X3 Reunion: Trading in Argon Space

[Buckleup]

Hi there!

So, first some background. I first played the X series when a demo of X Beyond the Frontier was released on a CD in an issue of PC Gamer many moons ago, and I decided to revisit the series.

I have downloaded (through Steam) the X3 games, and obviously I'm starting out with X3 Reunion. I also successfully installed the X3 Reunion XTended mod to get the most out of my game

Trading - My Answer to Being Terrible at Everything Else

Unfortunately outside of really arcadey shooters like Ace Combat, Blazing Angels or Ikaruga - I'm terrible in a dogfight. I did fine in the missions right up until tracking down the Talon. I'm ashamed to say that in my default Buster, I was blown away in literally seconds (three times in a row). Since I suck so bad, I thought "better get rich and buy a ship that will blow these jerks away".

Trading is basically my answer to a distinct lack of gaming combat skills and terrible reflexes (I'm more of a strategy nerd, I'm better at Anno 1602 than IL-2 Sturmovik!)

How I started Out

Naturally I had to use my starting ship, an Argon Buster. I knew I needed a bigger ship and certain modules (such as the best sell / best buy locators) but first I needed some fancy space dollars. My trajectory basically went like this:

1.) Selling energy cells to various factories, as many as I could carry

2.) Selling flowers. This was a lot faster and more efficient, until I dried up the demand in that sector! Not yet having enough wealth to jump all over the place with energy crystals, this was a blow and I had to move on

3.) Selling space weed in The Teladi system. Dream farms to bliss palaces, this made me quite a lot of money but also eventually dried up and stagnated

4.) By now I was beginning to accrue the wealth I needed for a better ship and had ascertained the best buy / sell locators. I actually found that selling rastar oil in the Split system is incredibly profitable!

5.) Trading so much in Split space also raised my Split rank enough to buy my second ship, a "Caiman" freighter (M). This thing wasn't too sluggish (for a freighter) and packed some serious cargo space. I decided to carry on trading rastar oil in huge bulk, making hundreds of thousands of credits in absolutely no time at all

The Dilemma - Trading in Argon Space

I have no combat skills to speak of (or even any weapons for that matter) so the way in which I plan to raise my rank in Argon space (to buy an 'armed-to-the-teeth' Argon Nova) is solely through trading. Is is me or is Argon space not so great for a trader!?

I have read a few guides which suggest selling space fuel to Argon trading stations. This makes great money, but dries up in a single haul since the trading stations only have a very slight demand for this resource. I cleared up Herrons Nebula in a single run.

Some people suggest running this substance to nearby pirate bases. But since I've started the single player story and made enemies with pirates, this doesn't seem sensible at all. If I was a pirate and I saw an inbound, unarmed, large freighter carrying something I needed - I wouldn't trade for it (lol)

Others have suggested running satellites and advanced satellites to Argon trading stations. I don't like trading with trading stations since (whilst profit margins can be high) their demand for goods is basically non-existent.

Currently I'm 'jumping' large quantities of Argnu beef to the places that need them, in serious bulk. Serious bulk for a n00b that is, 400 units here and there.

It is working and I'm making some good money, but I was wondering if there were any better (safe) ways to make money in Argon space, without too much trawling about.

Thanks!

~ Buckle

[pjknibbs]

You would probably be better off playing the vanilla game for a while before trying out mods--that allows you to learn the ropes, as it were. Since you *are* running a modded game, you would be best off asking your questions in the relevant thread in Scripting and Modding, because they're more likely to be able to answer your queries as they relate to that specific mod.

[Buckleup]

Actually from what I can tell the stations and resources in each sector are almost exactly the same as on the X3 Reunion Active Map (you can Google it) which is for vanilla play.

My questions aren't really about the aspects of the game which the mod changes significantly, so I'd be happy with a bit of advice from the vanilla folks!

[ancienthighway]

You seem to be focusing on one ware until it's no longer profitable. It's no longer profitable because resources for producers are missing or products aren't being moved to consumers.

So while continuing to focus on a specific ware, do what needs to be done to keep the ware in supply at the producers and in demand at the consumer.

Rastar Oil needs Chelt meat and energy cells.
Chelt meat needs energy cells.
Rastar Oil is in demand at higher level Split stations, to include Trading Stations when no better price is available.

So with the focus on Rastar Oil, you need to move energy cells and chelt meats also. With luck you can pick up some higher level ware at bargain prices and sell if for a very nice profit.

[Cpt.Jericho]

Another thing that might help is not to buy stuff cheaply if you don't know where you can sell your cargo. It doesn't pay if you cramp up your freighter with cheap ore if you don't know where to sell it. Also, it will happen that some NPC beats your ship to a station and ruins the price. Unless you know an alternative place to sell for a better price nearby, try to sell your cargo. Even if it's not the best profit. That way you have your ship free again for a more profitable run.
And remember where you sold stuff. If you deliver e-cells to a mine it may have cheap ore when the solar pps are running dry.

[lighters]

Some of the most profitable commodities are: Silicon, Ore, Sunrise flowers, Space Weed.

If you want to trade specifically with Argon and still make profit, you can trade Silicon. Silicon mines are limited in the top-left corner of the map, so it's better to expand to places like Circle of Labor where Silicon mine is usually full. And sell in the hi-tech sectors in the top-left. Mines of Fortune is also a good Silicon source, although it's Teladi.

But honestly, manual trading is extremely slow for gaining rank. You should aim at starting several Sector/Universe traders in Argon space, and it'll eventually get there. Also, look out for the bulletin board missions you can complete, they'll help a lot.

Btw, wasn't there a donation mission in Reunion to gain Argon rank quickly?

[Buckleup]

Thanks to everyone who posted not understanding the dynamic nature of trading was my problem, you guys were right.

I actually found that I can make millions fairly quickly in Home of Light where there is a relatively equal balance of cahoona bakeries and the facilities which demand them (crystal fabs, quantum tube fabs etc.)

I bought a new Buster and kitted it out with 4 relatively low-end lasers and two mass drivers, I found that a decent buster with 3x 5mj shields was enough to apprehend the Talon and grab the crystal.

I still have my sights set on a Nova (Nova Raider). I'm a Trusted ally now at 55% so hopefully I'll have the rank I need for a Nova fairly shortly.

I replaced my Split Caiman with a Split Caiman Miner which has some forward firing guns and larger cargo capacity, I'm trading over 1k cahoonas per run in Home of Light and it's not running dry too quickly.

Thanks again for all the help

- Buckle