Trading exclusive goods

This can obviously be a big can of worms. I was playing a tiny map and I was a bit behind the Altareans but catching up. I had cornered all of the exclusives up to that point with the exception of frictionless clothing. I traded Spices to the Altareans for a ton of money and influence, thinking that morale was not a big problem for them anyway.

BAM! Their influence took off and before I knew it they assimilated me. Resistence was futile. >:(

~SDC~
2,905 views 21 replies
Reply #1 Top
I find that i never trade any trade goods i get except Gravity Accelerators which i only trade to minors. I like to hoard them all. :D
Reply #2 Top
The only trade goods I absolutely won't sell is Diplomatic Translators.

I wonder if the Ultra Spices made the difference with the Altarians in your game. That sounds more like an Influence resource working. I bet they had more than one blue cube starbase going.

~SDC~
Reply #4 Top
It is not related to trade routes. You do it on the diplomacy screen. The AI will pay huge amouts for exclusive franchise stuff like Diplomatic Translators, Grav Accelerators, etc. However, it seems that trading those goods is quite risky

~SDC~
Reply #5 Top
You do want to look at who you're selling what. Selling Aphrodisiac to a race that's already dominant in population isn't a great idea, for instance.

Or selling any of the morale improvers to a race that you're destabilizing.

~SDC~
Reply #6 Top
I find selling trade goods is usually a good idea except for diplomatic translators, grav accelerators and tru-strontium, because you may always go to war. The others won't hurt that much long term and pay a lot in terms of techs and/or money. So selling them is a very good way to get techs early without researching any.
Reply #7 Top
I grab all those jucy trade goods I can early in the game, You can easily use them to get all the techs and war declarations you need.
Reply #8 Top
The best thing about the trade goods is that the AI can't trade the ones you got between themselves. So you can hold some back from some races until there is something you want them to do (like attack somebody)...
Reply #9 Top
I make a point of trading Gravity Accelerators to the minor civs. Since they're usually fighting one of the major AIs that are my main competition, I like to help them out. The longer they hold out, the more heat they take for me. If possible, I try to trade for a trade good I don't have.

End transmission.

~SDC~
Reply #10 Top
I also habitually trade trade goods to minors but limit what I sell to majors unless I'm really desperate for cash. If another race develops 2-3 trade goods I usually go to war over it, once you destroy their fleet they will usually beg for peace and offer up the goods if you demand them.
Reply #11 Top
I sold Diplo Translators to everybody... starting then and for the rest of the game, I had great advantage in negotiations.

I got the idea that maybe the AI wouldn't get a bonus trading with me, but I was just speculating.
Reply #12 Top
I rarely trade for a good I don't have. Instead I make it a point to invade the planet that built the good, which if I have understood correctly gives you control over the good.
Reply #14 Top
I can never get anyone to give me much for a trade good...Heck i can often get up around 1000 by selling a Dreadnaught to some minor military power; more then for most trade goods, it just doesnt realy seem like that great an idea to sell them to anyone other then close friends at those prices considering the massive benifiets they give the buyer. :notsure:
Reply #15 Top
I like to give sell or trade a lot of war techs along with helpful trade goods to minor civs who are at war with the major ones, i wnat them to do more damage so i can prepare to attack, i even sometimes give them money or ships.
Reply #16 Top
I use the minors for trading. I like them to last as long as posible. I NEVER trade any good or tech that gives diplo. I always hold that as my own.

TFM

~SDC~
Reply #17 Top
Electhor:

I don't know which planet. But I can guess. The AI pretty much always builds trade goods and wonders on his best planets, which are usually the same planets that build capitals, have high PQ and high production as shown on the mini graph. And if I invade the wrong planet, so what... I'll just invade one more! LOL
Reply #18 Top
I notice that many people mention that they will not sell diplomacy items. I have been in the habbit of always selling diplo translators to everyone, because I get it early, and I'm usually in dire need of catching up in tech. Why is it so bad to let the rivals get diplomacy?

Thanks,
Redshift
Reply #19 Top
Diplomacy bonuses enhances all future deals. If you plan on selling other trade goods or for that matter negotiate _anything_, it's a very good idea to keep
that +30% advantage.
Reply #21 Top
#12 - no, invading the planet doesnt give you the trade good. It just prevents anyone who doesn't have it from ever getting it. So I try to trade for their trade goods before I (reluctantly) take the planet away from them.

BTW, (a) flipping the planet is just as bad. and (b) those who have already traded for the trade good continue to get it forever, as does the original manufacturer - just no one else can ever get it.

~SDC~