Ironseed campaign, buying out AIs, farm question

[gaijinalways]

I am recently playing the Ironseed campaign, and I was wondering about a few things. One, is it better to buy out the other AI companies earlier?

Right now I am in the middle of a campaign with about 9 -10 years left. I wholly own my own company, but don't own any shares in the two AI companies. I have set up some stations to steal some of the AI cargo, hoping to depress their share prices. Should I have bought equal shares in all 3 companies earlier (or some other combination) to make a try for gold (where I need above 20 million PNW and no other companies)? On a related note, the economy thread might make me start this campaign again as I am currently in a recession, perhaps triggered by less building and buying of shares the last few years, though historically there was a recession at that time in

Also, I am wondering now, the farm industries in Ireland have been hit with lowered productivity, but higher prices. I just bought some sheep farms and graineries (as well as the textile mill and bakery) near Dublin. Is this a good idea? Previously they didn't seem to be making money, but I am assuming now they should with the prices for farm goods having almost doubled.

[Gwizz]

In the editor prices and the economy can be altered by date by the campaign designer.

It is usually of little help to try to take away the AI's cargo.  The game can generate more to keep an AI running.  As an example: an AI steel mill can produce steel for the AI without receiving coal and iron.

It normally is a good idea to take control of an AI as early as possible, especially if the AI has a profitable route.  If it is profitable buy more shares.  If not, don't buy shares, as this will hurt your PNW.

Yes I agree the economy thread is interesting.

[gaijinalways]

Maybe I didn't state my questions well enough. I have since taken over 1 AI company, and have 50% (almost) of the 2nd one, so just waiting for some more shares to be sold. I have starved AI companies before in other campaigns as my stations share the same cargo and passengers. I plan to make tracks around them and run trains in a circle eventually, unless I get that last 1% of the shares first. As I have seen before, by 'starving ' the AI, usuallu you will force him to issue bonds/shares, which eventually will get me what I want, namely their company for the gold.

My original question was if I should have started buying shares in the AI companies sooner (it's maybe '46 now), but it seems to have worked out okay and the economy is picking up now. As to the farm industry question, no one has answered that.

[Gwizz]

Buying industries, depends upon how long the game is.  For a long game buy,  For a short game you might not even break even. I seldom buy industries or try to take away the AIs cargo on a PNW map.  The AI company does suffer but so does your company to a point.  I can make more money by milking the AI railroads and this helps my PNW the most.

I hope I answered your questions this time.

Another thing that helps PNW is to buy every share of AI stock that is available, before merging it.  This transfers more of your companies dollars in merging, (higher stock prices) to you and helps your PNW.  PNW is one of the harder goals to reach.  Having your company make more money is normally much easier.  But then, it is fun to starve an AI just not as profitable.

Example:  After gaining control of an AI's stock, I take control of the AI company.  Then I do some tycooning by having the AI float bonds and I use the AI bond money to double track my single track mainline. Track ownership remains with my RR.  I then build AI track from supply industries, that the AI will use to supply some of my demand industries.  None of these branch lines are connected to the AI's mainline, only to my RR's mainline.  They have one AI station and normally one locomotive that returns empty from my demand station for more supply cargo at its station. An AI will also pay me to run on my track, so sometime I build the track and the AI builds the one station and buys the locomotive.  I've made good money just using AI motivepower and not owning a locomotive of my own.

Remember you make the most money by running as the crow flys.  The game doesn't calculate a circles distance.

There are other tycoon methods that are very profitable, But I'm already too far off topic in answering your questions.

[gaijinalways]

Actually, you partly answered my question on the first go as to when you might buy the AI companies (you said earlier was better). As to milking the AI stations, I'm making good money doing it as they are near my other routes and I hope to drive the AI stock price down (I have done it in other campaigns). My PNW is high already and has topped 20 million, but after purchasing the first AI, it has dropped back to 17.5 million. But I have about 8-9 years to bring my value back up (as well as buying the other 1% in the remaining AI company, which may also reduce it a bit, but since a boom just started, it should be no problem).

As to the industry question, whether this is a short game or not, I still, as mentioned before, have 8-9 years left, so I'd think the time would be enough to make some money on the industries I just purchased (I owned the factories already, bought the farms just now).

[gaijinalways]

Actually another question. So now I am stuck with the remaining AI company with 50% of the shares (me with the other 50%), my PNW is over 25m, so what to do? I waited a few years already, but the AI company doesn't seem to be in a hurry to float shares even though its stock is dropping now. I plan to blockade his stations by stopping a train on each, will this work in forcing the AI company into bankruptcy or into selling some stock?

[Gwizz]

Some AI chairmen don't move,no matter what you do.  I would offer more money on a merge attempt.  It is a random acceptance, but the more you offer that better your chance of winning the merge.  I alway save the game before trying, so a falure to win does not penalize me.  I just restart the game where I saved it, to remove the delay in making another attempt.

Some players will call this save a cheat, but in real life there are no time limits on multiple merger attempts.

[gaijinalways]

Thanx, I'll try that. I meant to earlier, but I forgot about it hoping he would dump some shares at some point. I liked playing around with the map seeing how high my PNW would go too, but it's nice to get the gold if you can.