S Rank Campaign Walkthrough

Walkthrough for the entire main campaign and bonus regions up to and including #23 (later bonus regions pending).

Intro & Tips

This is not a speedrun guide though some solutions are rather fast. The goal is to document an S rank for each campaign level.
My graphics quality is poo up until Region #10 since I did not have a working dGPU at the time.

• Check out my ESDF Keybinds guide for smoother Raise/Lower controls.
  
• Railgrade Production Calculator v1.8. Ratios help with utilization. Steam messes up links with & in them, so you have to manually copy and paste:
  

  https://personal.onlyoffice.com/products/files/doceditor?fileid=5854290&doc=R2VXcEh0djhVNlVnSnZjWi9JVmU2NUlveW5UN1hZaFpXRlB5S25Ganlsbz0_NTg1NDI5MA

• Boilers are cheap. Workhorses were intended to be a balance between Boiler and Custom, but Boiler + Custom accidentally became meta for units of 6 wagons because of alignment with 6-tile stations, cheapness of boiler, and strength of Custom to power through small inclines. *Since Region #9 Bonus A I realized 2Boiler+Custom+12wagon composition.
  
• Space ramp tiles apart with Raise/Lower keys to reduce train slowdowns going uphill. Stations don't need to be at ground level.
  
• Be sure to finish a chain and start delivering final products before the factory's storage fills up; you want to be paid.
  
• The shortest shuttle is composed of 3 tiles: station-track-station used by an engine-2wagon. 2station-track-2station with engine-4wagon works better, and best when both buildings are within range of both stations. This is used as "direct insertion" since this game doesn't have conveyor belts or inserters.
  
• A building "within range" of only one station tile has access to the entire station, i.e. a building may load 6 cargo per cycle if one tile of a 6-tile station is within 2 tiles of said building.
  
• A catalyst lasts 90s regardless of building level. This means a production of 1 catalyst per 16s can catalyze 5.625 buildings with 100% uptime. I.e. 6 mines will take care of a factory that produces 1 waste per 16s.
  
• Hold RMB to view names of all resources and buildings on map.
  
• Extractors e.g. mines and pumps do not care how many tiles of resources they're sitting on.
  
• Clone Train also copies the train's route so remember to fix the route if the new train belongs to a different station. Press the same hotkey when hovering over a building to pick the building for construction without going into the Industry menu first.
  
• No achievements are missable, and S Rank is not required. Just beat the campaign then clean up.

City Level 4 demands:


Personal opinion: Disable ghosting; this should be default. Ghosting allows multiple trains on a single 2-way track.

(If an image is missing, most obvious when the time is missing, this means Steam decided to corrupt my images again.)

Regions #T1–T3

Really?

• T1: Just connect it...
  
• T2: Click on the branches so the train reaches its destination...
  
• T3: You can press Raise to keep the tracks and stations level. Shuttles work perfectly fine here but in a real game with more than a level 0 building not immediately adjacent to another building, you definitely want RORO (roll-on/roll-off) stations for throughput.

Region #S1: Validation Skip

This map was added in Patch #2 on 2023-10-31 to let users skip Regions #T2–1.
(This rewards 5 vouchers itself but does not give vouchers for the levels skipped. You won't need 100% of vouchers.)

2023-11-02: I decided to replay this level since I know only one station tile needs to be within range of a building. This time I built 10 water pumps, 5 oil wells, 6 coal mines, and 4 iron mines. Space 4 tiles between ramp tiles for water since there's less space, but 5 tiles between ramps for coal and iron. I realized that double length trains using boilers-only are prone to slowdown on uphill climbs since they will touch two ramps instead of one, so all my trains are Boiler+5wagon.

To clear the level quickly, do not pull a loan, and start with stations only on water and oil since they are closer. Use the "Clone Train" hotkey and build 5 trains on each water loop and 5 trains on oil. Deposit cash until you have ¥3k available then take your cash back to build stations and 7 trains on coal. Repeat the deposit and build process for the other pairs of iron mines but 6 trains on the shorter iron loop.
(You don't have to do the deposit thing; that's just what I did.)

Region #1: First Job

You have cash to form three mostly flat loops with 5-tile stations, two trains with 5 wagons each on each loop, and upgrade the water pumps.

Region #2: Oil Overflow

The timer doesn't start until you place a train, and you're given plenty of cash to throw down a bunch of 6-tile stations and Boiler+Custom+6wagon trains (two trains per oil loop). You can unlock Custom Engine immediately at the voucher shop.

An oil or coal powerplant is served by four oil wells or coal mines, respectively, at the same level. Alternating branch isn't unlocked until Region #6, so I built two separate loops for delivery.

When it's time to add a water pump, upgrade the oil wells as well by pulling a loan from the bank, and add a third train to the catalyzed oil wells.

Region #2 Bonus: Oil Overflow Omega

This time you start with less cash. Begin with 4-tile stations and four Boiler+4wagon trains. Wait a minute then withdraw ¥1k and place 2-tile stations to deliver energy to the zeppelin. Bring your left powerplant to 100% uptime with a third train.

Next, do what you want. Catalyze with water and/or add oil wells, and eventually upgrade the lone oil wells to increase storage and trains to Boiler+Custom+6 wagons and stations to 6-tiles.
If you choose to keep ghosting enabled, then you may possibly use multiple trains on a single shuttle track, but this offends the train bros.

Region #3: Mix Oil and Water

Build two water pumps and one oil well, and focus on delivering water to the city first since energy cannot be consumed quickly (is catalyst only) until city level 1.
Water and energy catalyze each other. My shuttle in the back carries 3 energy and 1 water.
Build another oil well. I did not upgrade any buildings, so any train picking up from a lone building has only 4 wagons.

Region #S2: Giant Choice

This map was added in Patch #2 on 2023-10-31 to let users skip Regions #4–5.
(This rewards 5 vouchers itself but does not give vouchers for the levels skipped. You won't need 100% of vouchers.)

You are tasked with growing the city to level 2 and have some options to fulfill this like making wire and concrete. I chose to build catalyzed water pumps and oil powerplant. Yep, water and energy...

Boiler+Custom+6wagon trains work great.
You can make concrete by placing concrete yards next to the pipes blocking the other water resources. A building's station range can go through obstacles.

Region #3 Bonus: Power Supply and Demand

Most players get C rank on first try, myself included. What we'll do this time is to build a pair of optimized oil powerplant bad boys. Again, water and energy catalyze each other.

The key here is that you can still sell products when the city's storage is full, but you'll be paid half for each item over the cap. We are not worried about matching energy supply with water. Geothermal can be convenient but is terrible here because you don't get paid for precursor inputs like you do with oil powerplant, and most of our profit from energy is halved. A good chunk of our profit comes from delivering oil.

Region #4: Stretched Thin

TL;DR: Take the chill pill and ignore the powerplant. It's practically a "tutorial" level and you will S rank just by exporting appliances and some steel/oil for income.

We start with few workers and have multiple factories that need more altogether. Luckily for us, an appliance plant only needs 1/4 steel mill and 1 wire coiler.

This time I will experiment with really stretching our starting budget and manpower by adding an oil powerplant, which is unnecessary; you may choose to simply sell catalyzed oil for cash. 1 worker on steel mill, 1 on coiler, and 2 on appliance plant will produce appliance at 70%. 2 workers on oil powerplant at 70% (actually 50% on our starting catalyzed oil well).

Most of my stations start at 2 tiles long aside from 1-tile for oil chain. This is starting to look like a bad idea (I don't like the high starting interest). Withdraw ¥2k and within the next few minutes buy Boiler+4wagon for everything except the oil chain. I had two 5wagon on water; mind the uphill incline spacing so boilers aren't too slow.

