View source for Trading System


= Trade System =

== Overview ==
The Trade System lets you exchange resources with other players in your galaxy through the Galactic Market. Trades are handled by the Trade Union, which runs convoys between colonies after a deal is accepted.

Trading is a way to balance shortages, move stock between colonies, and profit from favorable exchange rates—without moving your own combat fleets.
----

== Requirements ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Requirement
!Detail
|-
|Realm level
|Realm 2 or higher
|-
|Trading Center
|Built on the colony where you create offers (level 1+)
|-
|Buyer
|Must also have a Trading Center on the colony that accepts and pays for the trade
|-
|Warehouse
|Trading Center requires Warehouse level 10
|-
|Trade Networks
|Research level 4 (needed to build the Trading Center)
|}
----

== Trading Center (Building) ==
The Trading Center is the hub for all player market activity at a colony.
{| class="wikitable"
!
!
|-
|Purpose
|Post offers, view market stats, and manage trade slots
|-
|Realm
|Realm 2+
|-
|Industrialist affinity
|Strong (S)
|}

=== What the building improves ===
Higher Trading Center level on a colony improves that colony’s trading power:
{| class="wikitable"
!Stat
!Effect of higher level
|-
|Trade slots
|More active offers at once
|-
|Max batch size
|Larger single offers and requests
|-
|Tax rate
|Lower tax on resources you receive (down to a minimum of about 2%)
|-
|Convoy speed
|Faster Trade Union deliveries involving that colony
|}
Trade slots (examples)
{| class="wikitable"
!Trading Center level
!Max active offers (approx.)
|-
|1
|1
|-
|4
|3
|-
|10
|6
|-
|20
|10 (server cap)
|}
Max batch size (examples) — total resources per side of one offer:
{| class="wikitable"
!Level
!Approx. max per offer/request
|-
|1
|1,000,000
|-
|5
|~5,000,000
|-
|10
|~38,000,000
|}
Exact numbers appear on your Trading Center screen and scale with level bonuses from research and monuments.
----

== How a trade works ==

=== 1. Create an offer (seller) ===

# Open the Trading Center → Create Offer.
# Choose the colony listing the trade.
# Set what you offer and what you want (at least one resource on each side).
# Set duration (how long the offer stays on the market).
# Optionally enable Auto-Fulfill by Trade Union.
# Submit.

When you create an offer:

* Offered resources are removed immediately from that colony and held until the offer ends, is cancelled, or completes.
* The offer appears on the Galactic Market for other players in your galaxy.
* You cannot accept your own offer.

=== 2. Accept an offer (buyer) ===

# Browse the Galactic Market (filter by resource, alliance, sort by rate/amount/newest).
# Pick an offer and choose which colony will pay the requested resources.
# Confirm.

When someone accepts:

* Requested resources are deducted immediately from the buyer’s chosen colony.
* Two Trade Union convoys launch (seller → buyer and buyer → seller).
* Both sides get mail when the offer is accepted and when delivery finishes.

=== 3. Convoys and delivery ===

* Convoys are Trade Union fleets (not your warships).
* Travel time depends on distance and the Trading Center levels of both parties (higher levels = faster).
* Very long routes take longer; there is a minimum travel time.
* When both convoys arrive, the trade is completed and you receive a completion report.

=== 4. Cancel or expiry (seller) ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Outcome
!What happens to your offered resources
|-
|You cancel (before acceptance)
|Full refund to the listing colony
|-
|Expires (no auto-fulfill)
|Full refund
|-
|Expires (auto-fulfill on)
|Trade Union completes the deal (see below)
|}
----

== Taxes and what you actually receive ==
Each side pays tax on what they receive, based on their own colony’s Trading Center level (and bonuses).<blockquote>You receive = Agreed amount − Tax on that amount</blockquote>Example

* You sell 1,000,000 Steel for 500,000 Quartz.
* Buyer receives 1,000,000 Steel minus buyer tax.
* You receive 500,000 Quartz minus your tax (e.g. 8% at low Trading Center → 460,000 Quartz if no other reductions).

Lower tax and faster convoys come from upgrading the Trading Center and investing in trade research (below).
----

== Exchange rates and fair pricing ==

=== Simple trades (one resource for one resource) ===
The market shows an exchange rate (e.g. <code>2:1</code> = 2 offered per 1 requested).

=== Market rate guard (±20%) ===
For single-resource pairs, your offer must stay within about ±20% of the reference rate:

* Reference rate = recent 7-day market median for that pair (from real player trades), when enough history exists (at least 5 completed trades).
* If the market has little data, a default fair rate based on relative resource value is used instead.
* If recent prices have drifted too far from the default, the game uses the safer default so listings stay fair.

Use Auto Set in the create screen to fill amounts near the current market rate.

=== Resource value (for fair comparisons) ===
Resources are compared using an internal fuel-weight scale (used for rate limits and market math), roughly:
{| class="wikitable"
!Resource
!Relative weight (higher = more “valuable” per unit)
|-
|Gas
|1× (baseline)
|-
|Steel
|Heavier than gas
|-
|Quartz
|Heavier than steel
|-
|Iridium / Silicium / Elerium
|Progressively more valuable
|}
You do not need to calculate this manually—the create preview and Terms line show whether your offer is within allowed limits.

=== Rules ===

* You cannot offer and request the same resource.
* Total offered and total requested must each stay under your max batch size.
* You need a free trade slot.

----

== Offer duration ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Player type
!Default listing time
|-
|Standard
|48 hours
|-
|Imperial Access
|24 hours
|}
You can choose a shorter or longer duration up to a maximum of 7 days.
----

== Galactic Market ==

* Lists active offers from players in your galaxy only.
* Does not show your own offers (use My Offers).
* Filters: resource offered, resource wanted, alliance-only, sort by rate / amount / newest.
* Alliance-only: only offers from members of your active alliance.

