I've tried six times now and gone down in flames every time. The last time I had laid track from Memphis to Jackson but couldn't afford the station in Jackson or a train. Couldn't borrow money at any rate, couldn't make a dime despite having two profitable industries (paper mill in Jackson and textile mill in Memphis). Wasted TEN YEARS waiting for anything to improve. Then sold the industries to finish the railroad which instantly cratered the stock price and wiped me out.
That was my MOST successful attempt.
You can't borrow enough money to buy industries. If you do buy industries they make little or no money. If you then try to build a railroad you can't borrow enough money to connect two cities.
Does anyone have tips on this one?
Louisville & Nashville
Louisville & Nashville
The optimist proclaims we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true." - James Branch Cabell
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Ali Barba
:( Sounds rather sad! However I am away for a week, first break from my teenagers since the day they were born! My thoughts are that you must have a railway first as this is what makes industry profitable. I am guessing that bonds are prohibited? If not issue some immediately if there is insufficent cash to build a basic railway - unusual if true.
When I get home later this week will have a look at it myself as I haven't played that one, and you have me intrigued! Ali.
When I get home later this week will have a look at it myself as I haven't played that one, and you have me intrigued! Ali.
I finally finished this one on gold/expert a couple of years ago -- on about the 3rd try. It's been so long ago that I forget the actual strategy. I did find that industry doesn't pay in this scenario, especially raw materials (which actually lose money from the get-go, no matter which raw material -- even dairy farms).
I remember that connecting to the AI lines right away (from Louisville, I think) was financially rewarding. Also, taking over the AIs was more cost effective than purchasing accessing rights (to Indiana, for example).
-- Cliff in Virginia
I remember that connecting to the AI lines right away (from Louisville, I think) was financially rewarding. Also, taking over the AIs was more cost effective than purchasing accessing rights (to Indiana, for example).
-- Cliff in Virginia
I went back to this map to figure out some advice to share here.
I soon discovered a major bug that caused player-owned farms and mines to stop producing after April 1861. I will send Hawk a revised version that eradicates that bug, and streamlines the Civil War-events, in general. Watch out for that revised version.
Basic strategy in this scenario should be focused on acquiring your competitors, and on making lots of money for that goal through rapid expansion.
I find that after buying one high-yield farm (milk or cattle) first thing, I am done with industry for the duration. This farm takes care of early cash flow, and there is enough money left for an Louisville-Frankfort line. After that, expansion pays for itself.
Connecting to AI lines is a good thing - plenty of revenue from that.
Fiscal prudence is a must - never issue stock except in a boom. Pay dividends of >=$1.00 from the start, and hike it up to $1.50 or $2.00 as soon as feasible.
Max out bonds at a reasonable rate. take all you can in a boom for the lowest rate. Refinance.
Use all cash left after dividends have been payed (start of March, June, September, and December) to expand. Never risk being caught with too little cash to pay your dividend!
Privately, buy stock in the AI with the following guideline:
First, buy some stock in AI to which you connect or will soon connect.
Second, focus on one weak but strategically located AI. For instance, if there's one out of Nashville, pick that one - you'll want to go there, anyway. Stretch your personal debt to 1/3 of assets.
Your high dividend makes sure your assets will grow even if you have just 10-20% of your own stock. You'll need that leverage.
Merge once the economy goes south. BUT, before merging, check the AI's finances. If he has $2,000,000 of debt at 20% interest, never, ever merge unless you can repay that debt right away. You might even want to wait for him to declare bankruptcy. That'll cut the debt in half, and will generate cheap stock that you can snatch up, before a merger puts that money right back into your pockets.
If you know you can merge, buy more of that AI's stock, even if you max out your credit. Wait for the value to go down until the broker calls, then merge.
Third, pick an AI in a location like Atlanta or Birmingham, or even Chattanooga. This will give you acces to the South, and you can start on that $1,000,000 revenue goal for Atlanta or Birmingham, even before you connect the city to Louisville.
Fourth, my final merger is usually with the Indiana AI. He tends to be strongest, financially, and you'll need a solid revenue base to swallow him.
Even if it gets close to the deadline for gold, once you've merged with him, and can connect to St. Louis right away, the $1,000,000 revenue goal for that city can be done in as little as a year. Just send in trains with high-yield cargo.
