Trade Value in Stellaris is a crucial economic resource that represents the overall economic output and potential profit of a star system within your empire. It is generated by various sources and contributes to your overall income, allowing you to fund your empire’s activities, such as maintaining fleets, buildings, and paying for administrative costs.
Here are the key aspects of Trade Value in Stellaris:
Sources of Trade Value:
- Pop Jobs: Trade Value is generated by certain jobs held by your population, such as Clerks, Merchants, and Entertainers.
- Trade Districts: Planets with trade districts generate Trade Value based on the number of trade district buildings they have.
- Trade Routes: Trade routes between star systems also generate Trade Value. Trade routes are established by constructing starbases with Trade Hubs and enabling trade policies.
Trade Routes:
Trade routes are established by building starbases in star systems. These starbases need to have Trade Hubs to enable trade routes. Trade routes connect star systems, allowing Trade Value to flow from one system to another. Trade routes are essential for efficiently collecting Trade Value and maximizing your empire’s economic output.
Trade Collection:
Trade Value is collected and centralized at starbases with Trade Hubs. The Trade Value collected from nearby star systems is then added to the system’s total Trade Value. The collected Trade Value contributes to your empire’s overall income, but it can also be affected by piracy.
Piracy:
Piracy is a mechanic that can disrupt your trade routes. If piracy levels are high in a star system, it reduces the Trade Value collected by your empire. To counter piracy, you can station fleets with Patrol and Defense platforms in systems with trade routes to suppress piracy and protect your Trade Value.
Trade Policies:
In the Policies section of the Empire menu, you can set your trade policy. Trade policies allow you to automate trade routes, control which trade routes are established, and manage how your empire deals with the Trade Value generated by your star systems.
Trade Value is a valuable resource that directly affects your empire’s economy, making it essential to manage trade routes, counter piracy, and make strategic decisions about where to invest in trade infrastructure to maximize your income and support your galactic ambitions in Stellaris.