Challenge 1

[Secretariat]

The iron-fisted rule of the Zhao Communist Party is evident even in distant Nam Tai Prefecture, where Free and Communist soldiers stare eye-to-eye across the narrow Tan Kieu Bridge.  The Imperial Road (now People's Road #10, in the Communist south) runs from the Chinese border through Nam Tai Pass in this thinly-populated portion of Chaoko.  After crossing the north fork of the Chieu Kieu, it runs along the banks of that river to the sea; however, the only road bridge across the Chieu Kieu was dynamited by the Communist Zhao last year, to prevent any more refugees to cross into the democratic north.

The rail bridge at Tan Kieu connected the industrial centers to the south with the valuable coal mines at Kieu Bac and copper deposits in Khai Tho, crosses the Chieu Kieu at its narrowest point before running into the foothills of the Nam Sanh Mountains.  Once a busy rail link, the bridge was shut down after several Communist raids last year.  The bridge at Tan Kieu ranks with West Berlin and the Taiwan Strait as one of the most volatile flashpoints of the Cold War...

"A New Look At The Chaoko State." TIME Magazine; July 22, 1951

[Secretariat]

[mrbisonm]

Now that you posted your pictures, you are not allowed to change anything anymore. We made copies and judge the originals only.

We also will not make any comments in this thread besides the judging once it is finished by Wednesday next week, but we will make useful and friendly comments in your regular thread of GRV. Points will be given 3 to 4 days after the challenge is finished and will be posted in the Pointage Sheet.
Also your points only together with an explanation and comments why we gave you these points, will be posted here at the end of this challenge. Good luck.

You can start playing and build whatever you want in either tile B,E or H, but only in one of them.

mrb/lynncanox

[mrbisonm]

First of all let us congratulate You. You have made it through the first Mayor's test.
On the picture below, circles with letters will indicate what was important in your region for this challenge. If we say we don't like or we like, it doesn't mean that it's the same for others. We are judging to our lknowledge and what would be the most logical thing to do in our opinion, remember this.

A.  For one thing there's a bridge that really wasn't necessary, then the tunnel is the most expensive thing that can happen when it comes to building rails, not only for the cost of construction, but also for the maintenance. Bad idea. For the scenic view of this rail, it will be quite interesting to see in later updates, but for the logical view with all the other choices available, it is almost a disaster.
B.  Again, not quite good for the financial side of the view. 3 Bridges = almost 3times the cost, again for construction and maitenance. Not a good idea.
C.  Excellent way to place a road, something we see all the time, is the following of a river, usually an old animal trail which transformed into a human trail and later into a path and road. Very good choice for the whole length.
D.  Good choice to cross the bridge.
E.  Again mountainous railing is very expensive, a detour way lower would have been more logical instead of climbing the mountains.
F.  And finally again a very good choice to follow the coastline.

Now this was hard to judge, we had quite a discussion and I would even say a small argument about the points. Lynn gave you 4 pts for the road, even if you have crossed a very bad place, but she really liked the way you followed the river and the coastline. I couldn't give you 4 for this, but 3+4=7 divided by 2= 3.5 which represents 4pts in our countings.
Congratulations for your good work and good luck for the next challenge.

Lynn and Fred