Rare Goods vs normal trade

BrewerGeorge · Feb 9, 2015

Rare trading is fantastic for gaining influence. Bringing an Asp-load of rares into a system you've never visited before and trading them all to the same faction will usually make you Friendly as a result. I am finding it exceptionally useful at ranking up.

puca · May 14, 2015

777Driver said:
I have been flying the rare trade routes since they started. They have only been changed once, and that was a while ago. It had to change, I made 10 million in one day back then.

I use this guide - Nothing has changed since and this guide has been out a long time - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...qBrZvFFzcA-uXB4pTfW4/htmlview?pli=1&sle=true#

The most important bit to look at is the supply rate, that rate is every 10 minutes.

What's the hourly credit rate with rare trading these days? When does cargo scaling stop, people say around 100 T, is that right?

Robert Maynard · May 14, 2015

puca said:
What's the hourly credit rate with rare trading these days? When does cargo scaling stop, people say around 100 T, is that right?

My current rare run netts about 1M Cr. per trip in an 80t Asp with three collection ports and an 8-jump / c. 150 LY trip to the destination port - it takes about 35 minutes to load up and make the round trip bringing back a suitable profitable bulk commodity. Before the introduction of the 50t Diso Ma Corn allocation, I would have to spend quite a while collecting c.70t from two circuits around 6 collection ports.

777Driver · May 14, 2015

puca said:
What's the hourly credit rate with rare trading these days? When does cargo scaling stop, people say around 100 T, is that right?

I couldn't give you an hourly figure, I rare trade every now and again just for the fun of it. Not sure what you mean about cargo scaling? The point where it is better to just trade normal goods? Anyway, 100T cargo is nowhere near enough for me, most of my routes require 200T+

Alec Turner · May 14, 2015

There's a thread I started ages ago which addresses exactly this issue. My conclusion was that the cutoff point for rares vs. normal trading was around the 75t mark. That said, if I'm going to trade I still prefer doing rares somehow.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=122200

Farmboy · May 14, 2015

Well I ran my ASP in trade mode at up to 120t** by having a smaller shield, but I think the win for it over the t6 is the extra jump range which makes some of the inter-system trips a bit quicker. I suspect it depends which rares route you are following tho. You can always use the extra hold space to carry normal goods you expect the next rares station to have in demand too - I'm surprised no-one has taken any of the rares circuits and noted the next best good to carry on any given leg yet (or if they have I've missed it)

** usually it was 112t since I had ADS and DSS as a way to distract myself as I passed through systems new to me.

pargyrak · May 14, 2015

I am trading rares on a 76 stop round trip that takes days. Started with an ASP 96T but now I am on a Python 192T cargo space.
The fun part is exploring in between. I explored with the APS between the stops at economy route, then the fast route and I just finished the route with a Python (less jump range) again in fast route.

It is not more profitable than grinding between station but certainly more fun. Also I managed to get to Ranger a while ago.

I am no parked at founders world thinking what to do next

Rankaze · May 14, 2015

clivewil said:
rares are actually great for dedicated bounty hunters too, who aren't concerned about the profitability of what is in their cargo bay. the fact is we *want* pirates to attack us, which they will do more readily if we are carrying something nice.

bounties are our bread and butter, so we can collect rares bit by bit, without the worry about there not being enough to earn a living. and when there's a full bay, we can sell them off for a nice cash bonus and begin the cycle again.

of course, a ton or two of plain ordinary gold works just as well to bait pirates...

Yeah. Also, when my Imp hunter cashes in her Alliance bounties, she always does so in the Lave cluster. It's closer, plus she can grab some rares to sell back home and make the trip more profitable.

Alec Turner · May 14, 2015

pargyrak said:
I am no[w] parked at founders world thinking what to do next

It strikes me that you might be just the sort of person to have a stab at the Buckyball A* race to Sagitarius A! Fame (but not much fortune) and more exploration than a sane person could hope to encounter in a lifetime

pargyrak · May 14, 2015

Alec Turner said:
It strikes me that you might be just the sort of person to have a stab at the Buckyball A* race to Sagitarius A! Fame (but not much fortune) and more exploration than a sane person could hope to encounter in a lifetime

I am not spending too much time playing I am afraid...