My burgeoning trading empire in X3: Reunion is earning credits automatically for me now. I’ve got two Mercury trade freighters travelling across the galaxy looking for profitable trading deals on my behalf and I’m going to add another Mercury to my trading fleet in my next session. This has freed me to do more exciting things like finding new and interesting ways to blow up my Buster.

Automating trading involves upgrading the trading software in a trading ship and designating it as a Sector Trader. At this point, an NPC is automatically employed to pilot the freighter and trade on your behalf.

The Sector Trader will ply his trade in a single sector, scanning the stations for opportunities to make a profit. He will initially be quite awful at spotting great trade runs with the result your expensively outfitted trade freighter will sometimes be on standby doing absolutely nothing in its assigned sector. This can be frustrating since I would have no trouble whatsoever finding great deals in the same area. But as the AI trader earns profits, he also begins to gain experience and levels. Before long, he will become quite adept at turning a profit.
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