My Market Value is 17.80 Billion E's

[Sandman]

I've been slowly building up my country. The transport network is complete, the health service is virtually complete and I have some profitable companies going.

The car company that was failing miserably when I joined is now my most valuable company!

What should I buy defense-wise?

[Urban Ranger]

Depending on your neighbours. If you don't have human neighbours you're in luck. Just slowly build up interceptors, choppers, and defensive missiles. Also add bases when needed. Otherwise, depending on your neighbours, you may need to build up quicker.

[Chowlett]

Oddly, my Gold firm is turning a loss, large enough to make a net loss of .1B. So I bought it an efficiency upgrade to reduce salary costs.

[Vesayen]

lol

[Urban Ranger]

An important habit you should have is the relentless upgrading of your companies. I usually make one upgrade a turn on these criteria:

1. Upgrade quality if there is a surplus in the product of the company, effectivity otherwise.

2. Upgrade quality if cost of salary < 2x cost of insterests on loans. Does not apply to loan-free companies.

3. Upgrade quality if there is a chronic surplus problem in the market.

4. Upgrade quality if both are in surplus or in shortage, upgrade effectivity otherwise.

5. Upgrade quality if upgrading effectivity doesn't pay itself back in 6-12 months.

Will think about the priorities later

[Chowlett]

I think I need to stabilise income a little first. One of my companies didn't produce at all last tick, due to a supply shortage. Until I'm consistently making money, I don't feel I can really afford to invest too much more.

[Jules]

That shouldn't be a problem. Quality upgrades only cost around 50M E$ each, and you can only order two of them at a time (plus there's a two month delay before you receive the order). So I would say, as long as your companies have some cash available, by all means upgrade...upgrade...upgrade. The more you increase your quality, the more you can raise the price, meaning the faster your companies can start making a profit.

[Chowlett]

Is it really wise to build a Chemicals corp with a surplus of about 300M around?

[Urban Ranger]

I have four and they are all doing quite well. Ultimately it's your decision, naturally.

[Urban Ranger]

I seem to have found something that works. My enterprise now has a market value exceeding 300B.

So far expansion has been working. I either acquire or start a new company every (real) day in either services, electric power, or chemicals.

It seems that it doesn't matter how big a debt you have. As long as you get a positive cash flow, it's fine.

[Sandman]

Another question for the guru:

Should I close my air transport company? It doesn't make much money, but I've heard conflicting advice on what to do with them.

[Urban Ranger]

Don't close it if you can help it. It's not losing money yes? Keep it around. Keep increasing both efficiency and quality. Sell low when there is a surplus and high when there is a shortage. Should do fine.

[Sandman]

Ok, will do.

[Chowlett]

Yeah, my Gold Corp is losing money atm. I'm improving efficiency, though, since the loss has been decreasing recently.

[Urban Ranger]

Yeah, some sectors are very harsh. Both of my alumnium and potassium companies went bankrupt.