A NinjaTrader 8 starter strategy, wired for the real world
The unglamorous plumbing every live strategy needs — connection-loss guard, order-rejection circuit breaker, session filter, daily-loss stop — in one free, readable NinjaScript file. The entry logic is left to you. No edge inside, and honestly: distrust anyone who claims otherwise.
You'll get the download link plus occasional Verdict Strategy Builder tips and product updates — unsubscribe anytime, every email has the link. See the Privacy Policy.
What’s wired in
Six guards most hand-written strategies skip — until the first bad day teaches why they matter.
Connection-loss guard
Watches both the order and data feeds; while either is degraded, no new positions are opened. Entries re-arm automatically when the connection recovers.
Order-rejection circuit breaker
A rejected order means something structural is wrong. The template stops entering for the session and writes a log entry telling you what to check.
Daily-loss stop
Hit your configured realized loss for the session and the strategy flattens itself and stands down until the next session.
Session & time filter
Trade only inside the window you set, flatten before the session close, and never hold through the overnight gap by accident.
Stop/target scaffold
Every entry gets a protective stop and target attached the moment it fills — the template never sits in the market naked.
Crash-safe start behavior
Starts in wait-until-flat mode, so restarting the strategy against an existing position never stacks surprise orders.
The template is the safety net. The edge is the hard part.
Verdict Strategy Builder generates the part this file leaves blank: its genetic engine breeds hundreds of NinjaTrader 8 entry/exit combinations, validates them out of sample, ranks the survivors, and exports each one as standalone NinjaScript — with this same production wiring built in.
Starter strategy, answered
Is it really free?
Yes — enter your email and the file arrives in your inbox. No card, no account, no trial clock. We may send occasional Verdict Strategy Builder product updates; every email has an unsubscribe link.
Will it make money out of the box?
No — and be wary of anyone who gives away "profitable" strategies. This template deliberately contains no entry edge: it is the production plumbing (connection guard, circuit breaker, loss stop, session filter) with a disabled example entry so you can watch the wiring work. The edge is the part you bring — or generate with Verdict Strategy Builder.
What do I need to run it?
NinjaTrader 8. Open the NinjaScript Editor, create a new Strategy named VsbStarterStrategy, paste the file over the stub and compile — or drop the .cs into Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom\Strategies and compile. Always test in simulation first.
Can I use it in my own strategies?
Yes. It is free to use, modify and build on, personally or commercially. No warranty; nothing in the file is financial advice.
The template is provided free of charge, without warranty of any kind. Nothing on this page or in the file is financial advice; futures trading involves substantial risk of loss.