Race for the Rails
Race for the Rails is the opening scenario of Act III: Steel, set in 1817. The campaign’s expedition begins with a contest to claim every site on the Trade Route. The objective turns map exploration and worker safety into a race: the player must reach the route sites and establish posts before the opposition controls the line.
Scenario setting & objectives
Build Trading Posts on all the sites along the Trade Route. The optional objective is to ally with any Native Americans in the area. Scout the full route first, plan a safe order for the builders and keep an army close enough to protect each construction site. The optional alliance should fit around the route race rather than draw the entire force away.
Mission approach
Start claiming accessible sites early and maintain a path for workers and reinforcements. A post that is built but immediately lost does not secure the route, so protect the forward section while continuing toward the remaining sites. Attempt the Native alliance when it can be secured without missing the required route objective.
Trade Route control and builder safety
Race for the Rails opens Act III: Steel in 1817 with a contest to claim every site along the Trade Route. The required objective is to build Trading Posts on all route sites; an optional objective is to ally with any Native Americans in the area. Scout the full route before committing builders so the team can choose a safe order and identify likely enemy pressure. Claiming only the nearest site is not enough: continue along the route while protecting forward posts from being destroyed. Keep an army near the builders and maintain a path for reinforcements, since a post built in enemy territory can be attacked immediately. The Native alliance can add units or technologies but should not pull the whole force away from the race. Decide whether to secure the alliance on the way or after the route is nearly controlled. The scenario trains Trading Post placement and map control under time pressure; a finished post matters only if it remains secure. Use the Trade Route and minor-civilization pages for the underlying systems, and use the Act III: Steel entry to follow the campaign sequence after this opening mission.
Securing the entire route
The route objective requires a post on every site, so plan the order to keep builders within supporting distance. Start with a site that is reachable without crossing enemy territory, then move along the route behind the army. Once a forward Trading Post is built, leave enough units to defend it while the next team moves to another socket. If the opponent contests a site, clear the area before sending Villagers rather than sacrificing them during construction. The optional Native alliance can be valuable for extra units or technology, but the main objective is still full route control. Use the Trade Route to understand how posts connect and why an early claim can change future map movement. The scenario opens Act III: Steel, and its timing pressure rewards coordination between scouting, building and defense.
Protect each Trading Post
A forward post can be attacked while builders move to the next site. Leave enough support to hold completed route sites and continue the race with a protected worker group.
Route race
Build every Trading Post on the route and protect the completed sites. The Native alliance is optional; do not let it delay the full route objective.
The railroad contest begins Act III
Race for the Rails opens Act III: Steel in 1817 and introduces Amelia Black and Major Cooper alongside the United States campaign force. Its required objective is to build Trading Posts at every site along the Trade Route; the optional objective is to ally with any Native Americans in the area. Reaching only the nearest sites does not complete the primary task, so scout the entire route before committing Settlers. The posts establish the railroad company’s claim and test whether the Falcon Company can outpace its competitors. Secure each construction area and keep a route open for the next builder. The Native alliance can strengthen the force, but it remains optional and should not delay the route objective.