Trading

Trading is a core component of the game, it allow player to

* sell excess resources in exchange for Energy Credits (EC) income
* purchase the much needed resources if in shortage

It is important to maintain sustainable economy via trading, ensure always has sufficient EC to pay for research, upkeep of buildings and ships.

## Orders - Trading at Trading Posts

### Trading Posts

This is where the trade takes place. Each sector capital act as trading post.

There are 2 types of trading posts.

1. Neutral trading post
	* belong to sector capital located at the neutral region (the 5 sectors near center of galaxy where War in Heaven takes place, in Battle view, territories owned by VOT, UNE, MCU, COM, ISC)
	* In create order screen, these trading post will have a "neutral" marker indicated.
	* player can not set the selling price of good they intend to sell to neutral trading post
	* the NPC will immediate buy any goods send there (this is a good place to complete the daily mission of "sell resource")
2. Normal trading post
	* for those sector capital located outside the neutral region, whether claimed or unclaimed by any alliance
	* goods sell here can be either from player or the neutral merchant (peddler fleet)
	* unlike the neutral trading post, goods send by player for sell will remain at the trading post until someone buy them or time expired.
	* player allow to set their goods selling price.

### Caravans

To ferry the resources bought or sold on a Trading Post a caravan is needed.

The game starts with 3 caravans ship, more caravans ship can be unlocked (up to max. 6) when Station Nexus level up

Caravan capacity can be increased by research, sector capital bonus, increase caravan limit item

2 caravan related research

* Reduce caravan cost
* Increase caravan capacity

### Placing an (big) Order

With "Create Order" a trade can be performed.

Afterwards a caravan must be selected to execute it. (not cancel able)

If the volume of the order exceeds the volume of the caravan the caravan will travel multiple times.

A caravan which is already performing an order may be selected again.

Depending on the distance a small fee must be paid (the further away the greater the fee - but still small)

### Distance and Trading Losses

Distance to a Trading Post will diminish the traded resources (the further the distance the greater the loss)

When searching for resources via "by Resource" the trading losses are taken into account.

### Order Limit

A maximum of 25 buy orders can be placed at the same time.

NOTE: there is a bug which prevents creating sell orders when the limit of buy orders is reached.

### Estimated Time

The time a caravan needs to travel to a Trading Post is estimated by the game.

Over longer distances the estimated time is far below the reality.

## Quick Trade (Auto Buy, Auto Sell)

Number of caravan depends on Station Nexus level.

Max. caravan: 5 (5th caravan slot for quick trade unlocked at Nexus level 20)

### Limitations

* When selling resource from warehouse via quick trade, it should not bring the reserve in warehouse below the 20% capacity of warehouse
	+ Example: warehouse capacity is 100k, available resource in warehouse is 32k, so max sell-able quantity is 12k (32k - 100k x 0.2)

### Benefits

* The sell price is 1.5x the min. selling price a NPC Trading Post would pay.
* The buy price is 5/6 of the NPC Trading Post.
* This is especially useful to sell excess resource which are not needed for quick EC income
* Obtain resources which are not on the market for a little better price (i.e. Metal)

## Tips for Starters

* use Quick Trade to sell of excess basic resources (Food, Electricity, Minerals)
* Don't spend all on trades EC are necessary for research, building and fleet maintenance
* Scan the market for good prices Some resources are below Auto Trade value available (i.e. Food at 1 - 1.2 EC)

## References

This is the references for older revision of auto trade mechanism before it is replaced by quick trade mechanism

### A Guide for big profits by Auto Trade & Station Jump

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ohM9Hch21fYOdqAX8OmPddH6\_c1jjchgbwf7s5T1zEY/edit?usp=sharing