Latvian Republic 1920

[Gumboots]

Ok, according to that you have negative book value. This would be a problem if you are going for Gold.
But then it could still be a typo, because as I said the status page doesn't do book value in $M.
Here's an example from testing. As you can see, the book value is given in $K:



If the minus sign in front of your book value is not a typo, then I assume that the last fine when you got kicked out of Russia, in combination with the territory cost of buying back into Russia and your previously existing company debt, was enough to wipe out your company's CBV.

If that doesn't explain it, please zip up the saved game and attach it here so I can take a look.

PS: Do note that unless you are playing on Expert level there is no need to go into Russia at all.
You can get Gold on all other difficulty levels just by hooking up Latvia and Estonia.

[RayofSunshine]

Okay Gumboot,
I didn't pay that much attention to that entry being a minus, thinking it to just be a dash. However, I back tracked to a previous different save, to see that the figure stood alone, that being a positive. Hence instead of "trying to download" a ledger page, I will do some "search" to see when that minus appeared, to find out the "real" reason it appeared. This time I will refrain from going into Russia, as I do believe I was evicted was not complying delivering an adequate amount of liquor. OR, what I delivered was not VODKA. LOL

[Gumboots]

Russia and Latvia weren't on friendly terms in the 1920's and '30's, so this scenario very loosely mimics that. The Russia stuff is just there to give you a bit more of challenge if you're feeling adventurous.

The fines for not delivering Alcohol to Strugi Krasnye start at $200k for the first year you miss the target, and double every year you don't deliver. You only get 5 chances before you get the boot. By the time you get booted you will have been fined $200k + $400k + $800k + 1,600K + $3,200k. That's a total of $6,200k ($6.2 million) in fines, just for not delivering booze to Strugi. It's pretty savage if you miss more than one or two.

Plus you have to buy into Russia to start with ($3,000k) and then you bought back into Russia after getting the boot (another $3,000k). So, all told, you forked out $12,200k ($12.2 million) to Stalin and his crew. That's where your CBV went.

The only way doing Russia makes sense is if you meet the haulage targets for Strugi. You can do this, but it's best to line up trains ready to go, and set them to high priority. If you can get three or four trains full of Alcohol on course for Strugi before you buy into Russia (aim them at Petseri to get them started) then once you pay the access cost and run a line to Strugi you can drop the first 10 loads there, and have the second year's loads stopped just outside Strugi station. This give you two full years in the clear to organise the third year's loads.

It's best to not give the Strugi trains full Alcohol consists if you don't have to. You only need to deliver 10 loads/year, so setting a custom consist of 6 Alcohol + 2 anything else is the best way to maximise profits on 2 trains. Or, if you want to maximise speed and don't care about profit, set them to 6 Alcohol and nothing else. That way they will leave the station once they have 5.5 loads of Alcohol (if it is coming in slowly) which is enough to make sure you get 10 loads delivered from 2 trains.

If you do all of that then you will find yourself with an extra $9.7 million to play with after 5 years, because you will save all the fines, and you'll save the second access cost, and you'll pick up $100k/year for successful deliveries. You can use this additional $9.7 million to boost your CBV quite nicely.

[RayofSunshine]

Those are a lot of suggestions Gumboots,
BUT I did not read them until I had replayed and received the GOLD, in similar to that of your suggestions. But thanks for your agenda.
What I did find "wondering" is that of the "fumungus" cost of track laying in the Opolplis (? spelling" section of the upper mainland. The one demanding "paper and clothing". It is the "dry or dusty" area, but thought the cost was "really" a challenge.
Also, and it might have been changed, as I am using the initial version, is that of a request to connect an Island. The name could have been changed some time during these 12+ threads, but the only 2 islands do not have that name. Sorry, but I misplaced the name.
Really liked all the concept of challenges, even before I replayed it finding why the initial play was "kicked down the track.

[Gumboots]

I'm not sure what you mean about "Opolplis". I don't recognise that name, and can't figure out anything close to it in spelling. The only area in the final version of the map that has a track cost increase is the "Livonian border". You're not supposed to build across that, since in real life there was no rail connection around the coast to Riga. The only rail on the Livonian coast was a narrow gauge line that ran to Ventspils.

I'm not sure what you mean by "the initial version". This map went through so many test variations that I can't remember what was in the first one. I'm not sure I even saved a copy. I tended to just keep the last couple of versions while testing.

The two islands to the west of mainland Estonia are called Muhu (the smaller one) and Saaremaa (the big one). The connection event tells you to connect to Saaremaa, but also tells you which towns to connect for the bonus (Orissaare and Kuresaare).

Anyway, glad you enjoyed it. I think it's fun too.

[RayofSunshine]

Sorry about that spelling Gumboots,
And don't know, even from memory, where that "city" entered my mind. So, being that the city is Ventsplis, a player has to connect to Mikkeltories, Mazirbe, and Kolta, the cost per track laying is "exaggerated". Believe that it was $127,000K (?) or $127,000 between Ventsplis and Mikkeltories. WOW. Actually that whole section of the coast is extreme.
As to connect of Saaremaa, I am not able to find it, and even the "key F" indicates it as "non existent". ??

[Gumboots]

The track cost is only exaggerated if you try to go straight across country. If you follow the coast, which was the way the narrow gauge system went in real life, then track cost is normal.

Saaremaa isn't non-existent. It's that ruddy great island to the west of Estonia. I just didn't put labels on everything because I didn't think it was necessary. If you connect the two towns mentioned in the event you will be fine.

[RayofSunshine]

Well Gumboots,
I have been sleeping at the switch, with other projects, and medical "adventures", so just failed to reply, after another attempt at play.
At this point, I would have to load it, to see what you had pertained to, as the "island" town. However, I will say that I took your advise, and "back tracked" to a previous "save", and was able to complete the "playing" to obtain the Gold.

So thanks for the info.