Finally, close the gap between your networks north and south of the Ohio, linking St. Louis to Louisville. Send on its was any additional cargo to St. Louis that can only now reach that city.
Hope this helps!
I soon discovered a major bug that caused player-owned farms and mines to stop producing after April 1861. I will send Hawk a revised version that eradicates that bug, and streamlines the Civil War-events, in general. Watch out for that revised version.
Basic strategy in this scenario should be focused on acquiring your competitors, and on making lots of money for that goal through rapid expansion.
I find that after buying one high-yield farm (milk or cattle) first thing, I am done with industry for the duration. This farm takes care of early cash flow, and there is enough money left for an Louisville-Frankfort line. After that, expansion pays for itself.
Connecting to AI lines is a good thing - plenty of revenue from that.
Fiscal prudence is a must - never issue stock except in a boom. Pay dividends of >=$1.00 from the start, and hike it up to $1.50 or $2.00 as soon as feasible.
Max out bonds at a reasonable rate. take all you can in a boom for the lowest rate. Refinance.
Use all cash left after dividends have been payed (start of March, June, September, and December) to expand. Never risk being caught with too little cash to pay your dividend!
Privately, buy stock in the AI with the following guideline:
First, buy some stock in AI to which you connect or will soon connect.
Second, focus on one weak but strategically located AI. For instance, if there's one out of Nashville, pick that one - you'll want to go there, anyway. Stretch your personal debt to 1/3 of assets.
Your high dividend makes sure your assets will grow even if you have just 10-20% of your own stock. You'll need that leverage.
Merge once the economy goes south. BUT, before merging, check the AI's finances. If he has $2,000,000 of debt at 20% interest, never, ever merge unless you can repay that debt right away. You might even want to wait for him to declare bankruptcy. That'll cut the debt in half, and will generate cheap stock that you can snatch up, before a merger puts that money right back into your pockets.
If you know you can merge, buy more of that AI's stock, even if you max out your credit. Wait for the value to go down until the broker calls, then merge.
Third, pick an AI in a location like Atlanta or Birmingham, or even Chattanooga. This will give you acces to the South, and you can start on that $1,000,000 revenue goal for Atlanta or Birmingham, even before you connect the city to Louisville.
Fourth, my final merger is usually with the Indiana AI. He tends to be strongest, financially, and you'll need a solid revenue base to swallow him.
Even if it gets close to the deadline for gold, once you've merged with him, and can connect to St. Louis right away, the $1,000,000 revenue goal for that city can be done in as little as a year. Just send in trains with high-yield cargo.
Finally, close the gap between your networks north and south of the Ohio, linking St. Louis to Louisville. Send on its was any additional cargo to St. Louis that can only now reach that city.
Hope this helps!
Re: Louisville & Nashville
First off, I would like to thank the person who created this scenario. This is, in my opinion, an excellent scenario. Tough, without being seemingly impossible. I like the concept of the $1 million haulage requirement. Buying out the AIs is a challenge, but doable. I like to buy stock in the Effingham-Mount Vernon early, becuase it is usually the most prosperous of the AIs, thereby also making it the hardest to take over. Buying into the Atlanta railroad is also a good investment. Just remember to sell some off before General Sherman invades. Also, do not be intimidated by the high interest rates. Build aggressively. Buying a couple of high-profit industries helps early in the scenario, but I agree that after that, the effort should go toward expanding the railroad.
I like to start by connecting Louisville with Elizabethtown. There is usually an AI who is also based in Kentucky. If I start with Louisville to Elizabethtown, this AI will often connect to Frankfort. Then it is easy for me to connect with it.
I just gold medaled this scenario for the first time. It was on the hard level. If I ever gold medal this on the expert level, I might then modify it to throw in some new challenges. For example, Ohio and Mississippi do not get much of a role in this scenario. I would probably add some cities in those two states, and include those states, along with perhaps Arkansas, in the medal requirements.
Thanks again to the person who made this scenario. If you have any more, please let me know.
I like to start by connecting Louisville with Elizabethtown. There is usually an AI who is also based in Kentucky. If I start with Louisville to Elizabethtown, this AI will often connect to Frankfort. Then it is easy for me to connect with it.
I just gold medaled this scenario for the first time. It was on the hard level. If I ever gold medal this on the expert level, I might then modify it to throw in some new challenges. For example, Ohio and Mississippi do not get much of a role in this scenario. I would probably add some cities in those two states, and include those states, along with perhaps Arkansas, in the medal requirements.
