Trade Routes Question

from Stardock Forums
I am curious about trade routes and their destinations. My last game I was hemmed in by the Dregnin, such that all my trade routes had to go through thier space. As this game was the first I ever saw the good interface, you can imagine they weren't very good neighbors. There was, however, a 24 class planet owned by the Alexians in the far corner of my space completely away from any Dregnin threats. I found that trade routes didn't need to be unique, that is I could build 6 freighters on my prime world, and send them all to the Alexians. Before I was forced into trying this, I had assumed that trade routes needed to have a different origin/destination. Has anyone else tried this? Is there any financial impact to servicing the same route with multiple freighters? seems like you could secure a steady trade flow regardless of wars if you could have a minor race in your area and just spam that 1 planet with freighters. Plus it makes it alot easier to build trade bases along the route. Any thoughts?
268 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I find that trading to the minor races actually hurts diplomatically because the other major empires then have no reason to not go after you becuase you aren't a significant part of their culture. There is nothing like preventing the most agressive empire from leaving you alone because it will kill their economy if they attack you.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Yeah, but it also helps them financially as much as it helps you. In this game, The Dregnin were already pulling way ahead of everyone else. To "appease" them would have just delayed their eventual victory. Fortunately, they were so busy picking on every other race in the galaxy, I was able to get a few battle hammers and a bunch a transports into their space and take their capitol, which was just a couple of sectors away. But they're still in the top spot.
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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
I think they need to change that. I havent tested extensively, how much diminishing returns is there? Any? It seems to me that being able to send all your routes to one planet would be overpowered as you could pick the 'best' route and line it with +trade starbases and make a mint.

olaf
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
No diminishing returns that I have seen. My last game on a gigantic map I had a class 42 planet in a corner trading with a class 34 about 2/3 the map away, eventually I had 3 routes going there. Makes it very easy to build trade starbases to up the monthly amount, since you have just one super route to build up. Towards the end I was topping 500bc a turn with those routes.

But I do agree that trade with the minor civs should be limited until you are buddy buddy with everyone you want to ally with.