So, I/we have discussed, in the past, the potential benefits, and certainly the inevitable pitfalls and possible consequences of two Rogue Traders trying to unite their Dynasties (say you decide to either legitimately, or forcefully unite your interests with those of Lady Charlabelle Armellan, or try to woo Lady Elizabeth Orleans for a time, or you might think it profitable to get very close to Lord Jonquin Saul), but from a more short-term perhaps, less intricate arrangement, what sort of benefits/advantages can you actually get from making friends with your peers among dynasties?

Warp travel is iffy, but the bonus for having a map, if it is even any good, or still any good, aren't huge. If they didn't leave a fleet in orbit, visiting a world they even claim to hold can be easy, and you take what was there. Arranging for you both to be in the same place, at the same time, perhaps to combine firepower against a strong foe, is hard, and as likely to get you shot, too. Any bauble they have, and you know, you might just be able to get, yourself; you're a Rogue Trader, and like Scrooge McDuck, Seto Kaiba, or Bruce Wayne, nigh-infinite money is almost a superpower for you.

With some of the rules being a bit vague, and the galaxy being so grimdark, what are some advantageous experiences you have gotten from other Rogue Traders you've encountered? Some benefits of any long-term partnerships? What sorts of rogues did you go out of your way to befriend, rather than just get out of your way? Befriending the AdMech might get you cool tech, even for your ships, but what about the Rogue Traders?

Some examples: in Lure of the Expanse, you run into a large congregation of fellow Rogue Traders, but do not need to work with any of them, if you don't want to; you can still win, and none are presented as having anything you can get, or share, beyond their ships. Edge of the Abyss mentions several other, possibly much more important RT's, but never has you meet one; just gives you very nice info on them, for if you ever wish to use them in passing. The Warpstorm Trilogy introduces you to four, over the course of it all, but I'm not sure how much you have to gain from getting chummy with any of them, minus one in Frozen Reaches, and that example is a weak one.

So, in your travels, who've you met, and who was helpful? Certainly you could've run into any number of irritating scoundrels, and blown them to bits, maybe even after they back-stabbed you, first, but who did you meet on GOOD terms? I'd prefer people you didn't persuade at gunpoint, or shank at the first good opportunity, but I'll take what I can get; it can be fun to read about the intricacies of interaction among the elite. Here's hoping some folks just like to talk about their own exploits.

Look to history - Cleopatra and Mark Anthony were quite the powerhouse in their day; I would consider them elite like Rogue Traders... for their time.

Well, I've only played the game once, and for a limited time, but speaking for the players in the games I've run, they've

1. Gained docking and/or repair privileges at other dynasties' colonies.
2. Obtained trading rights or hunting privileges at other dynasties' colonies.
3. Delivered cargo holds full of terraforming equipment, hab-blocks, colonists, or military installations to other dynasties' colonies

That's all I can think of off-hand.

You also gain a person you can turn to when you need a few more resources to complete an Endeavor, and want someone who's not going to start the negotiation at first born child. This was used in the game I run during Damaris (They asked Charlebelle to bring her ship and kroot to help fight the orks) Rogue Traders have lots of resources in lots of places. Being friendly with them means they're willing to consider helping you, or providing you resources when you need them, or buying resources when you have extras.

Actually at this point in my campaign the PCs are about to "win" (via combat or resistance) a secreted ship brought to Footfall belonging to House Chorda - it evidently is storing star charts and warp maps clandestinely - the PCs this week have to decide if they are gonna be good or bad to Chorda - in respects to its property LOL - sort of the preamble to them finding an alliance if they so choose via their actions...

Morbid

My players made an ally of Lord-Admiral Bastille when they discovered the Rak'Gol homeworld (or at least their major stronghold) and contacted him to help them exterminate it. He said he would only agree if the Dynasty loaned them their entire fleet, and stayed behind because a force could not have two leaders.

My players agreed, so they temporarily lost the bulk of their naval power, but dealt a serious blow to the Rak'Gol, effectively removing them from my campaign for awhile, and surprised Bastille into cooperating with them from that point onward.

Information's always good.

My players got a warning from an allied Rogue Trader about a price that was put on their heads by a different Rogue Trader that they'd @#$^&ed over. It gave their master of whispers a bonus on his roll to discover the assassin that slipped aboard their ship as a new crewman.