Ok, so I have an open trade route and a peaceful race has an open trade route. Some ambitious people have a meeting and BAM a trade route comes online.



But how much does it get me? The numbers seem to get bigger over time, so maybe it's population-based? One of the technologies references the 'Distance bonus' to trade routes so maybe farther is better? The science take seems to always be double the nominal dust take, and I've heard taxes apply so is the listed number pre or post tax? And is the science affected by the tax rate?



Also I've heard that your trade partner doesn't really matter with regards to how much you get, but is it a safe assumption that they will at least get a functioning trade route? Is there a way to affect which frenemy gets that trade route? Cooperation agreements increase trade after a while, but is it just on routes with the agreement-having race or is it all routes? If it's all routes, can you stack the joy with many other races?

heres a link: /#/endless-space/forum/33-strategy-guides/thread/14048-trade-routes



Basically 0.5 dust per pop, and 1 science.



They are completely unaffected by tax btw. I love them for this reason.

Ooh, that's the thread I needed! Now to sum up what I've learned:



It isn't trade route to trade route; it's trade route to some other system! So I can only have as many trade routes as there are peaceful other frenemy systems that I have explored by ship or ally vision. It's best to concentrate trade routes in few systems so +trade modifiers can act on more stuff for less buildings.



My frenemy gains nothing from the route.



Taxes and empire bonuses make no difference.



Population and distance to trade system matter. State of frenemy system does not matter. Population is more important.



Path openness to trade system does not matter. Both systems must be unblockaded.



Cooperation agreements are just with the cooperating systems, so no stacky.



Trade formula:

GAINS = POP * DIST * DIST_BONUS * BONUS * SCIENCE_MULT * COOP_AGREE (Dust)

GAINS = POP * DIST * DIST_BONUS * BONUS * DUST_BONUS * COOP_AGREE (Science)

POP = SystemPopulation/5

DIST = 1 + 2*TradingDistance/GalaxyDiameter (Straight-line distance; not pathed)

BONUSES = 1 + TotalBonuses (So these are stacking multiplicatively)



The only other thing that I'd like to know is:



How are destination systems chosen when many are available? Near? Far? Random?

That info is in the thread, page 2.



"How are destination systems chosen when many are available? Near? Far? Random?"



Also in the thread. It will do it based on whichever gives you the highest gain. It will move routes if one becomes better than another.

If you want to really ramp up your trade routes, try a custom race with the Amoeba affinity and blockade breakers. You'll have trade routes the instant you meet other players.

Good tip. It beats having to explore every single system with your own ships.



By the way, I've just now updated the opening post of the linked thread on Trade Routes. You already understood it all quite well krausr79.