Weidenthal County

[Orange46]

I had to wait 24 hours before reviewing this scenario. It should get a glowing review, but if I had reviewed it yesterday, I would have flunked it.

This is a nice small and fun map to play on. The map maker makes it possible to realistically run trains thru a winding river valley, something that usually doesn't happen in RT3. I can still remember the horrors of trying to run track west from Albany in one of the earliest campaign scenarios. That almost soured me on the game.

You get to build and then manage a small railroad, which I enjoy. Any scenario where I find it desireable to build kriegsloks is also a winner. The only problem with the scenario is that the designer did not place a necessary toy factory in the town of Weidenthal. In my scenario it never came up, and thus ruined the purpose of the scenario, which is to restore the town to its former glory in making toys. I didn't realize this until I was 15 years into the scenario. I kept thinking, surely if I connect to this next burg, a toy factory event will pop up. It didn't and doesn't. Although a toy factory is weighted at 80% for the town of Weidenthal, there are too many other industries on that town's list, so that it's real probability is more like 20%. Further, when I checked the editor, I discovered that the tool and die factory doesn't always work either. I triggered the factory event , but the factory would not place itself, although the newspaper article announcing its creation did come up. Strangely, I was able to manually place the factory at the approximate coordinates used in the event. Needless to say, I did not get a gold or silver, even after cheating - I mean, using the editor.


So, when you play this scenario, restart it if there is no toy factory at start. It isn't coming. Hopefully the tool and die factory will place, but if it doesn't (after you ship the required number of toys), you'll have to edit it in yourself.

[BikerTim]

I have attempted this scenario several times now. Getting the silver is not difficult. I had the two end cities connected less than halfway through the scenario. By the end, I had hauled over 100 loads of toys, easily surpassing the 40 needed. But I could only get one load of goods to the required city, even though the necessary tool & die shop and warehouse appeared where they were supposed to. They do not always do that. Worse yet, the company's fortunes imploded over about the last five years of the scenario, making it nearly impossible to make a profit, let alone reach the $16 million needed for gold. This implosion happens every time I try this scenario. Does anybody have any suggestions?

[Sugus]

Restart the scenario until you see a toy factory in Bad Sonnenfels. Than build the track from there to Niederlungen and let a train with eight wagons run between these two cities. Now build up your system from Weidenthal or Neustadt an der Bäke. After some years you'll see goods running between Niederlungern and Bad Sonnenfels. Complete the track to Niederlungern as soon as posssible and get those goods!

[belbincolne]

Was interested to see this come up after so many years. I know I never got gold on Expert although I may have managed it on Normal. My memories bad but I'm pretty certain that there were 2 versions the 2nd putting a warehouse in the extreme top right hand town without which it was impossible. Last year I gave it the odd try and never got anywhere but I'll have another go restarting until I get a tf in BS . Obviously I enjoyed the scenario or wouldn't be replaying now.

[Sugus]

An additional hint: when you deliver the (first) goods to Neustadt an der Bäke, you should try to "recycle" them!

[belbincolne]

Sorry don't understand "recycle". Had two starts and could only just get from BS to N which carried some plastic and that was it. End of scenario. That was shortest route with steep climb. 2nd try I tried to follow river so that it would be cheaper to get to next town - even with bond and 2 share sales couldn't reach it. I remember I had this difficulty before and started in Weidenthal and headed slowly for the port to build up cash. Anyway any advice welcome!

[Sugus]

"Recycling" goods means, that you should prepare a train from N.a.d.B. to Herdenhausen, which is waiting for - let's say - two loads of goods only. Do that before the goods hauling train from Niederlungern arrives. Thereafter, very likely you'll see the prepared train leaving N.a.d.B. with goods. Now you can try to let it shuttle between H.a.d.B. and Herdenhausen - or even redirect it immediately back to N.a.d.B.

[BikerTim]

Several of you have commented about ways to meet the goods haulage requirement. But I think the $16M BV requirement is much harder. That is especially true when financial results just go to pieces in about the last five years of the scenario. Does anybody have any suggestions on this?

