I'm a fantastic smuggler - I never get scanned pulling into a station if I don't want to. That's not the issue though...my problem is finding out how to make it more profitable than bulletin board work. I suppose this falls under finding a good trade route, but how do you go about doing that if there's no sense of demand? I don't even know where to start really. Thoughts?
Smuggling - what do?
- Thread starter KaizoMK
- Start date
Basically look what's prohibited at a certain station - whatever it is, will be in demand on the blackmarket, if there's any. Now find a nearby system, where said commodity is legal and - preferrably - with high supply. Smuggle that.
Of course, the higher the value of the commodity, the higher the potential profit -> look for Imperial Slaves
I recently rekindled my love for this game and found out the bulletin board smuggling work has really picked up! Yesterday I made 90k+ credits on a single, one-jump run. I love the new Elite 
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Here's a quick guide to dealing Narcotics...
They're produced by Agricultural and High-Tech systems. If you can find one controlled by Archon Delaine, the output is given a little boost, meaning more quantity available at a cheaper price. Around 8.3k per unit is a good price to buy from.
They're consumed by the workers of Extraction and Refinery systems, seeking to alleviate the drudgery of their day-to-day lives. Also popular with the hedonistic youth of Tourist systems. Find one of these system with a black-market (a stupidly easy doddle, given that they're all revealed on the System Map). If you can find one in system exploited by Delaine or Antal, even better - you'll get a 10% bonus on the black market.
Around 10.7k - 11.1k is a good selling price.
My current run nets me 2.8k per unit, over a single jump
They're produced by Agricultural and High-Tech systems. If you can find one controlled by Archon Delaine, the output is given a little boost, meaning more quantity available at a cheaper price. Around 8.3k per unit is a good price to buy from.
They're consumed by the workers of Extraction and Refinery systems, seeking to alleviate the drudgery of their day-to-day lives. Also popular with the hedonistic youth of Tourist systems. Find one of these system with a black-market (a stupidly easy doddle, given that they're all revealed on the System Map
). If you can find one in system exploited by Delaine or Antal, even better - you'll get a 10% bonus on the black market.Around 10.7k - 11.1k is a good selling price.
My current run nets me 2.8k per unit, over a single jump
Yea I had no idea that prohibited items had inherently high demand on the black market. I'll have to give it a go and see.
That said, everyone buys imperial slaves so I doubt I'll find a good supply anywhere. Slaves possibly..
Thanks marra! I'll try that later.
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Here's a quick guide to dealing Narcotics...
They're produced by Agricultural and High-Tech systems. If you can find one controlled by Archon Delaine, the output is given a little boost, meaning more quantity available at a cheaper price. Around 8.3k per unit is a good price to buy from.
They're consumed by the workers of Extraction and Refinery systems, seeking to alleviate the drudgery of their day-to-day lives. Also popular with the hedonistic youth of Tourist systems. Find one of these system with a black-market (a stupidly easy doddle, given that they're all revealed on the System Map
Around 10.7k - 11.1k is a good selling price.
My current run nets me 2.8k per unit, over a single jump
Thanks thats good info, I know what I'm doing later for fun...
There is another good way to make some cash. Get one of those missions asking for illegal goods lying about (ancient artifacts, tech plans, etc). Move around in SC and stop in every weak signal, usually it will have a few of them. Keep doing it until your cargo hold is full. Sell them, rinse and repeat.
Awesome, thanks for the info!!!Here's a quick guide to dealing Narcotics...
They're produced by Agricultural and High-Tech systems. If you can find one controlled by Archon Delaine, the output is given a little boost, meaning more quantity available at a cheaper price. Around 8.3k per unit is a good price to buy from.
They're consumed by the workers of Extraction and Refinery systems, seeking to alleviate the drudgery of their day-to-day lives. Also popular with the hedonistic youth of Tourist systems. Find one of these system with a black-market (a stupidly easy doddle, given that they're all revealed on the System Map
Around 10.7k - 11.1k is a good selling price.
My current run nets me 2.8k per unit, over a single jump
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By the way, how do fines work?
Up to now, I only smuggled in a cold shieldless Cobra, so never been scanned...I have recently acquired a Clipper and do not want to reconfigure my Python since the black and red color fits it too well
I mean, if you get scanned with illegal goods, you get a fine. Then what? If you get scanned again, the fines grows but would turn into a bounty only if not paid by 7 days, right? And if not wanted, the station would not open fire at you, correct?
