Trade Index
There are dozens of worlds and inhabited stations in the domain of mankind. Many of the smaller places produce an abundance of certain products for export, and yet lack the ability for self-sufficiency. Thus trade has become a staple of life in space. Some trade off just a few exportable goods for needed supplies, while areas of high traffic do more trade in and out than actual production.As a sort of guide to busy merchants with deadlines and budgets to consider, Associated News Networks has generated a Trade and Traffic Index to assist in determining the amount and ease of trade for a given location. The Index is based off of three factors:
1. The total credit worth of legitimate trade
2. Illegal goods figures are estimates based on the amount of law enforcement and the amount of crime that is detected.
3. The credit amount spent on police forces, in proportion to factor #1
Index Breakdown
| Trade | Illegal Goods | Police | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0) | None | None | None |
| 1) | Low | None | High |
| 2) | Low | None | Low |
| 3) | Low | Low | Low |
| 4) | Med | None | High |
| 5) | Med | Med | Med |
| 6) | Med | Low | High |
| 7) | High | Med | Low |
| 8) | High | High | Low |
| 9) | High | Low | Med |
| 10) | High | High | High |
Trade Index Rankings
- 0 - No trading occurs here simply because markets do not exist. Mining facilities or automated installations fall into this category.
- 1 - Security is extremely tight. Smugglers beware: portside authorities screen imports carefully. An overabundance of customs agents swarms portside markets, carefully monitoring the constant influx of visitors. Bartering is forbidden outside the docks, and even then food and guns are hot commodities that may be confiscated.
- 2 - Very little market activity occurs here. An out of the way location, few passing traders stop at these waypoints. Those who do venture out to these places bring with them essential needs of the colony. Distribution centers purchase these goods wholesale from the company that made them; trading ships simply relay the goods. When they leave they take along any export that is produced there.
- 3 - Though not exactly a booming trade district, there is enough constant flux to mask a few illegal operations here. The relaxed security makes it a looser trade area, encouraging the flow of goods.
- 10 - The amount of bartering and goods exchanges rivals that of money purchases. A very strong peer to peer market causes a flow of goods and information. Consequentially, almost anything can be found here, for the right price. So, many impromptu dealings cannot be effectively monitored or policed.
Many job opportunities are to be found in places like these.