Tips to building a trading empire

[the1sean]

Yeah, its one of those catch-22's. I often amass the best galactic map around, and then trade it for megacash and techs once I think that I am out of the roughest parts of the early game rush.

[Xkill]

I have quite a 'cheat' with the Mutual Defence Pacts, when someone calls you to fight somebody just hit the F2 button (Diplomacy Screen) and then choose someone to talk, close the pop-up window and have fun!

With this 'cheat' i could avoid various wars with boskaras, dhayuts, everyone, and also keeping my reputation and my friends.

[Eldiora]

I got a question, how does it come in peace time i have constantly 1-2k port income, 0k for my resorts and next to nothing at trading?
Is this a bug? I know i have trade agreements and a lot of resources, I share my super rare Lobos Fruit and have starports everywhere

The fun thing is, once i went to war with the Slukens, resort income went to 150k and port income to 80k...
So do i need a war going to have income from resorts and starports?

And yes i have traded territory maps with all of the empires except for those pesky 2 slukens, they hate me (well by now i have conquered them both)

[Foraven]

ORIGINAL: Eldiora

I got a question, how does it come in peace time i have constantly 1-2k port income, 0k for my resorts and next to nothing at trading?
Is this a bug? I know i have trade agreements and a lot of resources, I share my super rare Lobos Fruit and have starports everywhere

The fun thing is, once i went to war with the Slukens, resort income went to 150k and port income to 80k...
So do i need a war going to have income from resorts and starports?

And yes i have traded territory maps with all of the empires except for those pesky 2 slukens, they hate me (well by now i have conquered them both)

Trade in this game isn't abstracted, ships need to make it to your colonies to do any actual trading. If they find better places closer to home, or don't know your colonies exist (trade your maps), nothing will happen. That's why weird things can happen with wars and trade restrictions... Also, you make money of all ships that dock for refueling, so military ships that stops at your spaceports bring you money.

[torrenal]

Something else about trading maps...
if I am repairing a derelict fleet in a system that I have a colony...trading maps tells other empires that the colony exists, which brings out ships, who see the ships (it might even tell them about the ships outright, not sure). Either way, it's not long before I start seeing competing ships, and possibly even a fleet, taking up station on the derelict fleet.

Of course, as an easy out to repairing all the ships, you could just blow them up. If you have a sizable tech advantage, this may not hinder you, but will hinder other empires who are seeking the ships for military power, or tech (not sure that they auto-retire new ships... be interesting to know).
//Torrenal

[the1sean]

I dont think that they used to auto-retire ships before the current patch, but now I think that they do. Not based on hard evidence.

[Xkill]

I like playing the Trader style, cause i like Money more than i like Combat. However, playing that style may be a little difficult when that Awesomely Big Boskara empire destroy your corporation, Planet by Planet...

[Foraven]

ORIGINAL: Xkill

I like playing the Trader style, cause i like Money more than i like Combat. However, playing that style may be a little difficult when that Awesomely Big Boskara empire destroy your corporation, Planet by Planet...

It's not that difficult if you invest in military to keep them from wanting to take you apart. In fact i feel it's too easy to go the trader's route, once you have a great economy and a mighty fleet, nobody dare to challenge you. Just make sure you have plenty of ships (and troops) and you will be seldom to war.

[Wenla]

ORIGINAL: Foraven

ORIGINAL: Xkill

I like playing the Trader style, cause i like Money more than i like Combat. However, playing that style may be a little difficult when that Awesomely Big Boskara empire destroy your corporation, Planet by Planet...

It's not that difficult if you invest in military to keep them from wanting to take you apart. In fact i feel it's too easy to go the trader's route, once you have a great economy and a mighty fleet, nobody dare to challenge you. Just make sure you have plenty of ships (and troops) and you will be seldom to war.

I don't remember any more how it was originally as for Latin, but the idea is something like "If you want maintain a peace, prepare for a war" and it's true also with DW.

[Endincite]

ORIGINAL: Wenla
I don't remember any more how it was originally as for Latin, but the idea is something like "If you want maintain a peace, prepare for a war" and it's true also with DW.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

[Baleur]

ORIGINAL: Foraven

ORIGINAL: AminMaalouf

ORIGINAL: Merker
8. b) you can't colonize it: copy the design of your large space port, set it to mining base category, add 20-30 luxury resource and some mining resource components, then send a construction ship to build it at the planet. It's well worth it in the long run, and it's well protected that way.
If you have a rare resource and do things like this you will avoid conflicts quite easily, and make a LOT of money doing it. You will make a lot of friends really fast.
Merker out.

Does this still work after the patch?

I see the problem that the size of bases is restricted in early game.

It may also be that I have not checked the proposed procedure.

Cool post anyway, makes me love that gem of a game once again.

Bases are only restricted if they are not built at a colony, otherwise it can be as big as you want (but making them too big may not be wise, it will be expensive to maintain).

But.. Exactly, so if you try to build one at a planet you CANT colonize, it is limited in size, right?

[torrenal]

Yep. Colonists are amazing that way. Too bad they can't do the same thing with ships that the can do with bases.... (what I'd give to be able to build resupply ships without a size limit in the early game...)
//Torrenal

[Baleur]

But what are you talking about, how are they amazing if the base is limited?
Are you trying to say the bases are unlimited if they have a colony module?

[torrenal]

My previous post in this topic is a perfect example of why I need to limit multi-tasking....

I confused the context of at/not-at a colony. Colonists are amazing in that they can ignore the size limits...

What sucks is they can't ignore the limits for colony ships and the like, which means I can't gin one up into an uber-attack ship... And don't bother sticking a hyperdrive on a space-port... tried that too.

//Torrenal

[Jeeves]

Bump - excellent thread, especially the first post. After my first game I always went the trade empire route. I would add that you should keep a close eye on dilithium and gold in your expansion planner by galaxy priority. Those asteroids which are especially scenic can be mined with resort bases to produce huge income! Also check the galaxy for scenic locations as you explore, giving priority to colonizing ringed planets so that you can put a resort base on the colony.

[Merker]

I've updated the original post with 2 more points, 22 and 23, regarding fleet deployment.

Cheers