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[Steven Shi]

Supplies and Fuel are such a big deal now, you'd have to make incredible profit to offset it. Even if you run a maintenace cheap pure trader fleet, and you manage you evade combat, a short dip into a storm is going to eat a huge amount of money in supplies - and if you take a longer route to avoid long stretches of deep hyperspace the fuel cost is gonna get you.

There should be trade lanes in this game. Large systems need to have less-than-direct routes that are free of warp storms. You'll more likely to encounter pirates, privateer and patrols using these route.

Backwater outposts on the other hand will depend on captains to make their own choices.

[TrashMan]

The current problems are:
- Tarrifs are too huge
- Supplies (and to a lesser extent, fuel) eat a LOT of money

This means that trade runs LOOK profitable, but then you loose 30% to tarrifs and got to buy supplies and fuel that eats your profits.

You have a Leadership skills that lowers supply consumption (BIG thing) and a Tech skill that lower fuel consumption (less important, fuel is a lot cheaper than supplies)

I think there's a hullmod that reduces fuel consumption at the expense of Burn Level, but that might be a mod. However, do that and you're now prey for pirates, since you can't out-run them.

[DeltaV_11.2]

In all fairness bulk goods trade being unprofitable without undertaking large risks for a small independent trader is very, very realistic. The price differential for goods is in economic terms a combination of the economically acceptable risks across the company, the opportunity costs of the company's assets, and the operational costs of moving the goods. A large firm can spread the risk across its entire operation(i.e. they have 10 ships with a 10% chance of failure, which means they will usually have 8-10 successful runs, while a small firm with 1 ship has a 10% chance of total failure if they run a narrow margin). Their assets are generally specialized, meaning that the opportunity cost of using them for shipping is lower, and they benefit from lower operational costs. Small concerns can try and eat back at the margins by taking more risk, in trading having fewer escorts, maintaining a smaller capital reserve, shipping more volatile goods, etc. But in general as a independent operator we shouldn't really be able to compete on a major shipping lane.

[LoweN]

Trading has always been difficult in Starsector, but version 0.8 and up just completely broke supply and demand to the point that you can't really make any money off of any kind of trading except delivery contracts, and even then you need to be careful and check the prices.

It'll get fixed eventually. Possibly not until the next major version comes out.

[Vind]

Main problem is a lack of price data. Unless you constantly burn fuel and check all orbitals for change.

[Cromodus]

Main problem is a lack of price data. Unless you constantly burn fuel and check all orbitals for change.

Right, I'd like to really delve into this issue before declaring it broken by the release number. It's not as straightforward as shooting down pirates for cash but it doesn't mean it's impossible.

With my current character I went 100% industry, a bit of tech, and some leadership. All my trade contracts have been very profitable so far and it's because of a few additional factors.

Salvaging has been an immense help in staving off the cost of supplies and fuel. I run deliveries in systems with pirate bases so on my way out, I always hover around fights and play the vulture. I found a Dominator cruiser with busted sensors just by salvaging!

Additionally, although salvaging warships often gives you subpar assets, it does not matter if you run a massacred herd of (D) freighters. I outfit them with sensor equipment since they're boned in a fight, with or without the 2-3 PD weapons.

This also means you have to be adept at playing the sensor game and flying under the radar. Avoid civilian hulls and other mods that make you more visible. Ensure you have a high burn speed.

Lastly, through salvaging you end up with a lot of additional goods. Store them somewhere and wait for a contract to come up. You have a much higher profit margin when you're patient enough to wait for the right contract.