Initially we will sell energy to the zeppelin. Eventually staff appliance plant to 100%, sell excess steel, and if you can, catalyze the appliance plant in an attempt to finish the simple mission a minute earlier. (Sir I thought you said this isn't a speedrun guide.)

*I wrote most above before 1 minute into the timer. Post-game: Being as clumsy as I am, by the time I catalyzed the appliance plant with geothermal, I was already delivering the last batch of appliances. However, I suppose the energy was a good source of income and money started flowing in nicely after second oil well. The only Custom engines I had were on wire and appliance trains.

Region #4 Bonus A: Metalsome Production

The base production rate of a steel mill is 60/8*2 = 15 steel per minute. This steel mill is level 3 for 250% speed to produce 37.5 steel per minute. This means it does not need to be catalyzed to meet the level's target of 36 steel per minute.

The coal powerplant is a red herring. Devote all your efforts to supply the steel mill and export steel. We will need the equivalent of 5 level 0 iron mines and 10 level 0 coal mines. We have an amazing budget to go almost all in from the start. Upgrade all mines to level 1 first. Before starting, we have cash to buy seven long trains 2Boiler+2Customs+12wagon trains. Then when you have the money, add trains and upgrade the mines to level 2.

Wow, didn't even need level 2 mines! Short term anyway since mine storages start full, meaning the steel mill is well supplied from the start.

Region #4 Bonus B: Round About and Out

Similar to Region #3 Bonus, this is a map many of us struggle with at first. Originally I tried starting with 2 oil wells + oil refinery (unlocked later) + water catalysis, but this wasn't enough for a get rich quick scheme.

The key is that even though you must pay to import steel, you get refunded by delivering steel to appliance plants and then profit on appliance export, so do focus on producing appliances. Trains are Boiler+5wagon. Start with 2 wire coilers, ¥1k loan, and 3 trains for steel. Eventually upgrade trains by adding Custom+wagon and extend stations to 6 tiles (start at 3).

My timing was kinda bad so I beat the timer by only a minute, and I didn't fully separate my steel and appliance loops. Withdraw cash to expand wire coilers. Separate your loops mid/late-game and remember to have enough cash to import steel so your trains aren't running empty for entire trips, and you will probably finish faster than me.

Region #5: Fork in the Water

Straightforward. Trains are Boiler+5wagon and later upgraded. I withdrew ¥1k and had 4 or 5 trains delivering water to city (mind the uphill spacing). Throughout the game you can start expanding the not-city-water stations from 3 to 5 tiles then 5 to 6, you get the idea. By the time you hit city level 1, you have concrete buffered so water needs to play catch up. Build a fifth water pump down there (I deleted it before screenshot) and upgrade the pumps.

Region #6: Rooting Out the Route

This level introduces the Alternating Branch Logic. Click on a train and click on a branch a few times to tell the train to alternate. Press "Cycle branch for all trains" hotkey on branch to apply to all trains that use that track.

You can't build tracks on this level, so just play the game.

Region #6 Bonus: Glassed Over

We are given a full steel mill set and I built an oil powerplant to supply the city with energy alongside steel. After that, just cram as much glass as you can into the city since you have enough income.

Start with ¥2k withdrawal, mostly 3-tile stations, and Boiler+5wagon. Upgrade to 6-tile stations and +Custom+wagon, you know the drill. Double up on glass lanes to finish faster.

Region #7: Salt City

Entering this level unlocks 6-high track support.

The amount of salt you need to increase the population from 55 to 128 is approximately twice the concrete you need to export, so set up two salt refineries and one concrete yard. The last few minutes were lazy AFK.

Region #8: Gorge of Greed

Clearing this level unlocks coal powerplant upgrade.

Supply the first city with three catalyzed salt refineries and a coal powerplant. You should pre-plan to reroute salt to second city. Thankfully you only need to grow this city to level 1. Afterward the second city asks to be grown to level 2; at this point you can set up the second coal plant and focus all deliveries to this city. Build a geothermal to ensure the salt refineries stay catalyzed. Build a little salt refinery next to second city to help out slightly.

For the first time you play this level, you must use multiple 4wagon trains to deliver energy due to powerplant's level 0 storage capacity.

Region #9: Uphill Both Ways

This level is meant to introduce the Industrial Engine for uphill climbing, so I intentionally went up the tall cliff on first run. However, you can use the middle steel mill to avoid using the new engine at all, saving on cost and finishing much sooner.
I withdrew ¥2k and used Boiler+Custom+6wagon trains from the start. Withdraw another ¥1k and build an export train when there is 6 steel; you'll need it to begin rolling in profits.

These steel mills are level 2 but I only bothered to connect 1.5x worth of mines. You may add mines if you want to.

Region #9 Bonus A: Ancient Erosion

The goal is to export 28 crude oil per minute. Eight oil wells supports 30 per minute, allowing for a little bit of overhead.

• Withdraw ¥2k and fit 2x4 oil wells with tracks over it then remove the oil wells.
  
• We are given level 2 mines to supply a level 0 steel mill at 100%. We only have 6 workers, so two minutes in withdraw another ¥2k and upgrade the steel mill. I did not bother to add mines or to supply the city. (Funnily enough, level 0 steel storage can't even hold a 12wagon delivery.)
  
• Start with a 2Boiler+Custom+12wagon on iron and coal each and Boiler+5wagon on steel. Eventually 2 trains on iron and coal each and 3 trains on steel. Later on you will notice a lot of empty wagons but realize two long trains with a Custom is cheaper than (though less top speed) three short trains with a Custom.
  
• Build the first cluster of oil wells. Buy a 2Boiler+Custom+12wagon and two more when there's 12 oil to load. Withdraw/deposit cash at your discretion while you do this.
  
• Build the second cluster of oil wells, but instead of three more trains you only need two more. Don't forget to set alternating branch for all trains. Upgrade the oil trains by adding a Custom, which will increase top speed.

Region #9 Bonus B: The Spire

The first map where you really should use Industrial engines. Here's the strategy:

• Start with level 1 steel mill and 2Boiler+10wagon trains on coal and iron. Eventually have 6 coal mines and 3 iron mines, and two Industrial+Custom+10wagon trains delivering steel to the city.
  
• When city reaches level 1, sell a steel train and pause the other one. Export all steel to the dock while you set up a coal powerplant.
  
• Upgrade the coal powerplant and have 6 coal mines for it. Deliver energy to city with Industrial+8wagon. Unpause the steel-to-city train and reduce zeppelin export.
  
• Build two wire coilers and set up the appliance plant. Add geothermal to catalyze appliance plant. Deliver appliances to city with a pair of Industrial+4wagon trains (level 0 plant stores only 4 appliances).

Not pictured: another pair of coal mines.

Region #10: Historic Restoration

My dGPU is now connected so my graphics are no longer poo. From now on I will put extra effort toward maintaining simple steps or pointers. I will not mention train composition unless it's something other than Boiler/Custom engines.

• Phase 1: Set up 4 salt / 16s. Don't copy the screenshot exactly; plan to fit more quarries later on (see Phase 4).
  
• Phase 2: Set up 2 energy / 16s using water to catalyze two oil wells. Upgrade oil wells/powerplant (I don't remember if I did this before or after making plastic).
  
• Phase 3: Catalyze another pair of oil wells to feed two plasticizers, which will feed two furniture assemblers. A pair of assemblers only makes 1 furniture / 16s so catalyze the assemblers with energy and build/upgrade oil wells / plasticizers.
  
