This was also previously debunked on PDX forum, in bug reports related to the achievement.

What PDX doesn't really make it very clear is that this achievement is based of triggered flag, not the current, active border, so retaking lost state doesn't do anything (other than reapplying the lost state flag once again)

R5: in case anybody still fail to believe this was their issue, not the game,

here is how many provinces I can take, including the lake: https://imgur.com/a/rgKtzm4

and the check doesn't return me 200pp yet

now I will take even more territories: https://imgur.com/a/ZVo8Ds0

or even fully surround Helsinki: https://imgur.com/a/ZjiMXax

here is the list of active global flags: https://imgur.com/a/LZJftvt

It does not have the achievement_fin_has_lost_one_starting_core and eval_effect if = { limit = { has_global_flag = achievement_fin_has_lost_one_starting_core } add_political_power = 200 does not fire 200 pp either

now I take Viipuri and you see that flag in the active list: https://imgur.com/a/oba2ciO

So what probably happened for that OP was that they have lost a state control for a very brief moment, maybe just an hour or two (ingame of course), and they missed when it happened. There is however a timestamp on flag fired date, so if they send a savegame, I can figure out when it happened (but not what happened exactly).

This achievement actually allows you to otherwise lose as many provinces as need be, as long as you don't lose control of any starting core state.

Bonus: https://imgur.com/a/KKo2Ur1 this is the lake's province ID on debug.

and this is the trigger script on the flag:

on\_state\_control\_changed = {

    effect = {

        if = {

limit = {

is_in_array = {

array = FIN.core_states_at_game_start

value = FROM.FROM

}

}

set_global_flag = achievement_fin_has_lost_one_starting_core

        }

    }

So what happened then? Why didn't he get the achievement?

Love me some drama on this sub

I’ve done it, you have to be super attentive not to lose a core for even a moment which is almost certainly what happened. The lake isn’t important.

If i read this correctly, you cannot lose control of your state for the achievement and i'm pretty sure losing the lake wouldn't count towards losing the state as you still controls it, and usually losing it meant the enemy took tiles and i think karelia has a victory point on the border so most likely the soviets took it, achievement failed, finland retook it inmediately after.

Barb layin down the law, DAMN!

i had nothing to contribute to that thread since i never play ironman lol, because the game runs alot slower and i like to have lots of old saves available for a multitude of games in case i ever need to check stuff.

I did this achievement by accident by playing neutral finland and forming the scandinavian federatiom before the wars started. I didn't go to war until after the achievement date had passed and got it automatically once I did

Misinformation can spread like wildfire in this game, and it's crucial to sift through the noise to find the real mechanics at play.