There was a problem with some small spikes on the bottom right corner map edge that trapped ships entering from the Soviet Republic. These have been removed so ships should be able to find a route to port. If you have already started a series use C+H+E, terrain editor to remove them,

@BumbaCLot Yeah it's old, but it's not difficult to update with some common sense. You don't need to even take seasons in to account. You just make the heating plant one of your first construction project.

There is a discord with ryantheskinny, and he has mentioned he is starting to work on an update, though it will probably be a couple months before something solid is distributed.

I think a lot of things are going to wait until all the core features are in place. I'm honestly not really a fan of the modding community's reluctance to update mods to current game features because they would break old games. Yes, this is an Early Access game, having to restart cities is par for the course.

Agree the challenge needs to be either updated or a new one created, but feel this will not be resolved until all the 'core' functionality is in place. Did make a start on a map for the challenge, but ran into two problems:

1. It is too easy to make adjustments to solve problems.
2. Despite having over 600 hours in the game, do not feel my knowledge was good enough to develop such a map.

One possible solution is to impose a condition of starting on a random map, but that would require an option to adjust the level resources as part of the generation process.

Good luck with your challenge, would like to start one of my own, but there are still some areas of game play I need to work on,

@pheanox HMC is such an old ruleset (cosmonaut is even older), has no prohibitions for nuclear,no seasons, and if done again today would either have to change some restrictions or add others (no tourism without self-made goods). Lack of seasons makes it almost impossible to export anything year 1 (no farm in time). I've noticed each game Stephen uses modded textiles and distilleries which allows for profits day one with 0 loans (and added in tourism now). I like his YT series, and am doing my own HMC now (which definitely require a huge loan investment without exploiting tourism, since you can't export anything you don't make with your own resources). Anyway I wish someone updated them beyond v3. I may play around with this map to see how much harder / impossible / worthless it is for that ruleset, since exporting boards isn't gonna pay the bills in HMC with seasons.

I might try and play along on it with your play through, starting in a different area.

Agree with the sentiment, like maps that give reasons to develop different areas

I really like the idea of this map. I understand people like to have light resources for challenge, but when you are playing using Hard Mode Challenge you can't export oil products or chemicals anyway so the amount of resources isn't relevant. Making the challenge of the game getting to the resources that make you self sufficient is what makes good maps, IMO.