Thanks again to the person who made this scenario. If you have any more, please let me know.
Life is not fair, but it is still good.
Re: Louisville & Nashville
That map was made by Lama, who hasn't been heard from in almost 2 years.
I do believe there's some other maps by him in the archives.
BTW! I fixed the link in my previous post.
I do believe there's some other maps by him in the archives.
BTW! I fixed the link in my previous post.
Hawk
Re: Louisville & Nashville
Ohhhh yessss - Lama is a great map creator! 
There are a lot of scenarios he made. You'll find
Borogaravia
Burma
Cheshire County, NH
The Baghdad Railway
Guatemela
Mecklenburg & Pommerania
Pandaimonia - The Quest
Summer Vacation
The Cheshire
Tortuga Islands
Cray Coast & Grand River
as well as the famous
Weidenthal County
within Hawk's map archive. If you've basic experiences in German language, you can also get the maps
Deutsch Süd-West Afrika
Moorexpress
Zwischen Weser und Elbe
from Molse (go to http://www.molse.de and look for Downloads, Europa section).
@Hawk: From my point of view, the map
The North-East Corridor
is also made by Lama - not by arop. Maybe you'll verify that and, if I'm right, modify the related archive entry.
There are a lot of scenarios he made. You'll find
Borogaravia
Burma
Cheshire County, NH
The Baghdad Railway
Guatemela
Mecklenburg & Pommerania
Pandaimonia - The Quest
Summer Vacation
The Cheshire
Tortuga Islands
Cray Coast & Grand River
as well as the famous
Weidenthal County
within Hawk's map archive. If you've basic experiences in German language, you can also get the maps
Deutsch Süd-West Afrika
Moorexpress
Zwischen Weser und Elbe
from Molse (go to http://www.molse.de and look for Downloads, Europa section).
@Hawk: From my point of view, the map
The North-East Corridor
is also made by Lama - not by arop. Maybe you'll verify that and, if I'm right, modify the related archive entry.
There's no business like RT business ...
Re: Louisville & Nashville
You might be right. I'll look into that.Sugus wrote: @Hawk: From my point of view, the map
The North-East Corridor
is also made by Lama - not by arop. Maybe you'll verify that and, if I'm right, modify the related archive entry.
I think I also got the one next to it wrong. Heartland of the USA.
Hawk
Re: Louisville & Nashville
It turns out I have tried a few of Lama's other scenarios. Guatemala, Summer Vacation, Weidenthal County. If he created the Northeast Corridor, it is another one of my favorites. The Grey Coast and Grand River looked good, but I have not tried it because it is based on a fictitious location. I shied away from Cheshire County, NH because of the small geographic area, but maybe now I'll try it.
Life is not fair, but it is still good.
Re: Louisville & Nashville
One more thing. I don't know any German. So I will not be able to try any of his scenarios in that language. If someone has some Spanish language scenarios, I might stand a chance.
Life is not fair, but it is still good.
Re: Louisville & Nashville
You were right. I got it changed.Sugus wrote:@Hawk: From my point of view, the map
The North-East Corridor
is also made by Lama - not by arop. Maybe you'll verify that and, if I'm right, modify the related archive entry.
for pointing that out. 
Hawk
Re: Louisville & Nashville
It would be really nice to see Deutsch Süd-West Afrika in English. That is a good map too.
Yes, Lama is one of the best; in our top 5 imo.
Yes, Lama is one of the best; in our top 5 imo.
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Canadian Viking
- Brakeman
- Posts: 171
- Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 11:46 am
- Location: Alberta, Canada
Re: Louisville & Nashville
I downloaded this scenario long ago and finally played it this past weekend. Great fun! Lama, I really like your requirement to connect to a city and then haul $1 million dollars of cargo to it.
First try I began well enough but got stuck when I took over an AI railroad without first checking to see what bonds it had. Once I bought it out I discovered I was now owner of several million dollars of bonds costing me interest at rates of 20% and higher!
5 years of trying didn't get me even a quarter out of that hole so I began again.
