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Trade routes, all to one planet or spread them out?

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Trade routes, all to one planet or spread them out?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I use the basic trade route strategy of selecting a planet far away (usually minor race) and send all my freighters there. Sometimes boosting the route with econ bases.

I don't have the feeling that spreading my trade routes over different planets to reduce risk of loosing all routes at once and the diplomatic benefits is really necessary.

I'm playing Tough on gigantic.

I'm wondering how experienced players on this forum construct their trade routes.

Would it be a good idea to add some incentive to spreading trade routes by giving bonuses to each trade route on a different planet and/or each trade route to a different faction?

I think spreading out trade routes should be at least the most profitable strategy, creating a 'realistic' trading network, maximizing the exchange of specialized and rare goods. (with maybe the risk of increased vulnerability of having trade routes all over the place)

The way I'm doing it now feels a bit on the 'safe' side, just creating a 'money train' to one planet, limiting the things you could do with a galactic trade network.
20,835 views 40 replies
Reply #26 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
@ Dystopic:

You know, if the trade bases are getting too expensive to build, just gift some of them to your trade partner! You recieve the benefits regardless, if I remember correctly. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, though.

@ gallagher118:

I think the fact that I was USING such a strategy quite effectively on a very big map is proof to the contrary. The output scales with the size of the map quite nicely, actually, since the trade routes get longer. It does get harder to build all the starbases, but it becomes exponentially more profitable to do so. With clever use of waypoints, it actually becomes quite manageable.

@ Iztoc:

To be honest, if you're playing at that level, are we even playing the same game? I consider it a valid strategy if it'll work at tough or the next couple difficulties, which is what I find to be a fun game. It works against an opponent playing under the same rules (or with only a slight handicap), which is quite a nice result in a game with AI this good.

One you start playing at the crazy high difficulty levels, you have to start meticulously taking advantage of every nook and cranny in the system in a Wyndstar-esque way to compete. I've read his AARs, and while it's quite impressive to see how well he takes every advantage he gets, it's a much less dynamic and interesting game. At that difficulty level you have no room to mess around with ANYTHING... I'll stick with the difficulties that make me work for my victory, yet let me pursue it whichever way I choose.

@ Swicord:

Nope! No loss in value.

Reply #27 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Galactic Privateer: I've found that it works much better in the latest DA build. No more AI ships chasing protected freighters. And the AI does build it now, quite often in fact. At least, it does build it on higher difficulties. It might not have the resources to be able to prioritize it on lower difficulties.




Star Control: Origins
Reply #28 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You know, if the trade bases are getting too expensive to build, just gift some of them to your trade partner! You recieve the benefits regardless, if I remember correctly.


Pretty sure this is only true if you've had the UP vote that says your bases help allies and you have an alliance with the AI you give the base to.
Reply #29 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I was under the impression that trade modules affected ANY trade route that has an end on one of your planets, and that it affected both partners.
Reply #30 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Re who benefits from econ bases: The manual says "In their area of effect, they can greatly increase the value of your trade routes when your freighters pass through and you’ve installed trade modules onto your starbase." (emphasis added)

I take that, together with the fact that there is a UP vote that can cause starbases to aid allies, to mean that unless that event is in effect and you have an alliance, AI starbases can only be navigation obstacles or targets.

But I admit I am starting to wonder whether the manual is thin here. Any chance of some second opinions, or even a word from Kryo?
Reply #31 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Normally I establish one or more trade routes with each civ (not the minor) there is. And then if I notice low relations with one of them, I just send a few freighters their way to shut them up.

Anyway, it should only seem perfectly reasonable that a trade starbase would effect both players on the trade route, I mean if you offer them more, shouldn't they have to offer you something ssimilar? It's the system of Fair Trade. Unless you have a higher diplomacy ability then them, that would allow you to cheat the system, but only by a little bit.

  
Reply #32 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
At this point in the game's life (and maybe even after the initial release) the manual doesn't have complete and total accuracy, especially for small details...
Reply #33 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
IsotheWise:

I dont know the name of the super event. But the text runs something along the lines of "Interest in all things foriegn has increased and trade revenues are expected to increase by a value of 10X". Its kinda similar to the tax rate boost or the influence boost, but it states it is for trade. Ive only seen it once or twice.
Reply #34 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
To be honest, if you're playing at that level, are we even playing the same game? I consider it a valid strategy if it'll work at tough or the next couple difficulties, which is what I find to be a fun game. It works against an opponent playing under the same rules (or with only a slight handicap), which is quite a nice result in a game with AI this good.

One you start playing at the crazy high difficulty levels, you have to start meticulously taking advantage of every nook and cranny in the system in a Wyndstar-esque way to compete. I've read his AARs, and while it's quite impressive to see how well he takes every advantage he gets, it's a much less dynamic and interesting game. At that difficulty level you have no room to mess around with ANYTHING... I'll stick with the difficulties that make me work for my victory, yet let me pursue it whichever way I choose.


i think this is a fair response. i've tried playing at the higher difficulty levels, though i've never managed to pull off a successful game all the way to the end on the highest level. i tried it a couple times, and they were very exciting games. but on the one where it felt like i might win, i got tired of trying to manage more than 50 colonies. i like very large maps, but i also like resources overall to be tight: few planets and very slow research. this also seems to give minor civs more of a fighting edge, which i find interesting.

to be honest, if that's all GC2 was i'd have probably stopped playing a while ago. i keep coming back to the game because i have so many more options vis-a-vis modding. i've tried modding trade; the boosts to diplomatic relations seem to be tied to the monetary value from trading, and modding trade too much results in a hippie love fest across most of the galaxy.
Reply #35 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'd expect so. Whenever I set up one of these trade conduits with the Arceans, I end up providing them with something like 50% to 80% of their income. When another civ is that vital for your survival, you tend not to foul relations with them!
Reply #36 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Do faster freighters increase income while on the trading route compared with slower freighters? (I don't think so, but I'm not sure)
Reply #37 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Do faster freighters increase income while on the trading route compared with slower freighters?


Faster freighters let you establish a route more quickly, but after it gets to the end point the route is run by "mini-freighters" that move just one square per turn. IIRC, not even the speed boost from a military base can change that.
Reply #38 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
IIRC, not even the speed boost from a military base can change that.


that is correct.

Do faster freighters increase income while on the trading route compared with slower freighters? (I don't think so, but I'm not sure)


early in the i think range is more important. it takes so long for freighters to get anywhere early on that you don't need a lot of speed, 2-4 pts maybe. i think it's more important to produce freighters quickly in the early game. ship range maxes out, but i don't know exactly how much you can have.

if your trade routes get killed later in the game, it makes more sense to build faster freighters to get the routes up and running again quickly.
Reply #39 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
In my latest game I noticed that my trade profit outside my booster areas went from about 60 to 17 (for 1 route) when I had to rebuild the trade routes. This really shows what a long-lasting trade route can do for you. Does anyone know what the increase exactly is over how much time?
Reply #40 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I wonder what the minimum income for a trade route is... I've seen the comp. make trade routes that are four spaces long, enough to stretch across one star-system.