Trade Hub
What does the Trade Hub do in Old Light?
The Trade Hub is your empire's income engine. Every system can build one, and it starts at level 0 until you do. Each level produces a fixed amount of credits per day into your empire-wide treasury, and those credits pay for your fleet's upkeep.
The Trade Hub is your empire's income engine. Every owned system has one, and each level adds credits per day that pay for your fleet's upkeep.
What it does
Each level produces a fixed amount of credits per day, contributed to your empire-wide treasury.
When the treasury runs dry
Credits are spent on fleet upkeep. If upkeep outruns your Trade Hub income and the treasury hits zero, every system is affected until credits recover:
Ship production pauses. Every Shipyard queue holds where it is, empire-wide, and no new batches can be queued.
Fleets fight and move at reduced effectiveness. Ships hit less hard and less often in combat, and travel slower between systems.
Keep Trade Hub income comfortably ahead of upkeep before you commit to a big fleet or an attack.
Costs and trade-offs
The Trade Hub costs palladium and iridium to build and upgrade, like any other structure.
In an energy deficit, credit income drops alongside your other production. A starved Reactor costs you treasury, not just minerals.
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Common questions
What happens when the treasury runs dry?
When upkeep outruns Trade Hub income and the treasury hits zero, every system feels it. Ship production pauses empire-wide and no new batches can be queued. Fleets also fight at reduced effectiveness, hitting less hard and less often, and travel slower.
Does an energy deficit affect Trade Hub income?
Yes. The Trade Hub draws energy each tick, so your Reactor has to keep up. In an energy deficit, credit income drops alongside your other production. A starved Reactor costs you treasury, not just minerals.