• Phase 4: Panic. Notice how the demand for lower level demands keeps growing as population increases. You want a lot more salt. Make more salt!

Knowing that buildings only need 1 tile of station in range to use the whole station helps as you can slap down routes faster with less care for neatness.

Region #10 Bonus: Bottleneck

Some players choose to build concrete mixers near water and silica, but I decided to stick with the spirit of the level/lore. Please don't be frightened by the canyon. It is 4 tiles wide, which gives you 2 tiles for silica, 1 for water (you deliver twice as much silica as water), and 1 for concrete.

Build all the tracks but start with 3 silica mines and 2 water pumps, and 3 concrete mixers. Keep depositing cash until you have ¥14k+ in the bank then withdraw and build the rest of mines, pumps, and geothermal, and upgrade the concrete mixers for storage capacity. You may upgrade the mines and pumps for marginal gain as you watch, or simply AFK.

By the time I finished I had four 12wagon silica trains, four 6wagon water trains (remember to set alternating branch), and three 12wagon concrete trains. This is sufficient for running the concrete mixers at equivalent of 200% speed, and you will complete the mission before full 250%.
Sorry, part of the water track is hidden. See third screenshot for clearer view.

Region #11: Shifting Sands

You cannot build elevated tracks on this level, but you can still connect everything without any intersections. Sadly there is only two coal mines, supporting 2 steel / 16s, but this is perfect for running two level 0 appliance plants.

With all the tracks in place and ¥1k loan, you will be budget constrained from the start. Any more stations or loan then you will drown in debt. Ignore geothermal and second iron mine.

*Exclude the steel export and second iron mine tracks. There is simply not enough time to significantly increase appliance production before you finish the mission.

Region #12 Branch A1: A Lighter Form of Oil

Clearing this level unlocks the neon refinery and oil refinery.

We are given a level 3 neon refinery which I will catalyze and supply at 300% out of 350% with 3 catalyzed oil refineries. These refineries will need the equivalent of 12 level 0 oil wells. Catalyze the three oil wells we're given ("8") and 2 more oil wells ("4") to meet these "12". Deliver oil from the three starting wells to the pair of refineries, and deliver oil from the newly built pair of wells to the third refinery. This is a total of 9 buildings we're catalyzing. Reduce water supply to the city when it reaches level 1.

Amusingly we will only need to grow the city to 128 population for 16 workers to work the four factories. Ignore the powerplant and fourth refinery unless you're unlazy enough to max out the neon refinery at 350%. I ended up AFK'ing the last 5 minutes after ensuring 100% uptime for oil refineries.
*Upon further observation, a single station loop with Boiler+Custom+6wagon trains can support at least 6 item / 16s. The double station from oil refinery to neon refinery is unnecessary here.

Region #12 Branch A2: Good Buys Forever

Clearing this level unlocks the appliance plant, hard mold, and electronics fab.

Let's calm down and investigate what we need. One electronics fab and two appliance plants (we can't build more of these) are supplied by 1/2 steel mill, 1/2 silica quarry, 1 energy / 16s, and 4 wire coilers. The fab produces 1 waste / 16s as byproduct and we can't build an incinerator yet. We can get rid of all waste by using it to catalzye 5.625 mines (6 rounded up, <100% uptime). We will run a total of 29 workers (232 population).

• Phase 1: Grow the city to level 1 with wire. Have 1 worker on fab to start making waste to catalyze the copper mines; this way we can supply 5 wire coilers.
  
• Phase 2: While you grow the city to level 2, set up steel mill with 1 iron mine and 2 coal mines. Catalyze these mines and the two copper mines. Only catalyze silica quarry when excess waste has nowhere to go (but we will win before then). Pull a loan if necessary to build geothermal to supply energy to the city since it's taking too long. 3 workers on steel mill can fully supply two appliance plants.
  
• Phase 3: With a full workforce (32+ workers), reroute geothermal to catalyze the appliance plants and send all steel there instead of exporting excess. Build the 6th wire coiler and quit supplying wire to the city since the appliance plants will need 4 coilers now. Never mind.

I finished the mission at exactly 232 population, so I didn't get to produce appliances at 100% uptime. Would need another coal powerplant or geothermal to rush city level 2.

Region #12 Branch B: Downletting Upholsteries

Clearing this level after Branch A2 did not unlock any licenses. The dev stated you will eventually unlock everything regardless of which branches you take or skip. Looking at the overworld map there appears to be more branches late-game.

My plan is to produce furniture efficiently as I can with enough simplicity so we aren't spaghettiing things mid-game. You don't need to tryhard rush, just know that your job is to get the 6 buildings running fully.

Basic ratio: 2 coal mines to hardmold to 2 furniture assembler. With the hardmolds and assemblers catalyzed, this is 8 coal mines to 2 hardmolds to 4 assemblers. I will run a total of 18 workers (144 population) including 2 on coal powerplant (70%), which is enough to catalzye the 6 buildings.

• Phase 0: We have enough to cash to build everything starting with 3-tile stations; extend to 6-tile later. Assign 1 worker each on 2 hardmolds (ignore the other 2 nearby) and 2 furniture assemblers, and 2 workers on coal powerplant.
  
• Phase 1A: Use a mixed cargo shuttle between water pumps and powerplant (only 1 water wagon needed) to catalyze each other. Grow the city to level 1.
  
• Phase 1B: At city level 1 immediately send all energy to the city. We just need 2 more workers.
  
• Phase 2: Send energy to the hardmolds/assemblers for catalysis. Furniture prodution should now be fully staffed and catalzyed.
  
• Phase 3: Hm... I finished setting up 9 minutes in. AFK the rest or build/upgrade random stuff since you're making so much money. You can upgrade the hardmolds if you did Region #12 Branch A2 first, or otherwise run the other hardmolds, your choice.

Region #12 Bonus: Back to Basics

Just basic stuff, man. 5 catalyzed water pumps + 5 water pumps = 15 water pumps at 100%. Because of fluctuation, the 64 water export per minute objective is fulfilled earlier and before my second pair of coal mines produced coal. The description says 16 pumps but long term wise you'd actually need about 17 pumps worth since 60/16*17=63.75.

Region #13: Waste Not; Want More

Clearing this level unlocks the incinerator and coal gassifier.

We are given three coal gassifiers of varying levels that we can't upgrade or build more of, but this is okay. Uncatalyzed, together these consume 4.5 coal & energy and produce 4.5 reactive & waste per 16s, and our incinerators (unupgradeable) can handle 3.5 wastes per 16s. The level 3 neon refinery consumes 5 reactive and produces 2.5 neon gas per 16s, at which which rate would take 22.4 minutes to reach 168 neon gas if we do not increase production further. This seems "good enough" as S rank timer is 35 minutes.

4.5 energy + 4.5 coal needs 13.5 coal mines at 100%; we will catalyze 6 mines on top of the hill (the coal mines on the map are level 2). Coal powerplant will be upgraded once and catalyzed.
You know what, that was a huge mess. Startup took longer than desired and for awhile my leftmost coal gassifier was out of reach from energy delivery station. I had to hurry up by catalyzing the pair of gassifiers and neon refinery and use the other pair of level 2 coal mines to produce energy for the pair of gassifiers. I beat the timer by only 23 seconds.

If you retry this level with unlocked licenses, you can build coal gassifiers near this powerplant.

Region #13 Bonus A: Aggressive Zoning

• Supply city to level 1 with wire. Start energy production at 88 population. As soon as you can, catalyze the coal mines to increase energy production. Upgrade both coal mines.
  
