There are a number of ways to win a run in Against The Storm, and setting up a healthy economy via trade can be an excellent strategy for achieving victory. As long as players can keep the Queen's patience in check, they should be able to make as much money as possible by selling goods.

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Trade routes basically serve as passive sources of income, netting players Amber as long as they can maintain their production output. However, taking advantage of this system can be a bit confusing at first. Here's a brief overview of trade routes in Against The Storm, including some important bits of info every viceroy should know.

How do Trade Routes Work in Against The Storm?

The trader bartering screen in Against the Storm

After unlocking the Dim Square upgrade at the Smoldering City and building a Trading Post in a settlement, players will be able to make trade routes with other nearby settlements, including the Smoldering City itself. By default, there are two offers available per settlement, and you can get more by buying them with Amber. With trade routes, you can gain more Amber by spending items demanded by settlements as well as Packs of Provisions for the traders themselves.

Hover your mouse over the resources requested by settlements to see their value in Ambers. Click on the up and down arrows beside them to change the number of resources to be traded.

To start a trade route, pick a profitable offer, then click on the Sell button. Your relationship with other settlements (indicated by the number to the right of their name in the window) will affect prices, so make sure to be friendly to everyone, or at least the ones that matter.

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Don't expect trade routes to be of much value during the beginning of a campaign. At the start, the Smoldering City is likely to be the only available trading partner near your settlement. As more settlements are built, and more factions are encountered, you'll have a wider selection of options to choose from.

Demand for certain resources might be higher in some settlements, while others might not need much at all. Make sure to pay attention to the Amber value of each resource and make sure that those coupled with the expenses for Provisions is lower than the amount of Ambers you get as payment.

You can use Amber to barter with traders that occasionally visit your Trading Posts. Alternatively, you can spend Amber at the Citadel to unlock crucial upgrades and bonuses that'll keep your settlements alive as you chase after the ancient seals.

against the storm
Against the Storm

Platform(s)
PC
Released
December 8, 2023
Developer(s)
Eremite Games
Publisher(s)
Hooded Horse
Genre(s)
Strategy , City Builder , Simulation