Classic map China, Peoples train.

[Vendin]

I just steamrolled through the classic campaign on Hard with a gold win on every map except the Chineese one. Got a bronze not eaven close to silver win.. 
I just cant see how im supposed to reach 40m$ equity on that map before 1962.

Chosing the +20% Station Profit reward, Getting a few passenger routes involving Beijing going before clearing all the random crap track to drop costs.

Keep expanding on the eastcoast with a few loans to get more routs going, but by the time my economy gets stable the timelimit is only a cupple of years away?

Tips? What am i not seeing?

[Silverback]

Have a look at this thread http://forum.dune2k.com/topic/23049-faulty-events-in-fixed-peoples-train-campaign-map-16chi1/ 

 

Very difficult map  - the outcome of whichever map version is used is very dependent on where the industries are generated and hopefully all the initial stations covering 4 houses too. A good start is vital. 

 

The official strategy guide says you can't issue bonds but the map allows this! The map doesn't let you change dividends BUT on start the map is paying a dividend which seems wrong. 

[MaglevForever]

Hi Vendin,

 

I haven't played this map for awhile, but have gotten gold using all electric and also all diesel. I don't believe I have won using steam, not because it is impossible, I simply was going for more challenge with electric and I did a fast run with diesels. I have only played the original version, it seems that the version Silverback mentioned is slightly easier.

 

Some quick tips:

 

1. Hire Ames Oakes at the start. Shuffle through a few managers, if required, until you find him. He will let you take out 2 extra bonds, giving 2M of starting capital.

 

2. Don't bulldoze any of the old track. This will only drag your book value down. Concentrate on making profits and track maintenance wont be a burden.

 

3. Forget the connected towns except Beijing. Connect to Tianjin, if it has 8 houses is ideal. Find two more cities in the south which have 8 houses such as Huinan and Wuhan. Try to continue the straight pre-built track as far south as you can and then branch out to these cities. This straight track will be your express run, low-cost and efficient transit across a good portion of the map.

 

4. If you are using diesels (probably easiest) find and hire Rudolph Diesel. Buy 3 diesels, two for the route including Beijing. Load them up as full as you can and use a diner if there is room. They should get between 600k and 1M each on their initial trip.

 

5. As soon as the only train on the second route arrives, buy another for that route departing the other end. Then with a manager giving a cheap stations bonus upgrade all four stations with a Large Hotel, Tavern and Restaurant.

 

6. Upgrade the bridge on your main line to stone to prevent a bottle-kneck.

 

7. As you can afford it add more routes that are of similar length and efficient (as few curves as possible). Use cities with 8 houses as their supply of, and demand for, express is much greater. If you need to use a city with 6 houses try to match it with another having 6 at the end of that route. After you connect the best routes on the plains, think about the mountains.

 

Hope this helps! I will give it a whirl here soon, to refresh my memory a little more. When playing this I virtually ignore freight, express is just far too lucrative.

 

ETA: Just gave all steam a play. Followed the start outline I gave above. Got Gold in May 1955. I didn't realize just how cheap the engines are, so steam is probably comparable in difficulty to diesel.  The low-cost of the steamers helps keep their engine maintenance from being too exorbitant. I mainly used the T1 for its acceleration and Good reliability. After the Northern disappeared, I used four-car consists to help the T1 go up hills.

 

Another tip: when laying track on a grade make sure that those grades are as far as sensibly possible from any turns. The game treats a corner like a 2% grade, so a 3% grade becomes a 5% and things get ugly after that.

Edited July 2, 2014 by MaglevForever