• Supply city to level 2. Selling off the full storage of appliance that was waiting to be sold will net you ton of income. MAX out your loan and upgrade all copper mines and wire coilers.
  
• Reach 352 population.

Shuttle spaghetti. Also, should've built another wire coiler near that copper mine.

Region #13 Bonus B: For the Greater Good

You are tasked with exporting 32 appliances per minute (~8.53 / 16s). Due to fluctuation you will probably get away with setting up 8 / 16s.

Electronics fab is one of the nicest factories in the game. It produces waste to catalyze the mines supplying it and itself can be catalyzed with water to produce 6 appliances / 16s at level 0. To supply a catalyzed fab at low cost, you need (catalyze everything except water pump) 1 silica quarry, 1 copper mine, 2 wire coilers, 3 coal mines, 1 coal powerplant, and 1 water pump for total of ¥16,384 including the fab and an incinerator (build later).

• Phase 1: Set up a self-catalyzed electronics fab. Catalyze 5 mines with waste (incinerate when full). One silica train can carry a waste wagon instead of making a shuttle. Water catalyzes powerplant and the extra energy will catalyze the wire coilers and do whatever later.
  
• Phase 2: You can choose to use your income to build another electronics fab or an appliance plant or two.

Started with a coal mine and water pump missing due to budget constraint.


Honestly with the cash you have, you can throw down three appliance plants and waste less time than I did. "Winning by fluctuation" isn't always immediate.* As you can see in my screenshot I was scrambling to connect more wire coilers but cleared the objective before then. The "only x/min more" message bounces around afterward until you really have a stable minimum export rate.

*You can cheese this level (and similar levels) by upgrading electronics fab, filling up its storage, then exporting as much as you can within a minute.

Region #14: Runaway Train

A gimmick/breaktime level. Click on the train to see where it's going, and click on random branches until it reaches the end. This should be easy.

Or look up a guide anyway... Only six branch toggles are required.

The minimum clear time is 3m 54s unless you can skip the intro.

Region #15: SpacePark

Clearing this level unlocks the tool die.

A production of 4 steel / 16s (1 steel mill) and 2 widgets / 16s (4 tool dies) would take ~17 minutes to reach the 256 steel and 128 widgets needed for the rollercoaster park. It would take twice as long to reach 512 concrete at 4 concrete / 16s; the cost of setting up more concrete production is our bottleneck. The description suggests "starting by producing the simpler and higher volume production chains like concrete" first. However, since steel and widgets are worth more than concrete and we already have the factories, I choose to run these from the start.

• Phase 0: Set up half steel mill, 4 tool dies, an oil powerplant, and 2 catalyzed concrete yards, including catalyzed oil wells and water pumps.
  
• Phase 1: In the next several minutes, add 2 coal mines, 1 iron mine, and 2 silica quarries to bring our current factories to 100%.
  
• Phase 2: Add an oil well for powerplant to produce 2 energy / 16s. Add 2 concrete yards, 2 water pumps, and 4 silica quarries so we can produce 8 concrete / 16s.
  
• Phase 3: Catch up on concrete production by upgrading and quarries and concrete yards.

Should be faster if everything went right. Had a few hiccups like station only touching three tool dies and delaying construction of stations and fourth oil well.

Region #15 Bonus: Extra Tooling

You need to export a lot of widgets.

• Phase 0: Withdraw ¥2k. Build 2 oil wells, 1 plasticizer, 2 tool dies, and 3 water pumps. Build an oil well for powerplant to start catalyzing the pumps.
  
• Phase 1: Supply water to the city. Build a water pump to catalyze the oil wells. Catalyze the tool dies with energy.
  
• Phase 2: After reaching city level 1, set up another set of tool dies and increase energy production to supply the city. You may quit catalyzing the water pumps to the city so the four tool dies + water pump to oil well can be catalyzed off 1 energy / 16s.
  
• Phase 3: AFK ("safe" if you have for sure have stable export of 4 widgets / 16s by 15 minutes in, 35m remaining on timer) or build another set of factories. The furniture assemblers have access to plastic so you can grab a few more workers by temporarily supplying city with furniture.

LOL this is slightly slower than my first run. I realized around 35 minutes in that one of my tool dies from the first set weren't being catalyzed, and I didn't make any furniture for the last few workers. Also my oil wells to the powerplant are poorly planned. I wanted to catalyze four wells but left it alone when I reached city level 2.

Region #16: CO2 WARNING

Clearing this level unlocks the Spark engine.

The mission is simple enough: Export all the energy.

Start with the central oil powerplant for close proximity and since oil wells and powerplants can be catalyzed with water while coal mines cannot. Then just produce as much energy as you can.

Region #16 Bonus A: CO2 WARNING REDUX

Burn. All. The. Coal.

• Phase 1: Run a catalyzed coal powerplant in the corner adjacent to the export dock. Startup is much faster than immediately using the powerplant given to us. 2 water pumps are enough to grow the city to level 1.
  
• Phase 2: Set up two more powerplants nearest the dock. The one not adjacent to the dock (and the ones after this) should be upgraded for storage so you can use 6wagon trains for export.
  
• Phase 3: Set up the powerplant that we ignored. You will need two stations to reach all 8 coal mines. Temporarily supply energy to the city for 4 more workers (160 population); or don't, and skip the city growth and final powerplant since you're close to winning.
  
• Phase 4: Set up the final powerplant on the left side of the map. By now you have a ton of income rolling in to upgrade all powerplants and a bunch of coal mines at least once. Every 4 coal mine upgrades can run 1 powerplant upgrade.

There is not enough time to fiddle with coal gassifiers. You would use them if going for max production rate possible.
Achievement get: Flying Lightning.


I'm still unsure of the exact throughput of a shuttle but I stacked the left powerplant export just in case since the buildings don't reach both ends.

Region #16 Bonus B: No Distance Too Far

Starting budget is tight but we're given a buildings for a full production chain to earn income with. I started with ¥1,040 and 3 trains (cost ¥1008 so do it quickly before the first cost ticks in) and no loan to avoid interest. Reactive to neon refinery and energy to glass smelter shares a track.

Initially waste is sent to the coal mines, then soon the left coal gassifier is connected with an incinerator until endgame when I start exporting coal.

Export signage and use the income to build many coal mines for the objective, which is to export 1,024 coal. The only upgrade needed besides coal mines (for export) is level 1 powerplant.

Region #17: Luxurious Vistas

Entering this level unlocks the hullyard and 10-high track support.
Clearing this level unlocks the luxury assembler and RESCUE engine.

We're starting to see big maps and more complex production chains than before. Two level 2 hullyards and luxury assemblers are way too much since the mission will finish shortly after city level 2. In fact, I'll plan to use only 1 worker on each building running 140% hullyard and luxury assembler but supplying 100%.

• Phase 0: Build 3 salt refineries and a catalzyed set of oil wells and level 1 powerplant. Before that, plan out the chains and delete the buildings while keeping the tracks so you may simply put the buildings back later on.
  
• Phase 1: Grow city to level 1 with salt while exporting energy.
  
• Phase 2: Grow city to level 2 with energy. Build everything needed for phase 3: 2 iron mines, 3 coal mines, steel mill (5 workers at 78% supplies 100% hullyard/luxury), 3 oil wells, 3 plasticizers (1 to hullyard, 2 to furniture), 2 catalyzed furniture assemblers, and 2 incinerators.
  
