My average returns if i hunt in ecomode after markup is slightly above 100%. With my usually daily turnover of approx 2,5k peds (~ 10 to 12 A105 with H400) in ammo and decay it results to an monthly plus of 1K to several K peds, depends if i am in lazy mood or if i hunt for markup.
When i collected enough i do something "silly", mining with bigger amps, crafting stuff, can't say i lose really much on this activities by TT value but of course i "burn" markup that i consider as lost again.
Teamhunts are also an activity where i usually lose, but thats not an problem. I just run to my present profit / grinding mob after an bad teamhunt and in most cases get it back on same day (the missing TT-return, not the full amount of decay those useless big trox, hogglos or whatever caused
).
Of course i have my runs with very low tt-return too, like everyone. But i keep track of my assets and would say that hunting reasonable gives very very close to 100% TT-return on the
long run. From variations of different mobs (higher and lower armor/fap consume) it really seems to me that only an small part of the armor/fap decay is lost, but that can sum up of course if "invested" in the wrong mob.
An golden rule that works for me: try to hunt mobs that gives about the same
regular markup as the sum of fap and armordecay + the markup of the weapon i decay, then i am already in the profitzone. Ammo, ampdecay and gundecay (w/o markup) seems to come back in loot anyway, sooner or later. If i use an non maxed weapon though i add my lack of economy to my "markupgoal", i.e. 60 ped per Delta run in my case.
That markuphunting is not easy and needs steady adjustments.
Well, that markup is the key is common knowledge anyway and a bit off topic here.
So why do people report so extreme (low) returns? From reading this forum you could get the impression a part of the players is ripped off and few others are bag it all in
. Well, thats actually kind of true on the short run. On the long run, from all i can see and i talk an lot with other players too, it balance out.
Most big Hofs and ATH's are an "emergency valve" but an part of the Hof is also "advance payment". Those big Hofs are mainly build up by ignorance / stubborn. Now that sounds insulting maybe and i appologize to anyone who is offended. But thats basicly how it seems to work and it is not so hard to try it out.
The question is only, how much decay/markup dit you lose on the way and is your bankroll big enough to support that quest on an mob that can drop, let's say 20k?
As i am addicted but not really an gambler i found my "pattern" of doing things in
EU. If i stick with this pattern i get extreme stable returns and earn on markup, if i leave this pattern i see instantly bigger ups and downs. This pattern is not really static though, as sayd it needs sometimes daily adjustments somtimes i can stick to an pattern for weeks. I smell it anyway if something changed.
All in all, my impression is when it comes to TT-returns, the system is interactive. It is made in an way so that it adjust to the players "style".
If you want flatter loot and play at an limited bankroll you have to find the mob and area, sometimes the gear, that fits your current cylce.
If you can stand the pain of extreme up and downs, grind anything you like but still have an eye on your "passive costs" (fap/armor-decay, markup, taxes...)
Now people say "Hey, i tried everything, every mob gives me like 50% return". And when i ask what exactly the player dit try, then he tells me like 4 or 5 mob/area combinations, usually stuff that he hunts since ages and is overcrowded anyway.
Of course it is not all that simple, and if you want balanced results it is an timeconsuming hobby, not just any game you log in and start to shoot.
Some golden rules i have for solohunts:
I never hunt mobs, i hunt loot and skills.
I never keep doing something that works really bad in the hope for "the big one" because i don't have the balls to stand the downs and i don't want to end here at the forum whining.
Being active part of the economy is rewarding in more then the obvious way, i. e. the TT is the enemy when it comes to converting your loot to peds.
Well, could go on and on, but what i wanted to say, i never have seen someone who lost big in
EU on the
long run and lost it due too bad
average TT-returns. It was always the "frictional heat" (heavy decay, high markup put in -> low markup return, lack of skill for choosen activity and or gear...) that caused the losses.