2nd try went even better. Both times I played on hard, and first built east from Louisville. I didn't buy any industry (and I had not read this thread first), just hotels, restaurants and post offices. After connecting to an AI so his trains would use my tracks, I built south to Nashville & Memphis, and then Atlanta and Birmingham. I had hopes of a last minute connection to St. Louis by taking over a defunct railroad between Jackson and Paducah, but when I tried to take it over there were no railroads on the list of potential takeovers! I guess when I took over the last ACTIVE AI railroad, I lost the chance to takeover the defunt ones that were still on the map. That was a new querk for me, and I thought I would have to settle for silver.
But I decided I might as well try for gold by building a line north from Memphis to St. Louis. Turns out there was very profitable freight to be hauled, and in the final 14 months of the scenario I not only built the line but hauled well over $1 million dollars of cargo to get gold!
Great job, Lama, on a fun and interesting scenrario.
First try I began well enough but got stuck when I took over an AI railroad without first checking to see what bonds it had. Once I bought it out I discovered I was now owner of several million dollars of bonds costing me interest at rates of 20% and higher!
5 years of trying didn't get me even a quarter out of that hole so I began again.2nd try went even better. Both times I played on hard, and first built east from Louisville. I didn't buy any industry (and I had not read this thread first), just hotels, restaurants and post offices. After connecting to an AI so his trains would use my tracks, I built south to Nashville & Memphis, and then Atlanta and Birmingham. I had hopes of a last minute connection to St. Louis by taking over a defunct railroad between Jackson and Paducah, but when I tried to take it over there were no railroads on the list of potential takeovers! I guess when I took over the last ACTIVE AI railroad, I lost the chance to takeover the defunt ones that were still on the map. That was a new querk for me, and I thought I would have to settle for silver.
But I decided I might as well try for gold by building a line north from Memphis to St. Louis. Turns out there was very profitable freight to be hauled, and in the final 14 months of the scenario I not only built the line but hauled well over $1 million dollars of cargo to get gold!
Great job, Lama, on a fun and interesting scenrario.
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belbincolne
- Engineer
- Posts: 526
- Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:28 am
- Location: Colne, England
Re: Louisville & Nashville
Must have played this years ago but didn't remember it so seeing these posts thought I'd give it another try. Very interesting scenario. Took one bond and repaid that as soon as possible then managed without. Took over the three failing companies with little problem (although for some odd reason I could only a buy a few shares in one and none in another so had to pay 100% mark up). Then managed to get enough to buy a majority in one of the last two highly expensive companies and take that over leaving me broke.
However money rolled in and with 18 months to go had $10m so bought 51% of last company and took out 12 bonds to give me enough to take it over. Realised I was in lumber because I'd still to get $1m carryings so laid on trains from every nearby town and double lined into it - perhaps 12 trains in all - and sat back. Gold came with 1 month left - phew! Great fun
Highly recommend it to everyone - but all Lama's scenarios were great - except Weidenthal County (???) where I only once managed to get anywhere - must try that again.
However money rolled in and with 18 months to go had $10m so bought 51% of last company and took out 12 bonds to give me enough to take it over. Realised I was in lumber because I'd still to get $1m carryings so laid on trains from every nearby town and double lined into it - perhaps 12 trains in all - and sat back. Gold came with 1 month left - phew! Great fun
Highly recommend it to everyone - but all Lama's scenarios were great - except Weidenthal County (???) where I only once managed to get anywhere - must try that again.
Re: Louisville & Nashville
I just discovered that I had been playing the old version of this scenario with the permanent mine/farm suppression bug. Looking through my saved games, I see that I somehow managed to win gold in this scenario years ago, but that bug definitely interferes with my now usual play strategy of buying lots of industries.
Also, didn't realize this was another Lama map. Lama is responsible for most of my favorite scenarios, and I enjoyed discovering he was also responsible for a scenario focused on my favorite railroad.
Also, didn't realize this was another Lama map. Lama is responsible for most of my favorite scenarios, and I enjoyed discovering he was also responsible for a scenario focused on my favorite railroad.
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UnknownTycoon
Re: Louisville & Nashville
I started out in Louisville and built south to Nashville. Once Nashville had been connected, I built from just north of Nashville to Memphis.
NB: In my last game, the AI in Chattanooga was liquidated. The Georgia AI loses its Atlanta station when Sherman invades.
NB: In my last game, the AI in Chattanooga was liquidated. The Georgia AI loses its Atlanta station when Sherman invades.