[RayofSunshine]

Yes, it has been some time since I have last played the Weidenthal Cty scenario. One of the reasons was that I couldn't make much progress in its operation of goals. So, reading all the threads, and considering the "Tycoons" who were having a problem with attaining the requirements, I thought that I would give it a try. Well, actually it was about 3 tries, using a different starting depot each time. Managed to get the Silver, but only in the Medium level, but better than any previous attempts. But, both the requirements of ""goods"" and the CBV were basically only in an initial start for amounts.

But I did have a lot of fun in playing toward the concept of its creator. Really enjoyed being able to make some progress after all the attempts I have made over the years.

Keep yourusing your talents, and keep 'em coming, and we will keep playing them.

[BikerTim]

I agree that this is a very enjoyable scenario. Just wish I could figure out how to keep my business from cratering over the last five years.

[RayofSunshine]

Well BikerTim,

I can image the problem of revenue going to pot. The occurrence was not in this scenario, but the affects are the same.

For some reason, in "Prosperity" all of the AIs and myself, saw the stock prices just take a gradual downhill slump. I didn't check in the "handbook" to see what might possibly be the problem, but it seemed odd. Everything else seemed to be operating in its general condition, with good revenue from the consists. And it took a few years to get it to recover. Naturally it was at a critical period of play to get the goals.

BUT, it is just a game, and meant to be played for fun. Crazy things happen in life reality, so why not in a game.

[BikerTim]

You are right, Ray of Sunshine. It is only a game. The important thing is that we have fun with it. In that respect, this scenario, along with all the rest of RRT3, performs very well!

[low_grade]

Gave this last Europe map a go a couple times. First started with Kriegloks from Weidenthal to Neustadt, slowly. Then with a couple more bonds to Siederode. Decided to max bonds on normal economy, maybe $5.5M at 9.7% average, but my push was just short of Niederlungern from Neuenthal with like $3M to build with, although I connected to Bad Sonnenfels. Then the economy went south and I ran in the red. I was maybe 12 years in... very slow start.

So I try again, this time reading this thread and making sure a toy factory seeds in Bad Sonnenfels. Had two warehouses in Niederlungern once in my 20 or so tries at a playable seed (I also look for good industry in general, as I know this game will be hard, so a Brewery with grain, Lumber Mills and logs, produce and distillery nice, too, Meat Packers and cattle. That toy factory was exceedingly rare for me, maybe present only 15% of the time. So I loaded the map in the editor and set the Toy Factory to 100% and bumped the other buildings down to 40% and 24%. Just a couple tries later I get a seed I can play with. Even got chemicals in Neustadt and Fertilizer Factories in Schwengen to pump the grain and produce production!

Before starting, I consider my options. I thought maybe the $400 diesel instead... but I don't care for the V200's reliability and running cost. What I really want is a train that can make quick bursts in the flats between these close stations... Ah heck, not sure it's historically accurate to the region, but I made the Class A1 available. Thirsty for sure, $50-$60k per year in fuel, but a quick hopper and better early profits than the try with the Kriegsloks ($400k vs $225k fist years.) Two A1's running the same route between Neustadt and Bogenhausen, a third Class A1 for Bogenhausen to Neuenthal, then a V200 for Neuenthal to Niederlungern, completing the route in 1962. Got a pair of GP7's to sit loading goods for Neustadt. Took them 5 or 6 years, after I added the T&D in the editor that should have arrived by event, but they completed the hauling goal with years to spare.

Still, profits were only in the range of $500-$750/year, and I needed to increase that if I was going to get to $16M CBV. I spotted some long hauls of Alcohol and earned $1M on that, then I started scraping the bottom of the barrel. Connect every last city and even a couple rural stations in between cities. Blundered by retiring $1.2M in locos that I'd discovered running unprofitably when I should have take the time to reroute them rather than take the CBV hit. Still, 3 years to go, I make $1,017 the year before, and I need another $3,069... I can do it! Unless the economy explodes, which it did. So just silver, and using whatever loco I want.

It's likely that the Kriegsloks would have been a better bet (my 23 year old Class A1 has guzzled $1.6M...) And I should have used a V200 for all the longer distance routes between Weidenthal and Niederlungern, would have saved another $1.5M there. So gold was within reach. But also I started with a very good seed... Yeah, I'd say this scenario is winnable on Expert without any shenanigans aside from manually adding the T&D when appropriate to Niederlungern. Winnable, but you're going to have to work for it, this one is tough!