• Phase 3: Deliver 32 luxury rooms to city. I made a big mistake. Luxury room is a level 3 demand therefore you need to grow city to level 3 with furniture (level 2 demand). At around 380 population you need 4 salt : 2 energy : 1 furniture and it continues to go up so upscale your salt (or water/wire) production!
  
• Phase 4: Upon city level 3 (512 population), deliver 32 luxury rooms to city, slightly less if you were catalyzing city during phase 3.

That was slower than I'd like. Be sure to upscale level 0 demand, energy, and furniture production around the time you set up furniture. You'll have 64 workers by city level 3.

Region #17 Bonus: Capital Renewal

The mission appears to be like the previous level except you have to grow the city to level 4 (1,024 population). At least the map isn't as big and you have more choices in which kinda of demands to supply.

Don't think too hard. I'm just going to go with my flow and pick wire (avoid other chains that require copper), concrete (water and silica are near each other), furniture from hardmolded plastic, and luxury rooms (can't produce other level 3 demands yet). Starting budget is decent.

No particular strategy used here aside from me trying to fit hardmolds, furniture assemblers, and luxury assemblers close together.


Achievement get: Metropolis. Later story mentions "5" but max level is actually 4 but with no population cap, and infinitely growing demands.


Actually I finished the mission by the time I connected the new batch of water pumps. Wire coilers were lagging behind so I upgraded them and switched the wire trains to Spark engines. By 1k population it demands 10:5:2:1 of level 0-1-2-3 products.

Region #18: The Interchange

A beautiful level featuring a shared main line with 4-way interchanges.

The total number of workers needed to fill all factories is 41 workers (328 population). For consistent top speed, use Spark+8wagon and Spark+2Custom+12wagon. The only route that fits 2Spark+16wagon is right-side appliance to export dock if RHD (left side if LHD); anyway, just use 12wagon max. Oil powerplant terminal stations only fit 7 wagons, may as well just stay with 6 wagons for faster load and turnaround time.

It may be a little annoying to set routes; just bear with it. How making a left turn works in the interchange is first right then next left.

• Phase 0: Deposit ¥30k to earn interest, which will cover all upkeep including using expensive Spark engines from the start. Upgrade coal powerplant (for storage) and all 3 water pumps to level 1. Put 2 workers on powerplant.
  
• Phase 1: Use 3 Spark-8wagon trains to supply city to level 1 with water, and 1 train to catalyze city with energy. 1 Spark+2Custom+12wagon on copper to wire coilers. Populate the wire coilers as you go. (Withdraw cash as needed to build more trains).
  
• Phase 2: Supply city to level 2 with energy. Set up the left side electronics fab first since it's easier to catalyze coal mines and powerplants before oil wells and powerplant (which I didn't even do). Spark+2Custom+12wagon where 10 wagons are wire and 2 wagons are waste. Use a 3energy+1water shuttle between water pumps and coal powerplant.
  
• Phase 3: Temporarily supply city with appliances to 328 population for 41 workers total (or less since we're almost done with mission and can upgrade everything), then export all appliances.

Region #19: Signs of Change

Entering this level unlocks the glass smelter.
Clearing this level unlocks the signworks and station overdrive.

The mission is to export 128 signage.

3 workers on each of these level 3 signworks can run 426% speed altogether. To supply at 400% speed, we need
200% glass smelter, 200% silica quarry, 100% oil powerplant, 200% neon refinery, 400% oil refinery, 1200% oil well. With everything catalyzed with water except quarry and powerplant, this means 1 glass smelter, 2 silica quarries, 1 oil powerplant, 1 neon refinery, 2 oil refineries, 8 oil wells (4 to powerplant no rerouting, 4 to refineries), 2 water pumps for catalysis, and 26 workers (208 population). Actually 28 workers for 500% signworks, explained later.

For the purpose of growing the city as quickly as possible, one powerplant and four water pumps catalyzing each other is perfect since the city's base growth cycle is 4 seconds long and 2 seconds long when catalyzed. Remember Region #S2? Yeah...

• Phase 0: Plan tracks for silica quarries and glass smelter. Delete these buildings and build oil powerplant and water pumps.
  
• Phase 1: Grow the city to level 2 while setting up glass smelter. (You won't be able to build everything in time to stop at only 28 workers.)
  
• Phase 2: Divert energy to glass smelter, build everything, catalyze everything that takes water, and export signage. Upgade factories (not extractors; can't upgrade signworks) to level 1 and build another silica quarry and catalyzed oil well. This will run signworks at 500%. AFK when stable.

For clarification, this is 1 glass smelter lv. 1, 3 (2.5) silica quarries, 1 oil powerplant lv. 1, 1 neon refinery lv. 1, 2 oil refineries lv. 1, 9 oil wells (4 to powerplant, 5 to refineries), and 3 water pumps needed to run 500% signworks with 28 workers. While powerplant (lv. 1 for storage) is producing 200% out of 250%, we only need 125% for glass smelter.

Region #19 Bonus A: Semiconductor Valley

You are asked to produce an average of 7.3 CPU per minute. 2 / 16s is 7.5 per minute, so producing CPU at 200% will meet the requirement.

A level 0 CPU fab (@ 100%) needs 1.5 silica quarries, 1 neon refinery (from 2 oil refineries and 4 oil wells), and 2 wire coilers (from 1 copper mine). With everything catalyzed, we will need 2 silica quarries, [the factories aforementioned], and 23 workers including 4 workers on powerplant.

• Phase 1: Grow city to level 2 with 2 catalyzed wire coilers and an oil powerplant. The speedrun idea was to divert wire to CPU fab sooner, but honestly it took me a while to set things up so I just left city growth running. I built another wire coiler, and fourth which was quite unnecessary.
  
• Phase 2: With wire redirected to CPU fab and everything else connected, the fab which should now be producing 2 CPU / 16s.

Because of stockpiled input materials, the mission finished before I connected the water pumps. Neon gas ran out shortly after my screenshot.

Region #19 Bonus B: Rental Plan

Mission: Export 128 luxury rooms. This is similar to Region #17 with a slightly further start and end.

Luxury assembly is annoying to math out, but anyway, for reference...
Coal powerplant lv 1 (4) for catalyzing water pumps and furniture assemblers. 6 coal mines to eat 1 waste / 16s. 2 concrete yards (8).
1 luxury assembler (4), 1 hullyard (4), .75 steel mill (5), 2 furniture cat'd (4), 3x.7 plasticizers cat'd (6), 1 incinerator (1), 36 workers.
2 luxury assemblers (8), 2 hullyards (8), steel mill lv 1 (8), 4 furniture cat'd (8), 3 plasticizers cat'd (12), 2 incinerators lv 1 (2), 58 workers.
Though technically you can run a luxury assembler at 100% with less than 32 workers, this would mean waiting 34 minutes to produce 128 while the population isn't growing, so it's a bad idea.

• Phase 1: Grow city to level 2 with 2 concrete yards and 6 water pumps (2 to concrete), all catalyzed except silica quarries.
  
• Phase 2: Grow city to level 3 with 4 catalyzed furniture assemblers. (This is 4 oil wells and 2 plasticizers, catalyzed.) Set up the luxury assemblers (2 plastic / 16s to 2 hullyards) while you do so.
  
• Phase 3: Reroute furniture and export luxury rooms with 2 luxury assemblers.

Just realized near finish that we can upgrade luxury assemblers... Upgrade everything with the big income you have to finish faster.



What a mess. Started exporting luxury rooms around 31 minutes in. Accidentally left alternating branch on between city and luxury assemblers for awhile otherwise it should've been done 17 minutes later without upgrades vs 22 minutes later with upgrade spam.

