere of the starbases, do those civ's planets get any econ bonuses, or do they only get bonuses from a vote at the UP for alliance members starbases to giving bonuses to each other

4) I don't think there is any way to do this, but to avoid enemy civ's territory, if you have a route that goes right through an enemies territory can you modify a freighter's path, or does it have to be shortest-line to trading planet

Thanks for the help everyone! A truly great game stardock has created here!