Texas II

[BikerTim]

I have tried this one twice now. The first time, I got gold on the medium level with well over ten years to spare. Second time I tried it on the expert level. Still got gold, but just under the wire. Not only that, but I had to use some strategy right at the end to get it. So I can't really say this one is too easy. But I still believe some things can be done to improve upon it.

First off, it was about 15-20 years before the end of the scenario that all of the cities were connected, and all of the viable industries had either been bought or built. While I did manage to buy out one competitor, the other two were majority owned by their founders, preventing buy out. Because CBV was one of the objectives, I spent most of that time simply accumulating cash. Once in a while, I would change a train's route or add a new one to increase profits. Such a significant period of time should have more interplay.

Second, several of the commodities listed in this scenario never come into play. For example, no bauxite is made available. Because no aluminum is ever supplied at any ports or warehouses, aluminum also never comes into play. Likewise, no rubber is ever made available. Because tires and automobiles are also not available through ports or warehouses, neither one of those commodities ever comes into play. These commodities should either be made possible, or removed.

Good scenario on the whole.

[arop]

Thanks a lot. I always like comments about my maps. I took a look in the editor. As far as I can see rubber, tires, and autoplants, bauxite and aluminium plants are omitted. A (Northern) warehouse suplying chemicals, goods, automobiles from the North (Detroit) is planned in the editor in Oklahoma City and Santa Fe (15%) but I cannot guarantee they will show up during the game. Concerning bauxite, there are only a few deposits of bauxite in the USA, as far as I know not in Texas. But maybe aluminium should be belivered from the North indstead of goods. Living in Denmark, my informations about natural resources in Texas are scarce, and I am open for suggestions for a version 3.

[citizenvish]

I tried this scenario a couple of weeks ago. And I rather enjoyed it. Hit gold in medium with ease, but had to think through the entire time. I love creating an oil economy and a steel economy; this scenario allows both and as such, is one of my more favorite ones.

As for complaints, I have none except for the ones mentioned by BikerTim, which have been addressed/answered. Further, I also noticed that chemical plants, quarries and ore mines were quite limited in number. Chemical plants were spread out too. This made investing in fertilizer factories, furnaces, pharmaceutical plants, and cement factories a rather lackluster proposition. This I felt could have been better.

Regardless, all in all, a very good scenario.



Regards

[Mish Mish]

On the whole this map is a lot of fun to play. (I also really Taxas Tea as well)

I agree with most of what the other writers have said regarding this scenario. I didn't like the scarce commodities.

Aluminum is produced in Texas. At one time Alcoa owned a railroad called the Rockdale Sandow & Southern, that they used to serve an Alcoa owned aluminum smelter, although I believe this plant used Alumina (aluminum oxide) as it's feedstock, and not bauxite. I am sure there are other examples, but this is one example that I know of that is directly rail related. The island of Jamaica is something like 1/3 covered in bauxite, so it woudn't be unrealsitic to have bauxite available at Texas ports.

Likewise Auto production should be part of a Texas economy. (but I don't know when the first assembly plants opened in the state)

Tires should be available in every scenario in a developed 20th century economy, either as finshed goods or from rubber. (aren't tires made mostly from oil now days?)

I would also think that chemicals should be very prevelant on a Texas map as well. Oil is the feedstock for a lot of chemicals, and the Gulf Coast of Texas is known as the "chemical coast."

One change I really appreciated on the Texas II map is that at last we cab make booze from all that worthless grain!!!

Overall I have always enjoyed the origional Texas map, and I liked this version even more.