Region #20: In Media Res

Entering this level unlocks the CPU fab.
Clearing this level unlocks the tube plant and DieselDeluxe engine.

This is known as where the real game starts. There is more work to be done here.

There's 2 cities together, so if you raise those to level 3, then you'll have 128 workers. This is sufficient if you aren't concerned with producing everything at the same time.

General strategy:

• Deliver steel to the cities. Temporarily supply glass smelters with energy from coal powerplant until you have 4 catalyzed geothermals. At city lv 1 supply energy from powerplant.
  
• Since no recipe requires concrete, you can mass produce concrete (I had 4 lv 2 concrete yards) then immediately salvage to reclaim space and free up quarries for CPU Fab.
  
• By 30 minutes in, finish delivering 256 glass to HQ then divert glass to cities. I decided to quit growing cities at 104 total workers and diverted all steel to HQ.
  
• By 45 minutes in, finish delivering 512 concrete to HQ. Salvage concrete yards. At this point my steel mill is running at 400% and finished delivering 864 steel at 47 minutes in.
  
• Draw the rest of the owl. You have 45 minutes remaining to produce and deliver televisions and luxury rooms to Regional Headquarters. Save checkpoint here in case you mess up.

We don't even need that many televisions and luxury rooms, so this should be easy. 200% tube plant / luxury assembler produces 64 TVs / 128 rooms in 17 minutes. We can't upgrade tube plant yet, but you can go for 300% luxury assembler.

In used 96 workers total. Luxury room production chain is heavily upgraded.




4 minutes left. You don't want to take too long to set up those last 2 items.

Region #20 Bonus: Mass Media

Mission: Export 128 televisions. We start with 32 workers, and I won't bother to grow the city.

A pair of 200% tube plants (4 workers) needs 1 glass smelter (4), 50% powerplant (2), 1 CPU fab (4), 4 wire coilers (2 to tube plant, 2 to CPU fab)(8 workers), 2 copper mines, 1 neon refinery (4), 1 200% oil refinery (4), 4 oil wells, 2.5 silica quarries, and 1 incinerator (1) using 31 workers total.

How nice of them to provide us level 5 buildings... Use one oil well for an oil powerplant near silica quarry and glass smelter, and use the other oil well for a lv 2 oil refinery.

I assume the coal mines and iron mine were intended for you to build a steel mill for purpose of raising income, but I went straight for exporting glass and CPU until tube plants are built.

At some point I upgraded the tube plants to 250% and everything else to 150% (but catalyze oil refinery for 300%). I realized I needed a lot more money to rush the objective, so I catalyzed powerplant too, which has 3 workers now, and connected it to export dock.

22 minutes in, it let me withdraw ¥42k (had ¥41k deposited). I went all in and upgraded everything, tube plants at 300%. But there's only 20 left to export, 23 minutes in, so unnecessary. It costs too much to reach 350% tube plants, so if you withdraw sooner then you can produce at 300% sooner.

Region #21 Branch A: Server Farming

Clearing this level unlocks the heavyworks and framer.

Mission: Export 128 mainframes.

Buildings (@ 100% if not noted)        Workers     x / 16s
----------------------------------------------------------
3x Framer at 400% combined             12          4
  4x CPU Fab                           16          4
    6x Silica Quarry                               6
    4x Wire Coiler cat-energy          8           8
    2x Neon Refinery cat-water         8           4
      2x Oil Refinery cat-water*       8           4
    up to 4x Incinerator               4           4
  3x Wire Coiler cat-energy            6           6
  6x Tool Die cat-energy               12          6
    3x Plasticizer cat-water           12          6

3x Water Pump for catalysis                        3
1x Coal Powerplant cat-water for cat   4           4
    4x Coal Mine cat-waste                         8
10x Oil Well cat-water                             20
  (4 to oil refinery*, 6 to plasticizer)
7x Copper Mine for wire coiler                     7

Total Workers: 90 (720 population)
Cut workforce in half and upgrade everything: 46 (368 population)

*I messed up this table, so the 2 oil refineries and their
4 oil wells need to be cat+upgraded to lv 4 for 400% to feed neon.

I royally messed up the table. We can't upgrade the Framer yet, so the most you should set up for is 300%. I don't like uneven numbers which is why I calculated for 400%. (I wrote everything before realizing this late game.)

A factory with half workers runs at 70% at lv 0 and 105% at lv 1. This way you can skip the city lv 3 demand (in this case, CPU) and stay under 512 population. There's no lv 2 demand produced in my list, but notice that Tool Die and Furniture Assembler both take plastic, so what I'll do is supply city with furniture until city hits lv 3 (512 pop), then I'll stop growing the city and change furniture assembler to tool die.

With the starting cash I built 4 water pumps and a coal powerplant (2 workers, catalyzed) for supplying city to lv 2, and enough buildings for 1 furniture assembler; export furniture until ready to supply city. Note that you can fit exactly 10 oil wells on this map. Don't accidentally block an oil well.
Supply city to lv 3. Then switch furniture assemblers with tool die.
Produce and export mainframes. I had my list open in Notepad.

Note that 200% Framer will produce 128 mainframes in 17 minutes. You can probably get away with 32 workers (256 population), if you're feeling too lazy to make furniture, as long as you upgrade the buildings as you watch.

***Ignore the furniture, just supply city to lv 2 and then set up 300% Framer (spreading out workers and upgrading as necessary), and you will finish faster than me.



Midgame. I was slow to set up CPU fabs and framers. When fully set up, it only takes 12 minutes to produce 128 mainframes.


Pending a redo after I finish entire campaign. I set up for 400% framer but we can't upgrade yet.

Region #21 Branch B: Actuation Station

Entering this level unlocks the motor assembly.
I assume clearing this level without Branch A unlocks heavyworks and framer as well.

Buildings (@ 100% if not noted)  Workers     x / 16s
----------------------------------------------------------
1x Heavyworks @ 300% (given)           4           2
  .75x Steel Mill                                  3
  2x Motor Assembly @ 150%             8           2
    .375x Steel Mill                               1.5
    *lv 1 steel mill @ 116% (112.5%)   6           (4.5)
    3x Wire Coiler cat-energy (200%)   6           6
  3x Tool Die cat-energy (200%)        6           3
    2x Hardmold @ 150% (300%)          8           3
      6x Coal Mine                     6
1x Oil Powerplant @ 70% for cat        2           1.4

Workers to run 300% heavyworks: 40 (320 pop)

In addition to above table, fully running steel mill and powerplant and adding a furniture assembler would add 8 workers (52 total), so it's 100% safe to stop at 416 population.

(Ugh, just realized we're given a lv 3 250% heavyworks, not 300%. We unlocked upgrade license from Region #21 Branch A though. Anyway there's steam vent nearby if you want to increase production further if you think you can handle it.)

• Grow city to lv 1 with steel.
  
• Grow city to lv 2 with a catalyzed oil powerplant. Catalyze the furniture assembler.
  
• You can stop at 320 population or wait longer to avoid needing catalysis, though from being slow I ended up with 451. Delete furniture assembler and set up production chain for heavyworks.

Region #21 Bonus: Frost Pit

Mission: Grow population to 1,280.

This is 256 past the level 4 mark of 1,024. Basically Region #17 Bonus but with another step where you actually have to produce a little bit of level 4 demand.

There's a lot of coal on this map so I will choose steel and energy to supply city to lv 1 and 2. Electronics fab is a strong early-midgame building that produces ample amount of appliances along with waste to catalyze the coal mines.

