Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-37265457-20181022040113/@comment-35006067-20181022065305

The Calculator is your friend indeed.

I've tried to rationalize early combinations of investments and their consequences, up to just before going to Ardford, here: [//thelastsovereign.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:12432#WallMessage_12505 https://thelastsovereign.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:12432#WallMessage_12505]

If I recall correctly, with your current route, it's slightly better long term to not invest in Premium Steel and Bridge Repair early, and therefore cut the need to ask Megail for money in Chapter 1. However, you need to do a perfect Aka's route and a perfect battle of Yhilin to compensate for both losses in Score and Army. May not be worth the headache.

And of course, the next update may or may not add more weight to the survival of Carina's men, and thus change everything about optimal routes...