trade routes positionning

from Stardock Forums
Hi,

If I understand well the loopholes of the trade routes system, in order to maximize your econ, you have to:

a) create all trade routes from the same planet (A) toward the same planet (B)
b) put 4 maxxed trade SB in all sectors which are close enough to the SAME segment of the trade route.

Am I right?


I would be relieved to know that for (a), you get a diminishing return if several freighters are doing the same exact route. At the very least. From a design and even realism standpoint, I would have prefered that this abuse could not be done.

As for (b), it would have made much more sense, and it would have been better, game wise, to have the various SB unable to pile their bonus. With only one SB able to give a bonus in the same sector, you would really have to spread the trade SB along the routes, which make more sense. As of now, you will build 16 SB near your homeworld, each with all trade and prod modules, before doing anything else. For the vast majority of games, it will keep you busy during the whole play!
6,218 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm afraid you're right on all points exept the dimishing return for the same route. I'm a fan of trading and would like some incentive to build a more realistic trading network, but creating one route is now the best thing to do, as you can protect it better and boost it with econbases.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
sigh.

So there is a diminishing return at least?
The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That is the best strategy for using trade routes to make money.
No, there is no diminishing return for just stacking a route between two planets.
Trade has another advantage in that it can affect diplomatic relations. If you spread your trade routes around you can improve relations with your neighbors. In the later stages of "a regular" game where your tax economy is the primary income; trade routes are a nice income bonus but are worth more in being able to turn a friend into an ally.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If I understand well the loopholes of the trade routes system


i don't think i'd call them loopholes per se, but moving on...

So there is a diminishing return at least?

No, there is no diminishing return for just stacking a route between two planets.


correct.

That is the best strategy for using trade routes to make money.


you may want to check out my test bed studies in the forum, Econ Starbase Stacking. there are a few other tricks you can employ to continue boosting your trade income.

(i hope i linked that correctly).

cheers
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
No diminishing returns, at least for now. In fact, according to DA rules, trade routes become more valuable over time. Although, with the bulk of income being generated by the economic starbases, it diminishes the value of Galactic Privateer.

The value of trade is greatest when planets are few and far between, like in the Large Galaxy / Uncommon Stars / Uncommon Planets / Abundant Asteroids / Occasional Anomalies / Tight Clusters galaxy setup I plan to play when my exams are over and I can open the box. It will both generate a good amount of your income and gain you better deals during diplomatic tech trading.

The problems with dependence on trade are the 'poof-goes-trade' mega-events like:

-Peacekeepers - Those damn robots don't know the meaning of peace: they'll destroy your painstakingly put-together trade network, and they can only be fended against if you've maxed out your weaponry, miniaturization, & propulsion techs, and are able to build super-offensive super-fast big-logistics fleets.

Pirates - Largely similar to Peacekeepers, but they won't need as advanced warships to defeat them as PKs would.

Dread Lords - If they survive long enough to start building warships, and worse, making fleets, then it is inevitable that your trade network gets crushed. Once again, you'll need maximized weapons, engines, miniaturization, and logistics to fight them straight.

Diplomatic Assassination - This event causes a war between you and your trade partner and the trade routes die - leaving an empty shell of economic starbases doing nothing.

Normal Planetary Capture - If your or your partner's planet gets captured, by any means, by someone else, the trade routes go poof and you get that empty-shell effect again.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The problems with dependence on trade are the 'poof-goes-trade' mega-events like


IMO the best way to avoid that is by focusing primarily in tax economy. build up a very small trade line once your economy gets going, with lots of trade bonus strategies, it'll be a nice bonus income.

but i wouldn't ever try to make it the center of my income.