We're given one lv 5 oil well and one lv 5 water pump. Use water to catalyze the oil well and an oil refinery to supply one neon refinery and CPU fab. You will need more CPU fabs using coal gassifier, though this oil well helps a bit. (Use water to catalyze anything else as well.)

I have 6 coal mines to steel mill and 6 mines to powerplant so it's easier to keep up with factory upgrades. For example, 6 cat'd lv 1 mines can supply a cat'd lv 3 mill/powerplant.

For lv 3 demand, signage vs CPU is a toss-up; I choose CPU. Then I put a tube plant next to the 2 CPU fabs, for lv 4 demand.



Toward the end, I had 450% steel mill and 350% tube plant. A pair of upgraded geothermals helped out with city supply since I didn't connect second powerplant due to spaghetti.

Region #22 Branch A: Heavy Arms

Clearing this level unlocks the rocket factory, booster plant, and armory.

Mission: Export 64 RobotArm.

We're given a lv 3 Armory which can be catalyzed by heavy tools to 350% and cannot be upgraded yet. Notice how the armory takes the same input as heavyworks plus CPU.

350% armory (4) + 35% heavyworks (1) take the following buildings:
87.5% CPU fab (4)
  2x silica quarry
  1x wire coiler cat-energy (2)
  1x neon refinery cat-water @ 140% (2)
    1x oil refinery cat-water (4)
    2x oil well cat-water
2x tool die cat-energy (4), one of them lv 1
    1x lv 1 plasticizer cat-water (3)
    2x oil well cat-water
1x lv 1 motor assembly (4)
  1x wire coiler cat-energy (2)
~48% steel mill, 18% of it goes to motor (2, lv 1)

use geothermal to catalyze wire coilers and tool die
(exactly 32 workers, 256 population)

Thankfully I can be lazy and grow the city only to lv 2.

• Grow city to lv 2 with a steel mill and pair of catalyzed geothermals. Eventually reduce steel mill workers to 2, upgrade to lv 1, and divert energy for catalysis. *It will take time to build everything, so keep exporting steel until ready.
  
• Poduce/export RobotArm at 350%. Upgrade steel mill again to overproduce steel if you're worried about distribution.

LOL you can build a furniture assembler near city for some more workers and keep running steel mill fully. My income crashed temporarily when I tried to build bridge for steel and didn't have neon output connected so CPU fab wasn't running, but anyway I still finished with 32 workers.

Region #22 Branch B: Spacefleet Spare

At this point it's clear both branches unlock the same thing.

Mission: Reach average production rate of 7.7 rockets per minute and export 128 retrograde.

This is the equivalent of running the rocket factory at 206%. You may get away with supplying 200%, which needs 0.5 steel mill and 5 catalyzed tool dies. Supposedly some players export retrograde before meeting rocket production rate. What I will do is focus on rockets then shift workforce to retrograde since I'm too lazy to grow the city. This level ends up being easy.

200% rocket factory (4):
5x tool die cat-energy (10)
  3x plasticizer cat-water @ 85% (9)
  4x oil well cat-water, 2 lv 1 (there's only 4 oil spots on map)
52% steel mill (3)
70% coal powerplant (2) to catalyze tool dies	 
(28 workers)

Since we're given 36 workers, this leaves 8 workers.

• Start by building/catalyzing 1 plasticizer and 2 tool dies and produce/export rockets. You should eventually reach 7.7 rockets per minute after having 3 plasticizers and 5 tool dies.
  
• When the rocket objective is finished, shift focus and produce/export retrograde. The buildings are already there so this shouldn't need planning. To deal with income loss when reducing or shutting down rocket production, export steel.

Oh, turns out this level is bugged so the retrograde objective is skipped.

Region #23 Branch A: Frozen Dam

I didn't notice any pop-ups but the NewBullet engine and paperclip stamper are now unlocked.
Clearing Branch A or B unlocks The Mechanist, and upgrades for the Compute Platform and Workrocket Platform (no pop-ups for the last two).
*The Mechanist produces robot deer for the deer-related achievements. You can do this later.

Mission: Launch 12 times at the Compute Platform.

This is a special level-specific building that requires you to input rockets, retrograde, hulls, and mainframes. Looks kinda scary, eh?

Compute Platform needs the following inputs:
rockets (rocket factory)
  widgets (tool die, plastic)
  steel
retrograde (booster plant)
  iron
  reactives
hulls (hullyard)
  steel
  plastic
mainframes (framer)
  CPU (CPU fab)
    silica
    wire	
    neon (neon refinery, reactives)
  wire
  widgets (tool die, plastic)

Compute Platform's cycle time is 64s, and 100% uptime "only" requires 200% rocket factory, 200% booster plant, 100% hullyard, and 200% framer / CPU fab. "Doesn't sound like much" except some of these buildings cost ¥8k or ¥16k, and ¥6k to upgrade to lv 2 (which is cheaper than buying a second building).

The steel mill placement pisses me off so like a coward I will build one between the iron and coal mines, and wire coilers near copper mines.

Thankfully I can pack in booster plants, hullyards, and framers all on right side of map with enough coal to support them all.

Framer, CPU fab, and related buildings go on left side of the map since that's where the copper, oil, and silica are.

Don't upgrade steel mill quite yet since you don't start with enough cash.
ERROR: Only 1 hullyard and 1 hardmold for it is needed.


Ignore this weird loop. Notice my final screenshot has raised stations for the Platform, not built yet here due to budget.


I would've finished sooner if I didn't accidentally bottleneck my rocket production for a while.

Region #23 Branch B: Out of Rocket Expenses

Mission: Launch 8 times at the Workrocket Platform.

This is a special level-specific building that requires you to input rockets, retrograde, hulls, and motors. Similar to Branch A but we start with little cash and more buildings, most of which I'm going to ignore, sorry.

100% Workrocket Platform:
200% rocket factory
  1000% tool die
    500% hardmold
  50% steel mill
400% booster plant
  300% iron mine
  200% oil refinery
150% hullyard
  75% steel mill
  150% plasticizer
600% motor assembly
  75% steel mill
  1200% wire coiler

Since our starting cash is limited, withdraw ¥2k and export widgets and neon gas, then build booster plants next to neon refinery (quit exporting neon gas; use it to catalyze booster plants), steel mill (export steel until rocket factory is built), and rocket factory.

Again, export to dock until everything can be connected to the Platform. I did motor assembly last.


*Typo: We need 600% motor assembly, not 800%. See, this is why I should've updated the spreadsheet first.


Took me awhile to set up everything. Last 9 minutes were AFK. You might finish faster if you're able to set up half of everything sooner.

Region #23 Bonus: Cratered

Mission: Launch 1 time at the Compute Platform, and launch 4 times at the Workrocket Platform.

This level's gimmick is that the resources are all mixed up in the crater. We start with a lv 2 city for 32 workers.

50% Compute Platform:
  100% rocket factory: [500% tool die: 250% plastic], 25% steel mill
  100% booster plant: 75% iron mine, 50% oil refinery
  50% hullyard: 25% steel mill, 50% plastic
  100% framer:
    100% CPU fab: 150% silica quarry, 200% wire coiler, 100% neon refinery: 200% oil refinery
    150% wire coiler, 300% tool die: 150% plastic

50% Workrocket Platform:
  100% rocket factory: [500% tool die: 250% hardmold], 25% steel mill
  200 booster plant: 150% iron mine, 100% oil refinery
  75% hullyard: 37.5% steel mill, 75% plasticizer
  300% motor assembly: 37.5% steel mill, 600% wire coiler

• I withdrew ¥2k and had a CPU fab hooked up to export dock. Grow city to lv 3 / 512 population (64 workers) with steel, energy, and appliances.
  
