BCS - ROFL!
CapnHector - yeah I can imagine what might happen if someone threatened a hypernova. Lets take him out before he can set it off. If not, at least we have the joy of shooting them up before we go too.
More seriously, I cannot imagine how a JIT system could be possible at these scales. With a billion units of production it would be trivial to put a million reserves on each planet. Ten million for military stations/worlds. Disruptions would be minor, simply “we need to replace a single shipment, no problem, put the word to the market that we need x amount”.
Which is the disruption and shortages that we try to fill (or engineer).
It is nuts when the producer makes a glut so dumps an excess 1000 on the market at 17cr each. Someone toddles over to buy and its “you want to buy the full 1000? That’s 23cr per then.” It is the complete opposite of dumping on the market.
Then the buyer has put out the word “we need to refill our reserves, get me a thousand at 58cr each!” Someone toddles over to sell 1000 units and the response is “you’re selling us the full amount? We will take it for 43cr - or 28cr after we tax you.” This is the opposite of desperation on their part.
AcaMetis - a pretty-good idea actually. Unfortunately it fails with the Military market. Also logically, a bunch of small traders couldn’t make a blip on the market either way. They would have to form a conglomerate and essentially become movers and shakers as a group.
I’m afraid that I’m not grasping this at all.