Three-part engines

[Saskia]

I'm currently drawing a E94/BR 194 "german crocodile":
http://www.bics.be.schule.de/son/verkeh ... 194_01.htm
This engine consists of three parts, as you see. But there's a problem with that: AI would buy only the first and second part (with dualheading flag) ... so my question: should I make this engine two-part (and ugly/unrealistic/silly/...) or shouldn't I care about AI and make it a real three-part engine (that would look veeeery nice in curves *g*)?

[Szappy]

Uzurpator has already made a 3-part train in the tropic set, maybe you could take a look at it.

I think just set AI rank to 0, so the AI won't use it (hope so), and go ahead with the 3-part version...

[Purno]

But if AI would only buy first part, then the loco still runs, doesn't it?

[Szappy]

It shouldn't (buy it).
But if it does it will be messed up: low speed, because of multiheading, will place parts on front/end.

[Saskia]

Hm, ok. I'll set the rank to 0.

Or maybe I should don't care about AI at all, otherwise the big steam engines with tenders won't have ones, and two-part engines will be placed wrong What do you think? I'll try DB set XL with AI, in the steam age ...

[Szappy]

Michael solved this the following way:
There's one steam engine (the first one) that does not need tender. The AI can use that exclusively, and no other steamer (rank 0). And added electric engines really early.

-edit- But please do not disregard the AI completly. There are people (including me) who play with the AI.

[Saskia]

Hm, ok, then I'll take the same way. I planned only two steam engines (BR 01 and 50) with tender in the DB base set, and also a first one without tender (BR 86). After that would follow BR 194, and then AI compatible engines *g*