Stellar Wake and Intradiction Beams for Trade Routes

*bump*

Dunno... anyone? Are trade-route freighters affected by speed modules on SBs? If so, I would imagine slowing down the freighters would increase the revenue, as they would stay within the range of the trade-enhancing modules longer, while speeding them up would reduce revenue, for the opposite reason...

- Ash

~SDC~

Mini freighters that actually generate revenue always travel at a speed of 1 regardless of any starbase modules in the vicinity. I also have the sneaking suspicion that all those starbase trade modules have absolutely zero effect on your income. I know I've never seen my trade income increase no matter how many modules I stack in a sector as those freighters pass by them :notsure:

Trade-affecting modules DEFINATELY affect how much income you get from your trade routes. Try building 10 starbases, each with the full 50% bonus in a single sector and none in the next sector. Watch when the mini-freighter crosses between sectors. I once had one go from 40bc in one sector to about 350bc in the next. (Note, I don't think the bonuses are actually calculated at exactly what it says they are. They are real bonuses though.)

That being said, the best way to get good trade route income is to make routes between hugely built-up planets.

Is the trade bonus only applied when a freighter enters a new sector? I still don't see any change in revenues, and GalCiv's running in the background as I write this...

I've noticed the same thing. There are big differences in the values listed for the individual trade routes depending on where the ships are, but the total trade income doesn't seem to reflect it.

I do however think that the trade modules affect the value. As i was building them the total trade income kept going up, even when there weren't any trade ships in the sectors i was upgrading =P

Maybe i'm just not being observant enough, but it sure seems to me like everything is averaged out.

Well, if the bonus is indeed averaged out, that could explain why there is no noticeable increase in trade revenues if I only built a few starbases along an ultra long trade route (>400 turns). A feature like this just makes too much sense for me to expect it in a game. I guess I'll test this on a shorter route and see if I may be pleasantly surprised.

Do note that trade ships are affected by speed-enhancements in the starbases. Build speed enhancers on the outgoing leg to skip the not-so-profitable part of the journey, while the trade centers dot the return leg (the maximum profitability is not when the ship is furthest away, but when it nears the end of the trip - ie, closest to home. Naturally.).

~SDC~