----

== Trade Union Auto-Fulfill ==
Optional when creating an offer: if no player accepts before expiry, the Trade Union buys you out instead of returning your cargo.

=== How it works ===

# You enable Auto-Fulfill on the offer (uses a separate auto-fulfill slot limit).
# Your offered resources stay locked until expiry.
# About 1 hour before expiry, you get a warning mail with the estimated Union rate and fee.
# At expiry, if still unaccepted:
#* Union fulfills at market rate (7-day median when reliable, otherwise default fair rate).
#* A service fee is deducted (default 5% of what you receive).
#* You get the requested resource (after fee), not necessarily the full amount you originally asked for if market rate differs.
#* Any leftover offered resources may be refunded if the deal is capped by batch limits.
# Offer status becomes Auto-Fulfilled; you receive a mail summary.

=== Auto-fulfill slots ===

* By default, about half of your max trade slots can use auto-fulfill (rounded up).
* Galactic Commerce research can increase auto-fulfill capacity.
* Each auto-fulfill offer counts toward this limit separately from normal slots.

=== When auto-fulfill helps ===

* You want to guarantee liquidity (e.g. dump Steel for Quartz at market price).
* You are okay paying the 5% Union fee instead of waiting or cancelling.

=== When to skip it ===

* You only want a specific player rate; without acceptance you get market rate minus fee, not your listed ratio.
* You prefer a full refund on expiry—leave auto-fulfill off.

----

== Research that affects trading ==

=== Trade Networks (economy) ===
Unlocks and supports the Trading Center.
{| class="wikitable"
!Per level
!Effect
|-
|<nowiki>+3%</nowiki>
|Trade efficiency → lower tax on received goods
|-
|<nowiki>+1%</nowiki>
|Trade route speed → faster convoys
|}
Requires Research Lab and industrial/energy prerequisites.
----

=== Galactic Commerce (late economy, Realm 4+) ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Per level
!Effect
|-
|Trade auto-fulfill
|More auto-fulfill slots
|-
|<nowiki>+0.2%</nowiki>
|Larger max batch size
|-
|<nowiki>+1.5%</nowiki>
|Cargo capacity (general fleet bonus)
|}
Requires Trade Networks level 10 and other high-tier research.
----

=== Monuments (empire bonuses) ===
Some monuments add:
{| class="wikitable"
!Effect type
!Player benefit
|-
|Trade efficiency
|Lower effective tax
|-
|Trade slot cap increase
|More concurrent offers
|}
Check active monuments on your empire overview.
----

== Effect types (quick reference) ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Effect
!What players feel
|-
|Trade efficiency %
|Less tax on incoming resources
|-
|Trade route speed %
|Shorter convoy wait after acceptance
|-
|Trade batch size %
|Bigger offers allowed
|-
|Trade auto-fulfill
|More offers can use Union buyout on expiry
|-
|Trade slot cap increase
|More listings at once
|}
----

== Reports and notifications ==
You receive mail for:

* Offer accepted (convoy ETA)
* Convoy arrived (partial delivery)
* Trade completed
* Offer cancelled / expired (refund)
* Auto-fulfill warning (~1 hour left)
* Auto-fulfill completed (fee applied)

Battle-style Trade Reports summarize what each side gave and received, including tax.
----

== Examples ==

=== Example A — Straight resource swap ===
{| class="wikitable"
!
!
|-
|You offer
|2,000,000 Steel
|-
|You want
|800,000 Quartz
|-
|Rate
|2.5:1
|-
|Duration
|48 h, no auto-fulfill
|}
Another player accepts. Convoys travel; you receive Quartz (minus your tax), they receive Steel (minus their tax).
----

=== Example B — Market listing with auto-fulfill ===
{| class="wikitable"
!
!
|-
|You offer
|5,000,000 Gas
|-
|You want
|1,000,000 Iridium
|-
|Auto-fulfill
|On
|-
|Market
|7-day median says ~4.8M Gas per 1M Iridium
|}

* If a player accepts → normal trade at your listed terms (subject to tax).
* If nobody accepts → at expiry Union pays ~market rate, 5% fee on Iridium received; you get a mail with final amounts.

----

=== Example C — Planning batch limits ===
Trading Center level 3, max batch ~2.25M per side.

* You cannot post 3M Steel for 1.5M Quartz in one offer—you must split into two offers or upgrade the building / Galactic Commerce.

----

== Tips ==

# Upgrade Trading Center on busy trade colonies first (slots, batch size, tax, speed).
# Trade Networks early if you trade often—tax and convoy time add up.
# Use Auto Set and market rate hints to avoid rate rejected errors.
# Alliance filter for safer or coordinated deals inside your alliance.
# Auto-fulfill for liquidation; no auto-fulfill when you only want a premium rate or a full refund.
# Remember offered resources are locked until the offer ends—plan colony stock accordingly.
# Both parties need a Trading Center on the paying/receiving colony.

----

== FAQ ==
Can I trade with players in another galaxy?

No. The market only shows offers from your galaxy.

Do I need ships for trade?

No. Trade Union convoys handle delivery after acceptance.

What happens if I run out of resources after posting?

Resources are taken when you create the offer, so you cannot double-spend them while the offer is active.

Does auto-fulfill use my listed exchange rate?

No. It uses market rate (recent trades or default fair value), then applies the Union fee.

Is Elerium tradeable?

Yes, along with Steel, Quartz, Gas, Iridium, and Silicium, subject to batch limits and rate rules.
----''Fees, durations, tax floors, and caps may be tuned in live updates. Your Trading Center screen always shows current stats for that colony.''