🏪 Trade Hub
Trains merchants that carry resources between outposts.
Strategic role
Train merchants to move supplies between outposts. Cargo capacity and travel time determine how much stock can actually reach a construction site or a distant army's home economy.
Requirements and progression
To establish this building, you need 🏛️ Main Building level 1; 📦 Warehouse level 3.
For later upgrades, the Main Building must also reach the target level. The level table shows the resource and time investment before bonuses.
Direct building dependencies: 💱 Exchange Nexus (level 1 required here); 🌐 Global Commerce Exchange (level 10 required here); 🚆 Regional Rail Terminus (level 5 required here).
Recruitment roster: Directorate Hauler, Directorate Freighter, Spore Carrier, Swarm Heavy Freighter, Hegemony Transport, Hegemony Heavy Freighter, Hauler H-20, Freighter F-200. Each unit's page lists its own research and recruitment needs.
Power planning
Built draw is the standing load; active draw is additional demand while the building works. Compare both with generation and battery discharge capacity. Higher levels can raise demand as well as output; use the level table rather than assuming a linear power cost.
📸 Screenshot wanted: the Trade Hub detail panel in a colony (level, upgrade cost and its main controls visible). If the building has a Race name, one shot per Race is ideal.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Max level | 20 |
| Level 1 cost | 80 Carbon, 70 Silicates, 120 Metals, 70 Gas |
| Cost growth per level | ×1.28 |
| Base build time | 7 s |
| Build time exponent | 2.2 |
| Max per outpost | Unlimited |
| Power draw at level 1 (active) | 1.5 MW |
Level by level
Base numbers, before any research, Race, tile or build-speed bonus.
| Level | Cost to reach | Build time | Power draw (built / active) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80 Carbon, 70 Silicates, 120 Metals, 70 Gas | 7s | 0 / 1.5 MW |
| 2 | 100 Carbon, 90 Silicates, 155 Metals, 90 Gas | 10s | 0 / 1.92 MW |
| 3 | 130 Carbon, 115 Silicates, 195 Metals, 115 Gas | 12s | 0 / 2.46 MW |
| 4 | 170 Carbon, 145 Silicates, 250 Metals, 145 Gas | 15s | 0 / 3.15 MW |
| 5 | 215 Carbon, 190 Silicates, 320 Metals, 190 Gas | 19s | 0 / 4.03 MW |
| 6 | 275 Carbon, 240 Silicates, 410 Metals, 240 Gas | 23s | 0 / 5.15 MW |
| 7 | 350 Carbon, 310 Silicates, 530 Metals, 310 Gas | 28s | 0 / 6.6 MW |
| 8 | 450 Carbon, 395 Silicates, 675 Metals, 395 Gas | 34s | 0 / 8.44 MW |
| 9 | 575 Carbon, 505 Silicates, 865 Metals, 505 Gas | 41s | 0 / 10.81 MW |
| 10 | 740 Carbon, 645 Silicates, 1105 Metals, 645 Gas | 48s | 0 / 13.84 MW |
| 11 | 945 Carbon, 825 Silicates, 1415 Metals, 825 Gas | 57s | 0 / 17.71 MW |
| 12 | 1210 Carbon, 1060 Silicates, 1815 Metals, 1060 Gas | 1m 08s | 0 / 22.67 MW |
| 13 | 1545 Carbon, 1355 Silicates, 2320 Metals, 1355 Gas | 1m 20s | 0 / 29.01 MW |
| 14 | 1980 Carbon, 1735 Silicates, 2970 Metals, 1735 Gas | 1m 34s | 0 / 37.14 MW |
| 15 | 2535 Carbon, 2220 Silicates, 3805 Metals, 2220 Gas | 1m 50s | 0 / 47.54 MW |
| 16 | 3245 Carbon, 2840 Silicates, 4870 Metals, 2840 Gas | 2m 09s | 0 / 60.85 MW |
| 17 | 4155 Carbon, 3635 Silicates, 6230 Metals, 3635 Gas | 2m 30s | 0 / 77.88 MW |
| 18 | 5315 Carbon, 4650 Silicates, 7975 Metals, 4650 Gas | 2m 56s | 0 / 99.69 MW |
| 19 | 6805 Carbon, 5955 Silicates, 10210 Metals, 5955 Gas | 3m 25s | 0 / 127.61 MW |
| 20 | 8710 Carbon, 7620 Silicates, 13065 Metals, 7620 Gas | 3m 59s | 0 / 163.34 MW |
Key: trade_hub