Inflation

[theknightirish]

Has anyone formed an opinion on what is a reasonable level of inflation to run at? I cannot tell what my opponent's inflation is running at though they seem to be printing money all the time. I am up around 15% at the moment.

[RGA]

I meant to ask about this. Where do you see your inflation figure and what affect does it have ?

[Wallensteinwojtek]

It is probably connected to price you have to pay for your troops.

[Shri]

Inflation is due to RGD played to raise money, it increases all Gold costs- replacements and new units costs correspondingly. Sometimes you get LUCKY and get -1% inflation. But up to 20-25 % inflation do not worry, some inflation is natural in War time and historically it did happen, severe inflation happened in CP and EE countries. Only the UK was spared due to- 'KEYNES' being the man who controlled its finances.

[Kensai]

To see the inflation level mouse over the money icon on the top of the screen. The ideal max inflation probably depends on your plans of expanding your current army and how quickly you need that. Given that costs rise by that percentage it is probably intelligent not to push too hard, too early. Historically Germany did 9 attempts to rise war bonds until 1918. So I guess 18% just for Germany is expected (although these values are simply abstractions).

Now, add another ten percent for Austria-Hungary and you have some 30% by late game. Units will cost one third more to be recruited by then. Not unbearable, but not little either.

[Shri]

But KENSAI, conversely- it is in 1914 that you really feel the pinch of resources, rest of the time, there is a long winter with very little combat when you gather your WSU and GOLD and so these RGD are needed only end of year to boost research or at most twice a year.
But you need it 2-3 times at least in 1914.
So by that calculation you will end up with 11*2 i.e. 44% Inflation as CP.

[Kensai]

My calculation was simply the abstraction of what would have happened if Germany raised bonds as it historically did. I personally tend to print money (raise bonds) just when I am about to run out of money. This for me happens very early in the game (1914) and very late (1917), when there is a rush for extra equipment. By the mid years war is mostly static.

It depends, if you plan to recruit a lot of troops/equipment by late game a high inflation could make costs prohibiting. Remember that printing money too often also saps Engagement Points, Victory Points, and National Morale... it should not be abused if the conflict is a cliffhanger to be decided on VP (Minor Victory)!

[minipol]

In CW2 while playing the CSA, the inflation was over or near 40% and it was still manageable

[DrPostman]

In CW2 while playing the CSA, the inflation was over or near 40% and it was still manageable

You could keep it that low? I never managed to avoid 60% or more!

[Altaris]

Inflation affects unit (and replacement) costs. As the CP, I usually ran this option every chance I got, and had inflation pushing around 60% late in the war. It made buying units a bit tough, but was necessary to field all the artillery I could muster and keep infantry troops coming out too.

The higher inflation is, the higher the chance each turn of an "Economic Sunrise", which reduces inflation by 1%. So if inflation is at 70%, there's a 70% chance each turn it will reduce by 1%. So it starts to level off some once it gets really high.

I'd be less likely to take on extra inflation as the Entente, but it's still helpful, especially early in the war.

[Shri]

ALTARIS, looking at your reply i am more and more convinced that one major aspect of the game needs to be changed-

REBEL ALIGNMENT-
It needs to be tied with NM and Inflation and perhaps victory points, you lose a lot and lose a lot of Alignment, you gain and end up gaining alignment.

[Kensai]

Rebel alignment should stay as it is as it abstracts war fatigue. This has nothing to do with NM or victory points. You might be conquering the whole world but having riots at home because people would not want to fight anymore. They are already tied in an indirect way, anyway. If you have lots of NM and VP you can spare more decisions to appease your population (such as concessions and changes in the cabinet). So you can "buy out" the tiredness of your people, by using your field victories.

[Shri]

Rebel alignment should stay as it is as it abstracts war fatigue. This has nothing to do with NM or victory points. You might be conquering the whole world but having riots at home because people would not want to fight anymore. They are already tied in an indirect way, anyway. If you have lots of NM and VP you can spare more decisions to appease your population (such as concessions and changes in the cabinet). So you can "buy out" the tiredness of your people, by using your field victories.

See, you can't introduce 'rationing' etc. and thus bring down inflation or use propaganda to good effect as it was used in real.
In game, 60% inflation and nothing adverse happened except increase in costs for recruitment.

There will be -small rebellions, riots if inflation rises.
Say- today i am a common man on the street, in a poor country like mine, there is no social security etc and people don't expect the govt. to do anything .. leave alone anything good. ONLY thing that matters is INFLATION as it wipes out the 'savings', now these savings are hard earned. Many of the mini-revolutions you see around the world today are driven by economics, to be more precise- INFLATION.

[Kensai]

Riots happen, but you don't get a message about them. Therefore you use the two decisions (concessions and government change). If you mouse over them you will see these decisions are to calm down the population. Given that rebel alignment is growing inexorably as time passes, you could say that the inflation consequences, war fatigue in general, etc is already factored in the game. Making inflation directly rise rebel alignment if it goes too high will probably unbalance the current calculations of the designers. If you think about it, they have implemented "economic sunrise" events to limit the high inflation, they shouldn't find ways to make it even worse.

I think in war time inflation is not such a big issue as it is in peace time. More important is if you are fed... this is abstracted in the game for both Brits and Central Powers. Blockade or sink merchant ships and their population will get war fatigued soon enough!


PS. Rationing is a nice idea for a future event or decision. How it could be mapped though, I don't know.

[ohms_law]

"Inflation" is just a game mechanic, here. It's not really the same as actual economic inflation.
Food rationing and, indeed, the general economy as a whole, are abstracted. The focus is on the conflict itself, not really it's consequences (...to a point). I mean, it's a war game.

[Kensai]

Btw, has anyone in a later game and fully blockaded (or blockading, as the WE) notice if the Central Powers can play their "agricultural aid" decision? This can be important to limit the growing German rebel sentiment.