Pluto Scarab Software

Tips from a Rails Addict

by xxIceDragonFirexx

I have been playing the board game version of this computer game for over 20 years. You would think I would be completely bored with it, but then Bret converted it to the computer and this version of play has some added advantages. You never have to play the same game twice if you don’t want to. The generator will create a new one if you like. Although I occasionally skip a map because it is too grid like, generally they come out very well. Lastly, there is a highlighter so that when you put your cursor over a possible delivery, the places where you can pick up the commodity and where it is to be delivered light up! This saves a lot of time when you are figuring out what to take where.

The real reason I am writing this little brief is to help those of you that are new to the game pick it up a little faster. Bret tells me how many of you complain that the game is too difficult when I am winning over 80% of the time and bug him to make it more difficult. All that is required are some guidelines and if you follow them you will soon be dicing up those colored bots like a vegimatic! What follows are the guidelines that work for me.

  1. You are at a distinct advantage in this game. The bots(computer players) will never buy or run a three commodity train. Even if you are never carrying three deliveries at a time, you can always carry an extra commodity. You never know when you will make a delivery and be able to cash another delivery with an extra commodity on your train. The four commodity upgrade I never take because you cannot do a four delivery run and the object is to make money quickly so why spend an extra 20 million.
  2. Never run your train without full commodities. If you only are delivering one commodity, just throw another commodity on the train for luck. You could also be derailed and loose a commodity. If you only have one commodity on your train, you just lost your delivery.
  3. Try to always run more than one commodity in the same direction. If you can pick up two commodities near each other and deliver them in the same general area or one on the way to the other for good track, then do it. This is as important as anything else you will do!! If you can pick up three commodities in this fashion and they are all sizeable, you are making great strides toward victory.
  4. Build efficient track. This is also very important. Try to build a main line across the map. Your line should give you fairly straight access to as many major cities as possible. If you can build a line right down the middle of major cities within 5 points on either side, you can just build spurs to each one. The important thing is to be able to get from one end of your track to the other as quickly as possible (i.e. if you have to go through the northwest corner of the map when you travel from the southwest to the northeast that is too far out of the way. Better to build a spur to the northwest). Major cities are your greatest supply of deliveries and a requirement for victory. You will go many places, but they are your life line. The less track you build beyond your required 7 cities the better.
  5. When do you upgrade your train? When you know you have enough money to build to your next destination and you will cash for enough money to get you somewhere else. I like to have 30-50 million around after I make my delivery in the early game just to build track. Later, when you already have a lot of track, you can spend more of your money. Your possible deliveries will decide whether you are going to upgrade for speed or for load capacity. Generally, I like speed first, but if you have three deliveries close together for 80 million or more, you may want to think very seriously about load capacity. These bigger runs will make your game!!
  6. If and when do I discard all my delivery contracts? My rule of thumb is if I am on one side of the board and I have to go to the other side for less than 30 million than I will probably throw the contracts. The only time I would save the contracts is if I had a return trip of 90 million plus. Sometimes I will also throw the contracts when I have two commodities that you can only get across the board and the contracts are bad. Be smart about it though. If you have three short runs together that are all worth 15 million and you don’t have to build a lot of track or it is to a major city, you just made 45 million very quickly.
  7. When do I use other player’s track? I usually play a 5 person game (me and 4 bots). I do this because it is a more challenging game and you will get locked out of some small and medium sized cities. I try not to use the track of the bot that is doing the best. I also don’t want to be on their track for more than one turn (4 million dollar cost). If I have a good delivery (more than 20 million) that works with my other destinations and track or if I need the commodity for a good run than doesn’t require too much new track, I will do it.
  8. When is debt good? Well, generally I like to avoid debt, but there are many situations where debt is a good choice. When you go into debt you pay back two dollars for every one you spend. I will go into debt for a large run. If you have two or more commodities that will net you 50 million in deliveries, then that is probably a good move. I will also go into debt if I am on a long run and I am going to make a ton of money and I want to speed up my train. You will crush your competition if your trains are running faster. I have gone into debt as much as 54 million and won that game in 43 turns, but I did it for a 200 million dollar run and track that put me within a rock throw of all my 7 major cities.

Well this is all I have for now. I am sure there is more, but this should get your trains moving in the right direction. Happy Railing!!