So you can accumulate whatever amount of fine and simply leave the system after a week, right?
I recently rekindled my love for this game and found out the bulletin board smuggling work has really picked up! Yesterday I made 90k+ credits on a single, one-jump run. I love the new Elite
I took one smuggling mission to deliver 10 slaves to an outpost...easiest 250k I've ever made.
Though, a security vessel did start a scan on me on the way out...fortunately, silent running + chaff + heat sink + plus boosting into a 90 degree turn and I was able to shake him.
Bulletin board smuggling has improved substantially which is great. The best bit I've found is finding your own routes, that don't include slave trading or using any tool other than a pen and paper and the galaxy map. it really add to the sense of achievement and goes beyond boosting through the letter box. Keep flying Keep discovering, keep explroing and keep a cargo of one of each prohibited goods with you and plenty of tea to fuel your adventures.
Keep discovering, keep explroing and keep a cargo of one of each prohibited goods with you and plenty of tea to fuel your adventures.
As you might expect there's good smuggling money to be made in Archon Delaine systems where exploited systems have a 10% black market boost. A good way to make money is to go to a Zemina Torval control system where Imp slaves are 10% cheaper and always legal, agricultural systems tend to have high supply. Load up and head to a Delaine exploited system, I find extraction and refinery pay high, presumably to put them to work in the mines. Don't worry I'm sure the terms of their imperial slave contracts are honoured...
I'm making 4000 a tonne with 3 jumps. In a clipper that's just shy of a million each run.
I'm making 4000 a tonne with 3 jumps. In a clipper that's just shy of a million each run.
I am a smuggler at the moment, I have a hold of 96 also decked for fighting/exploring and mining. I have just made 1.2million by moving contracted merchandise. fastest way to make credits that my level can get, at the moment. the higher your ranks the more dosh you will make
ASP
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3 jumps only from Torval to Archon's space in a fully loaded Clipper? Are you sure?
Sounds suspicious...are you trying to lure traders into a trap?
I will check that but though...
Here's a quick guide to dealing Narcotics...
They're produced by Agricultural and High-Tech systems. If you can find one controlled by Archon Delaine, the output is given a little boost, meaning more quantity available at a cheaper price. Around 8.3k per unit is a good price to buy from.
They're consumed by the workers of Extraction and Refinery systems, seeking to alleviate the drudgery of their day-to-day lives. Also popular with the hedonistic youth of Tourist systems. Find one of these system with a black-market (a stupidly easy doddle, given that they're all revealed on the System Map
Around 10.7k - 11.1k is a good selling price.
My current run nets me 2.8k per unit, over a single jump
Marra, just double checking something. If narcotics are legal in that system then I am correct in thinking they won't sell on the black market in that system? The black market only takes those things that are illegal in that particular system.
well, you will loose reputation. so at some point at the end you will be an enemy, and they will shoot you. second, before that and more important: missions are connected to your rep, so as a smuggler, you will want to be allied with many factions. than you'll get those high value missions. very rarey they will confiscate an item. that sucks if you are running a mission mainly.
yes, if legal, no black market. you can't buy it from blak market anyways, only sell.
Yeah, legal goods show up on the normal commodities market. For that reason, you'll want to avoid selling your drugs at a Delaine control system; even if there's demand you won't get the black market bonus.
I don't want to sound arrogant here (ok, maybe just a bit) but I wouldn't know because I don't get caught
This is a good point. Also, higher reputation means less likelihood of the security services passing a scan over you. I find it adds a lot of flavour and character to being a smuggler when you get Friendly / Allied status at your key sourcing and selling stations, if you like the RP thing
My first post into forums. Also good way to make easy money is to take forbidden goods for transportation(bulletin board) and sell those in black market or commodities market. Dont take legal because those have fee which might be bigger than price one can get from selling. This will decay your reputation but if you want to be a bad ass...
Asp's can be fun too, they seem to have a bit of a problem with braking...I've had a few moments screaming "Stoooppppp!!!!" when I boosted a bit too much. Cheeks were clenched that day.
It may be just that I'm a noob to the ship but fun times nonetheless.