[TC] Any tips to reach X-TREME trading?

[Blue Wraith]

I know that the key is the ship making the buys below avg and sales above avg, not stations directly selling (which is how I made most of my money so far). So essentially I'm just getting started with this achievement. (Master Industrialist, all plots complete, plenty of cash).

The two methods I'm thinking of are CLS routes for buying and selling and single-station-type complexes where the CAGs buy resources and sell products themselves. So this way, they double-dip and get rank on buying and selling. UTs could be a possibility, but they don't seem as profitable as CLS/CAG in my experience.

CAGs are easier, but CLSs seem to have more potential for profit. From the menus and the CAG script description, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to set the max buy and min sell prices. I am assuming they always buy below and sell above avg by default.

Does anyone have any specific tips to make rank faster? CAG tips? Decent routes or station locations? (Spoiler tags welcome)

[Alan Phipps]

Have look here for some ideas and advice.

[Blue Wraith]

Thanks Alan. Yes, I've seen this thread before. I've researched and am aware of the general rules for gaining rank. I was just hoping for some specific tips.

For instance, I see in CAGs how to set a price, but I don't know if that's buy or sale price. How do I set both? I have searched and can't really find good CAG instructions (lots on CLS tho).

Another for instance: Plankton in Argon Prime sells well. Station set to no foreign trade, CAGs doing all purchase/sales. (Not sure if true, just example)

Another for instance: Despite UTs being lame profits, they are good for increasing rank. (Not sure if true, just example)

[Blue Wraith]

Well, like so many other things in X3, figuring it out for myself.

Spoiler

Show

I setup an 8-station Plankton plex, and a 5-station Stott plex (which seems to be more profitable, even though it buys Plankton from NPCs). Between those and a 5-of-each food plex that only sells, I'm getting about 2% rank per 6 minute SETA cycle at Master Industrialist. I have about 5 CAGs on each plex (from Springblossoms to Mistral SFs, whatever is laying around). I need to setup some CLS traps on SPPs to improve the buy margins on energy a bit.

I'm staying away from energy and ore for now. These are plentiful, and I would probably be better off capturing the market with CLSs. Actually, I might do this, but that would require putting CLS traps on LOTS of stations.

After sitting and observing a while, it seems that CAGs respect the prices you set on complexes for buying resources and selling products. (I set them too low or high, so the CAGs sat idle waiting for price points) So there's no need to set them separately in the CAG menus. (I don't even know what those are for.)

[Aragosnat]

Well, like so many other things in X3, figuring it out for myself.

Spoiler

Show

I setup an 8-station Plankton plex, and a 5-station Stott plex (which seems to be more profitable, even though it buys Plankton from NPCs). Between those and a 5-of-each food plex that only sells, I'm getting about 2% rank per 6 minute SETA cycle at Master Industrialist. I have about 5 CAGs on each plex (from Springblossoms to Mistral SFs, whatever is laying around). I need to setup some CLS traps on SPPs to improve the buy margins on energy a bit.

I'm staying away from energy and ore for now. These are plentiful, and I would probably be better off capturing the market with CLSs. Actually, I might do this, but that would require putting CLS traps on LOTS of stations.

After sitting and observing a while, it seems that CAGs respect the prices you set on complexes for buying resources and selling products. (I set them too low or high, so the CAGs sat idle waiting for price points) So there's no need to set them separately in the CAG menus. (I don't even know what those are for.)

Don't forget to use LTs and or UTs too. And when getting to near top from the way it works. SETA might start eating more then you will make unless you find a creative way to stay active and not idle (A.K.A. no mouse or keyboard imput).

[Blue Wraith]

Are LTs and UTs good for trade rank? I figured CAG/CLS would make more profit/rank. So all my focus has been there. But I'll add some and see what happens. I used UTs earlier on, and they always got on my nerves because they would clog up or stop sometimes.

I don't SETA for more than 6 minutes (1 hr game time on x10 SETA) at a time. I set a timer to make sure I don't forget if I need to AFK. I've managed to keep my X-TREME fight rank so far.

[Lord Kellmar]

Build lots of stations for the Yaki, as they don't have traders and won't allow any one else (except you and your ships) in their sectors, leaving the ground clear for your TS to buy cheap and sell high.
Build some mines (the rocks are good for that there), set some traders and wait for profits !

[Blue Wraith]

Now that is excellent advice that I didn't think about. I am friendly with the Yaki, so I'm already half-way there.