"Operate Caravans" to level Trade

[Serious Business]

Is this implemented yet? I created 8 caravans as an experiment but nothing appears to be happening as time passes. Is it supposed to be a fixed amount per caravan or relative to profitability?

I did notice companions traveling around taking place in tournaments and winning, so that's fun.

[The Big Brzezinski]

I read it to mean followers could gain trade skill by leading caravans. It seems to work, provided the leader has some trade skill to begin with (and some support skills like stewardship and scouting). Players can of course operate their party as a caravan if they wish as well, and gain trade skill by going around from settlement to settlement buying low and selling high.

[Serious Business]

Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

I read it to mean followers could gain trade skill by leading caravans. It seems to work, provided the leader has some trade skill to begin with (and some support skills like stewardship and scouting). Players can of course operate their party as a caravan if they wish as well, and gain trade skill by going around from settlement to settlement buying low and selling high.

The wording specifically states caravans, not a caravan and since I'm paying for their creation, selecting their leader and reap the profits I see that as running a business with employees, but you may be right. Leveling trade is extremely tedious and this would be a good way to smooth it out a bit.

[AfLIcTeD]

But you are not operating those caravans. Your companions are, so why would you get xp?

[Clovis Sangrail]

Your companions and family members who actually lead the caravans get trade experience. You get nothing.

[flyingscot1066]

Originally posted by Clovis Sangrail:

Your companions and family members who actually lead the caravans get trade experience. You get nothing.

^

[Serious Business]

Then the wording should be "operate A caravan", and since trading is extremely tedious it would be a good solution considering you're giving up significant increases to your firepower by having your heroes be unavailable for relatively little gain.

[flyingscot1066]

Originally posted by Chadimir Putitin:

Then the wording should be "operate A caravan", and since trading is extremely tedious it would be a good solution considering you're giving up significant increases to your firepower by having your heroes be unavailable for relatively little gain.

No, it shouldn't. You should understand the difference between "Own" and "Operate".
I blame the schools.

[ShadowFox]

Originally posted by Chadimir Putitin:

Is this implemented yet? I created 8 caravans as an experiment but nothing appears to be happening as time passes. Is it supposed to be a fixed amount per caravan or relative to profitability?

I did notice companions traveling around taking place in tournaments and winning, so that's fun.

Yes, I have 3 companions doing caravans and their trade skill is leveling

[Tiniturtle]

follower that lead caravan ll get trade skill
for ur character the only way is get profite from trading

[REV04]

Alright, obviously i'm not the only one confused about the trading skill.
I already figured that having my companions/family run the Caravans does nothing for my characters Trade skill but I have been buying from Settlements and Towns and then selling them in other Settlements and Towns in different Empires with the Gold icon under that items picture in the menu Green and gaining 0 XP despite doing this multiple times and making well over 10,000 Gold.

Can anyone explain this better than the others above people either phrasing their "helpful" comment as a question as to why are "you" doing that or belittling and putting little effort into explaining this mechanic to people who have not been playing the game since Beta.
Honestly, the gaming community of any game can be so disrespectful to people just starting out.
We come here for answered not to have our skulls jammed into a wood splitter by multiple people making us feel worse than we probably already do.
Okay, rant over. After reading some of the comments above my blood pressure went through the roof.
P.S. I realize this is an old thread but am running out of resources to figure this mechanic out.

[The Mau Corporation]

Originally posted by REV04:

Alright, obviously i'm not the only one confused about the trading skill.
I already figured that having my companions/family run the Caravans does nothing for my characters Trade skill but I have been buying from Settlements and Towns and then selling them in other Settlements and Towns in different Empires with the Gold icon under that items picture in the menu Green and gaining 0 XP despite doing this multiple times and making well over 10,000 Gold.

Can anyone explain this better than the others above people either phrasing their "helpful" comment as a question as to why are "you" doing that or belittling and putting little effort into explaining this mechanic to people who have not been playing the game since Beta.
Honestly, the gaming community of any game can be so disrespectful to people just starting out.
We come here for answered not to have our skulls jammed into a wood splitter by multiple people making us feel worse than we probably already do.
Okay, rant over. After reading some of the comments above my blood pressure went through the roof.
P.S. I realize this is an old thread but am running out of resources to figure this mechanic out.

To lvl trade on your main character you can buy goods at low prices (oversupply) and sell them at high (in demand).
To get you started:
Foodstuffs generally below 10 and sold 15+ is good marker.
Workshop materials have a broader range but iron ore for 40 can sell well at 100+ and tools for 50 can sell upwards of 150. Wood for 10 can be sold at 40+

Travel widely and learn the demand/supply lines for best results.

Obviously war is great for business so targeting war fronts will get you started pretty fast.

EDIT: workshops now generate passive tradeskill too but i wouldnt lean on it to get to 300.

[Clovis Sangrail]

Here's the straight dope --

Originally posted by Clovis Sangrail:

Your companions and family members who actually lead the caravans get trade experience. You get nothing.

This was true then and remains true. Your main gets no trade experience from companions or family members who lead caravans. But they do, so here's what I do -- I put either my sister or younger brother in charge of a caravan and just let them go do that. It takes a while, but eventually, they will hit Trade 300. Then I retire and make them my heir.

Your main can get Trade experience in a couple of ways. One way is by trading. Buy stuff somewhere and then sell it at a profit. You usually have to haul it somewhere. To sell it.

The other is if you have a workshop. If you set the workshop to send its production to the warehouse, you will get Trade experience. Then you can haul that stuff some place where you can sell it for a profit, which is usually more than the workshop was getting in the town it's located in.

You need to put 5 focus points into Trade and at least 8 Attribute points into Soc to get Trade to 300. This holds true for both your main and anyone running a caravan.

Hope this helps.

[xao2099]

In the early game you can buy alot of food (as much as you can afford/carry) and wait outside a town being sieged,be the 1ST in before any caravans or villagers and you can get multiple levels pretty quick, it only is profitable if the town is under siege until it is out of food,it gets less profitable in mid-game when your levels get harder to level up.