• Set up 50% Compute Platform and launch at least once. Geothermal may be used to catalyze tool dies without using oil in oil powerplant.
  
• Set up 50% Workrocket Platform, taking workers and factories from Compute Platform and shutting down framer / CPU fab. Launch 4 times to finish mission.

*You may want to hook up all four oil wells to powerplant and postpone plasticizer until done growing the city.


Achievement get: To infinity, and beyond! This will pop when you finish this level if you've launched 12 times in Region #23 Branch B.

Region #24: Prime Slime

Entering this level unlocks the solva.
Clearing this level unlocks the grey assembly.

Mission: Export 128 illegal material assembra.

300% Grey Assembly (12):
150% CPU Fab (4, lv 1): 225% silica quarry, 300% wire coiler (6),
  150% neon refinery (4, lv 1): 300% coal gassifier (4, 2x lv 1)
200% solva (8): 100% each of oil well, silica quarry, water pump
300% oil refinery (8, 2x lv 1)
300% incinerator (2, 2x lv 1)

3 incinerators (3) for gassifier, CPU fab, and solva
150% coal powerplant (4, lv 1) for gassifier
(total 51 workers)

• Grow city to lv 2 with concrete and wire, then to at least 408 population / 48 workers with glass. (I left it growing while I set up solva and oil refinery, so population reached 492).
  
• Stop supplying glass and concrete. Reroute wire to CPU fab; wire coilers no longer need to be catalyzed. Catalyze powerplant mines using waste from coal gassifiers.
  
• Finish setting up 300% grey assembly, and export assembra. It will take 23 minutes of AFK to produce 128 assembra at 300%.

I had some mad bottlenecking for awhile. Ensure you are producing enough of everything and that anything that produces waste can dispose waste.

Region #24 Bonus A: Gridlock (postponed)

Mission: Reach an average export rate of 4.8 assembra per minute.

This is a tad more than grey assembly at 250%, which you will probably get away with. Anyway, 300% like you did with Region #24 will exceed the requirement.

This region will be skipped until post-campaign.

Region #24.5 Bonus: Dusty with a Chance of Rain (postponed)

Entering this level unlocks the Kettle engine.

I think this is the first and only bonus region that actually unlocks something. The Kettle is a budget engine with an odd rated weight capacity of 3 wagons but has the same climb rating as Industrial engine. Not useful for long trains, but very useful for short trains that need to climb. Basically, combinations of Boiler, Custom, and Kettle can carry you through any early game situation, aside from the fact we're done with most of the campaign...

#24 Bonus A/B/?, #24.5 Bonus, and the next two bonus regions will be skipped until post-campaign. Visit this region if you want the Kettle.

Region #25: Flying Steel

Mission: Reach an average export rate of 64 steel per minute.

This is ~17.07 steel / 16s. Well, there are geothermals, and a pair of catalyzed lv 1 steel mills (500% total, only need 427% though) can produce 75 steel per minute. We start with enough cash to upgrade the steel mills and set up enough mines for 300%. Just upgrade your Boiler trains with Custom and add in more mines in the next few minutes.

Region #26: Plastic Canon

Mission: Reach an average export rate of 64 plastic per minute.

If you catalyze the pair of lv 5 plasticizers we get 900% for 33.75 plastic / 16s, which is half of what we need. We are limited in cash from the start, so work on these then eventually set up 4 catalyzed lv 0 plasticizers, which will give us the remaining 800% needed. (Since you have income, go ahead and upgrade the plasticizers, 500% matches the 1000% from 5 oil wells).

Region #27: Last Job

Clearing this level unlocks the zeppelin dock and city! And upgrade for the Spaceliner Platform.
(Spaceliner Platform is used in the next three bonus regions.)

Mission: Launch 1 times per minute at the Workrocket Platform.

A launch cycle takes 64s without catalysis but we need to launch twice within 60s or so. Jeff, my neighbor...


Anyway, the easiest solution is to load 2 launches worth of materials, not all at the same time, into the Workrocket Platform, then run it at 200% (I had it at 250% intended to launch 3 times but was short 4 motors). Refer to Region #23 Branch B for the list of production chains, or you know, just play the game. Most of the stuff is made with steel and plastic, which we are now importing. Thankfully we don't actually have to sustain the launches.


High Flier
Finish the campaign

Achievement Cleanup

Flying Lightning: If you haven't gotten this yet from Region #16 Bonus A, then you can go do that or keep playing #27 that we just did which has 3 more steam vents and coal/oil patches.

Deertastic and Overdeer: Construct 64 robot deers. You can go back to Region #22 Branch A, which has an armory to supply The Mechanist with. Or play Region #27 Bonus D, which is specifically about The Mechanist.

Cloud Services requires you to produce 32 mainframes per minute. You need approximately 900% of Framer (9 mainframes / 16s). I went back to Region #21 Branch A, grew city to 1,024 population just in case and upscaled the entire production chain. You can get away less actual production by filling framer storage then exporting a lot.

...

If you cooked up a strategy for a certain level, especially in ways easier to understand, feel free to contribute.

I can't promise when I will finish the rest of bonus regions.

[Gnarler]

Can you S rank Dusty with a chance of rain?
I feel like I am stuck without a good strategy.
Needs mainframes, heavy tools, motors, steel and concrete.

The strategy of providing the high volume materials doesn't seem to pay fast enough for the complicated things, Concrete basically needs to be started immediately for an entire hour, there is not enough workers to work all the stuff I want to place, and I am constantly out of wires and widgets. The high hills between everything make trains expensive too...

Thanks!

[Bamhurger]

I dont read how to get the achievement "Helper of the People". It says, finish the first optional side mission, but I cant figure out where this mission is or what side mission this is supposed to be

[Colonel Sanders Lite]

Cont -

Longer trains are more efficient than short trains. Learned this the hard way trying to S-Rank Oil Overflow Omega. Had trouble trying to move trains in and out fast enough to keep the power plants fed at 100% with trains that have 6 cargo wagons. After trying fewer longer trains, it was a breeze. I usually run 6, 12, or 18 cargo wagons in a train depending on what sort of volume I expect to move on a rail.

[Colonel Sanders Lite]

I just want to put a couple of general tips that didn't seem obvious to me when I started -

Upkeep - Besides being more expensive to buy, the nicer engines also have a higher upkeep cost. For instance, a custom is twice as expensive as a boiler to both purchase *and maintain*.

Wide vs Tall - As a generality, it's far better to build more factories than it is to upgrade factories. Where it's possible and/or practical anyways. Upgrading a factory from level 0 to level 1 costs as much as building a second factory but is only half as good. Upgrade costs double every time too.

Station Length - In the critical parts of a level, think carefully about how long you make your stations. More stations = faster loading/unloading (usually). Good on paper. In practice, it often doesn't actually help. Any time your train has to wait for goods anyways, the extra instantaneous capacity is doing nothing but costing you more upkeep.

[Adekyn]

Thank you for the tremendous amount of effort this required and the high quality of work and advice.

[Nauco [GER]]

Das war sehr hilfreich für manche Level. Danke

[KipCool]

Thank you :)

[xBleacheDxSungasMx]

"Fixed" the spreadsheet link. (Manually copy and paste it.)

[KipCool]

Hello thx for the help :)
just the link for the spreadsheet don't work Access denied :/

[0x143]

Thank you for writing this! It is awesome to see how you approached levels and I am sure many players are benefiting from seeing your guide. Most players do not write comments, so I want to encourage you that others are reading and will benefit from your work long term.