Is the major infrastructure project worth it?

[BlackZodiac]

I wonder right...

At the start, as a capitalist run, the infrastructure project immediately costs you -2 government budget, no matter who you pick.

I wonder if it isn't better to just put that money in the budget of various ministries for greater effect. You're never going to be able to balance the budget on zero and able to pay for improvements.

Or maybe you pretend to do planned economy and then come back on your word and just go capitalist anyway.

[Derek]

I'd say there first one isn't worth it.

[Natala]

It depends on what you want:
Railway is good if you have Lespia as ally and want war and not confident you get economic recovery or get free market bonus so you have Lespia airforce

Higwhway is good if you still want Agnolia's deal while tighten immigration, and want Agnolia's army support at war.

Building railway or giving project to Underhall also improves relations with Oligarchs

Completing mega project also gives popularity boost.

Don't want any of that? Yes you can skip it and fund something else, like funding branch, signs worker's bill, or maybe lower some tax to fix economy. Play your card right and you should still popular when you fund welfare.

[furrykef]

The -2 budget hit did sting, but everything worked fine for me in the end. I'm not sure there's a right or wrong choice here.

[GIGACHAD]

It has many opportunities:

You can invest in company stocks that does the project. It improves transport, and therefore, the GDP growth and unemployment.

Even if you want to be Ancap, go and do it. You can refuse bribe, STILL award the contract to Underhall construction, invest in the company legally and get rich, AND make Tusk happy. You can get more money later and tax some alcohol. Plus the construction WILL pay off big. I say do the railroad.

God bless Keynes.

[=CAW=aldarions-lament]

It depends how you plan on playing. Infrastructure projects synergise with trade deals and investments so if you build the Angland highway you should expand trade with Agnolia and invest there. If on the other hand you want to deal with Lespia the railway is best.

The Highway is useful for the rumberg war to redeploy Agnolian troops for a blitzkrieg the railway is useful if lespia is your ally.

Making the Oligarchs happy is also helpful if you want to pass an authoritarian constitution since one of the reformist judges is on the Oligarchs payrole

[Vinolik]

I won reelection (albeit with my own new party) and declined all infrastructure investments. Economic growth focus and welfare reform is a good base for victory

[MoreEvilSquid]

Apparently the only way to get every single economic indicator in the green is NOT invest in the first infrastructure project, so you can do max tax cuts.

That said, to achieve the above requires very careful decisions all the way through, and you don't actually NEED to get all green in economic indicators, since you can max out your economy rating without that.

As others have stated, each of these projects may provide other benefits depending on who your ally is if you end up in a war with Rumburg.

And I suspect completing the first one probably makes it easier to repair the recession earlier?

Also, if you don't invest in the first infrastructure project then you can't choose Underhall for it, which likely means it won't grow as fast, which probably affects your potential investment opportunities later.

[Ranger]

I agree with much of the above, it depends what you are planning to do later. If you do not do the 1st one it takes the economy longer to recover. No one has mentioned Underhill gets it done, Taurus has a delay which delays the benefit and you have to pay later, therefore possibly mitigating the faster recovery to some extent. The state builder also has delays so the same is true. Therefore, if you do proceed use Underhill as you get the full benefit. Do consider the war though as once you start trying to get victory without allies etc the exact choice is very important. You cannot win the war, without allies, if you don't choose to do all the infastructure projects and the right ones.

[MoreEvilSquid]

Originally posted by Ranger:

I agree with much of the above, it depends what you are planning to do later. If you do not do the 1st one it takes the economy longer to recover. No one has mentioned Underhill gets it done, Taurus has a delay which delays the benefit and you have to pay later, therefore possibly mitigating the faster recovery to some extent. The state builder also has delays so the same is true. Therefore, if you do proceed use Underhill as you get the full benefit. Do consider the war though as once you start trying to get victory without allies etc the exact choice is very important. You cannot win the war, without allies, if you don't choose to do all the infastructure projects and the right ones.

I thought the infrastructure project is helpful only when you DO have allies - at least the first one can potentially help one of your allies get in position in time, with each project potentially helping a different ally.

I didn't think the first one had an impact when you don't have any allies at all? Or does it affect your own troops in a similar fashion?