I finally did get past Washington with Bill Clinton, mainly by realizing that Texas was a lost cause to me, and putting smear merchant/spin doctor combos in the swing states. Accepting the fact that I wouldn't be even remotely competitive in most of the states, I took my 274 points happily, even though I lost the popular vote by about 8 million.

I too am wondering about the logic behind level 3 (but not level 2) HQ's. That million $ is a big chunk of change at any point in the game. The awareness bonus they give is nice, but it ends fairly early on. What you are left with is about 40k per turn extra income, and a political operative that adds only one awareness per turn. I'm starting to think that the million $ spent on those level 3's is far better spent flooding the airwaves with more TV adds, since they give an awareness bonus to every state.

I played w/ a custom and got all the endosments, then I had all the states. So then I just built HQ's and had fundriser. By week 30, when he statred a come back I had $17 milllion or so, so I just blasted him with $7-9 million wroth of ads, and won 530-538 to 0-8.

Citizen latour999 - 10/30/2004 9:34:26 PM My favorite character (custom Dean) has 15 stamina, and starts with a lot of fundraising and money. I start by building 2 biggies (usually TX, then CA), do a little fundraising, and then build a third in either his home state or FL. Then, I will be getting enough $$ to build a level 1 each turn, plus fundraising for another biggie. By week 20, I have a few in key states, and level 1s in a bunch of others. Also, when I get my running mate, I use his cash to build another one or two in states where I am still, or can eventually be somewhat competitive in. The biggies help give you a lot of awareness, and can really help in big states, and helping win over states that you are far behind. Plus, they give you money for late-game advertisements.

Thanks, but most characters that are played are not going to have that much stamina. I'll see what I can do. Usually when I play I try to build up the HQs really quick, getting to level 2s in the big states. I usually have a budget around 300,000/turn. Its not enough, especially when the computer can make do with only 5 HQs, none to 2nd level, and still outspend me.

I'll try the biggie HQ approach, but it's expensive and uses alot of stamina.

Citizen mtmdem - 10/25/2004 4:04:33 PM How do you unlock a candidate without playing them in camapaign mode?

You go into the data file under core candidates, copy down their stats (make sure not to make any changes in this file or you won't be able to play multiplayer mode), create a new character and go back into the data file and change all the stats to the candidats stats. You will have to change their name from what is in the file, ie Ronnie Reagan or Dick Nixon, because it won't let you save a character with the same name. You can access these files with notepad.

BTW, I don't like the pictures for FDR and Thomas Jefferson. FDR needs his glasses and Jefferson looks like he's trying to be the American Austin Powers.

Thanks, but most characters that are played are not going to have that much stamina. I'll see what I can do. Usually when I play I try to build up the HQs really quick, getting to level 2s in the big states. I usually have a budget around 300,000/turn. Its not enough, especially when the computer can make do with only 5 HQs, none to 2nd level, and still outspend me. I'll try the biggie HQ approach, but it's expensive and uses alot of stamina

I find that the computer seems to run out of money late in the game with his small amount of HQs, and has to pull a lot of ads late in the game because he (it?) presumably runs out of money, and can't afford the upkeep on his (it's?) ads. This is when your ads and HQs really shine.

Took me 5 tries to beat Washington with a created candidate. I started by building up california, new york, florida, texas, illinous, ohio, pennsylvania, and michagan to level 3 bases. next i went to the big three states(cali, NY, texas) and placed a webmaster in each while i placed 1 ad for me and 1 add against washington for each of the 3 major issues, then i either went each of the other states i had bases in and did it again with the imortant issues. i repeated this until the issues turned in my favor. in the end i have no real idea how i won. i just got really lucky

the strategy of building up hqs didnt work. I did 6that, while Gephardt built tons of ads, and thus clobbered me

Ok, have a bit more experience now so I can explain how I do the HQ strategy in more detail. The big HQs work out not only because they are more cost effective, they add a consultant that can raise your awareness in another state, plus they give a more detailed look at the state.
If you spend the first 20 weeks just building up your money making headquarters combined with fundraising, depending on stamina and starting money, you should have a budget of around $600-700K per turn. That should give anyone quite a war chest. If playing against the computer it may seem like you are getting slaughtered at this point. You will be able to make it up easily. If I can beat Wilson in campaign mode with Herbert Hoover then anything is possible.

What tips work depends on what you want to do. Notice for example that custom candidates can be either your presidential candidate or your vp - you can really shine with 2 customs so that each has 10 in half the stats and 1 in the other half, because for most of them (ie experience) only the highest stat counts.

TV ads are great, but you need to decide whether you're mostly trying to influence the state or the whole nation. Ads create a national improvement to your position on an issue when they're created, but only improve national awareness (and your issue rating in that state) if you leave them running.

On HQs: level 1 and 2 HQs pay for themselves after 25 turns (25*10k=250K, 25*30K=250K+500K) but level 3 HQs pay for themselves in 20 turns (20*90K=1.8M, cost is 250K+500K+1M=1.75M).

I find webmasters to not be all that useful; you can affect one state cheaply with a webmaster by keeping tv adds running, but I'd much rather have a movie director to halve ad creation costs. Put him in an enemy stronghold, then spam tv ads and remove them the same turn so the money keeps flowing in. That state will be yours quickly just from the ads' initial effects, and you'll maximize national issue change per dollar spent.

If you're pursuing the HQ investment early on strategy, build up political capital when you run out of money. If you don't spend it until the last couple of turns (preferably on endorsements because they effect the whole nation), the whole nation will be against you most of the game but your opponent will not be able to plan and counteract your endorsements because he won't see the effects till it's too late. Seeing the whole country turn your color after you blow 40 capital and get all the endorsements at the end rocks.

One more thing: as far as I can tell, all democrats try to spam environment ads in california if you fight for it. consider establishing one tv ad there early on to give you the momentum on that issue and to make fundraising there easier due to higher awareness.

Webmasters are useful because they can allow you to have TV ads for continuous use throughout the game. You are not effecting just one state, but the whole country. Place TV ads for the two most important swing states and watch the electorate turn your way. You can start running newspaper ads in small states where you are behind and radio ads in the larger states. With $600+K rolling in each turn, you can run ads to victory.
40 capital will not get you all of the endorsements, only 4 from the opposite party or 5 from your party or a comination thereof. Its not important to get all the endorsements, but to get the right one. Some may have the effect of actually lowering your support where you want it. The foreign policy one is essential. I find the computer always likes to get the big business one if Republican. As a Democrat I usually get the union endorsement since it can solidify your base.