Level 5 support, West London. I get my body armor sometimes but thats about it, free gun I start out with I can use for the whole map and tons of ammo spawn points to run to.
From what i've seen the trader doesn't spawn at all, the traders are in all locations at once and the game just enables a certain shop area at the end of a wave. If you are inside a shop area when that area isn't enabled it doesn't let you buy stuff.It would be great if ther would be a mutator that would make 50% chance the trader wil not spawn.
On Hard servers I usually only go to the trader each round to sell weapons I've found and give my money to other players. I only do this as a level 5 medic though because you can easily outrun most enemies while looking around the level for weapons and ammo. On suicidal I try to do the same tactic but I'm often forced to buy ammo because it's so scarce.
Don't ever try it with Clot Buster on. Me and my friends did that earlier and ran out of ammo trying to kill the insane amount of Fleshpounds that the game spawns. Eventually, we were cornered in the upper floor of one of the farmhouses. **** did not end pretty.
Clot buster is trouble anyway, for anyone but a Berserker. The clots quite literally aren't worth the ammo you use to kill them!
Even using inexpensive weapons, like the 9mm, Bullpup, and Lever Action Rifle, you'll run low on ammo and since each clot only gives you $1-$2 on higher difficulties, you'll be hard-pressed to buy ammo!