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[miauw62]

I normally buy some things that are always usefull, especially booze and logs.

[Mushroo]

I buy everything (because I can).

[ZzarkLinux]

Always the same for me:
: Gypsum plaster, metal bars, anvils, gauntlets, greaves, high boots, seeds, dyes, leathers, cloth, silk, cave fish, cave lobster, fancy weapons, tame animals, wood, flux, blocks, booze, traps, copper cages, tin cages ... I think that's it 

[Psieye]

Possibly the most important point of trade is that caravans are propaganda machines. By sending them off the map with a good profit, they will spread propaganda about how awesome your fortress is, which lures a bunch of (extra) migrants and invaders to come over in the future.

I mean sure, it's easy to set up a fort that doesn't need any supplies imported. Quite possibly by the time you are self-sufficient, you've already made your presence known to the world at large as you used to engage in some trade.


For players who are interested in spicing up the 'luxury' goods they produce out of their industries, caravans bring much needed variety. It serves no in-game purpose, but then neither does every megaproject people engage in.

[krisslanza]

I think this is a big reason why Toady "defaults" the game to a very low mineral scarcity, to encourage you to actually get an industry going and trade with the caravans. I imagine some of the usefulness of caravans has gone away when the economy was broken and left disabled.

Still, I look forward to them. They supply me with a lot of extra wood, food, and drinks. And I can use them to get the more annoyingly rare metals, such as tin.

[WaffleEggnog]

I always, ALWAYS buy tamed exotic animals from elven caravans (its the only reason i dont destroy them), since the dungeon master is currently bugged, its the only way to get exotic animals in a un-modded game.

[Psieye]

I think this is a big reason why Toady "defaults" the game to a very low mineral scarcity, to encourage you to actually get an industry going and trade with the caravans. I imagine some of the usefulness of caravans has gone away when the economy was broken and left disabled.

The mineral scarcity was introduced when Toady started to prep for the Caravan Arc. Hopefully, we'll eventually have an improved trade interface with possibility to bulk order something. Certainly, Toady has stated that market prices will change when history moves after worldgen. You will be forced to have some variety in your exports to not oversaturate the market.