War Supplies

[goodwood]

I have restarted the 1861 Campaign again after several false starts, but I'm having trouble with my War supplies, can't get enough to build sufficient units and to improve my industry. I,didn't have this problem on my other starts, the only thing I have done differently this time, is to fiddle with the industry tab and to improve industries within each state that has excellent industry prospects. according to the tool tips it increases the war supplies resources by X amount, but supplies seem to be dwindling not improving. Any ideas?

[Spharv2]

Are you receiving "Industry expanded in XXXX, war supplies +X" messages? The increases are random based on how much you're spending. If you're not getting those messages, then you haven't yet increased war supply production. Remember that increasing industrialization expends war supplies, so if you're spending them there and not getting increases in war supplies, it can create a bit of a crunch. It should get better once you get some improvements.

[goodwood]

Are you receiving "Industry expanded in XXXX, war supplies +X" messages? The increases are random based on how much you're spending. If you're not getting those messages, then you haven't yet increased war supply production. Remember that increasing industrialization expends war supplies, so if you're spending them there and not getting increases in war supplies, it can create a bit of a crunch. It should get better once you get some improvements.

improvements? industry or city? are they automatic

[jimkehn]

By spending money for industry in a state, you are essentially investing in research and development in that state. The program will roll a random die and if your die roll is within appropriate paramaters for that state, then you will get an industry increase in a random city within that state. If successful, you will get a message in the mail box at the bottom of the screen saying something like "Local ammunition factory in Madison (or whatever) expands its operation, Ammunition supplies +5". From then on, you will be producing 5 more ammo points in that state (and city) than previously produced. The game will randomly pick between general, ammo, and war supplies.

At least that's how I think it works. By investing more money (showing two or three or more factories in that state on the economics page), you will increase the likelihood that your investment will return an increase in one of the three industries.

[el_Gato]

I have restarted the 1861 Campaign again after several false starts, but I'm having trouble with my War supplies, can't get enough to build sufficient units and to improve my industry. I,didn't have this problem on my other starts, the only thing I have done differently this time, is to fiddle with the industry tab and to improve industries within each state that has excellent industry prospects. according to the tool tips it increases the war supplies resources by X amount, but supplies seem to be dwindling not improving. Any ideas?

Yah, don't invest in states that have "excellent industry prospects" (like Georgia). Go for the "Below Average" states, and not only will yr initial investment be cheaper, but you'll see a return on yr investment quicker. Personally, I only invest in Virginia (why this is a Below Average state, I dunno), Tennessee, and Arkansas, as they are border states, and as such, staging areas for most of yr military build up.

[Rafiki]

Personally, I only invest in Virginia (why this is a Below Average state, I dunno),

I imagine that the CSA uses the same scale as the USA, so that compared to the industrialized states of the North-East, Virginia does rate as "below average", industrialization-wise.

[Adam the VIth]

In my first game I invested too heavily in industry early and I could not get enough war supply to make new units....and that was as USA! ... as CSA, problem is even more severe, so invest in industry carefully (though you do need to do it over time, or you'll run out of general supply/ammo).

Once you click on those states for investment, it keeps taking the same amount of cash and war supply out of your stocks EACH TURN. NOT A ONE TIME INVESTMENT! So if you are low on cash and/or war supply, you need to right click and turn it off.

Best idea is to keep low investment for 5-8 turns, as you scramble to build new units and store up replacements. Then, once your cash and manpower are lower and you have to wait for draft/volunteer to come available, THEN make your industrial investments.

Industry and unit builds require some planning, you can't just run it turn by turn and hope to have a balanced army and supporting industry.

It's what makes this game so damn good!

[goodwood]

In my first game I invested too heavily in industry early and I could not get enough war supply to make new units....and that was as USA! ... as CSA, problem is even more severe, so invest in industry carefully (though you do need to do it over time, or you'll run out of general supply/ammo).

Once you click on those states for investment, it keeps taking the same amount of cash and war supply out of your stocks EACH TURN. NOT A ONE TIME INVESTMENT! So if you are low on cash and/or war supply, you need to right click and turn it off.

Best idea is to keep low investment for 5-8 turns, as you scramble to build new units and store up replacements. Then, once your cash and manpower are lower and you have to wait for draft/volunteer to come available, THEN make your industrial investments.

Industry and unit builds require some planning, you can't just run it turn by turn and hope to have a balanced army and supporting industry.

It's what makes this game so damn good!

Yep sounds like good advice to me, will try than line of attack

[James D Burns]

but supplies seem to be dwindling not improving. Any ideas?

Industrial investments are definitely worth it. I recommend spending in any states that have good potential or above. Granted some of the more heavily industrialized states like New York will cost a lot of money to invest in, but the potential payoff is huge.

Here’s what a brand new game looks like in April 1861:



Here’s what it looks like about 1 year later after having spent on industrial improvements in every state with a good rating in my AAR game. I started investing about 6-8 turns into the game, so this is just over ½ a years investment.



Now once you get a decent improvement in your monthly income that you’re satisfied with (generally when you start stockpiling large war supply surpluses and are continually short on money), then I’d switch to investing only in your cheapest states. That way you can free up the large block of cash that goes to pay for your early industrialization.

If you only invest in your cheapest states early on, it will take quite a while for you to significantly improve your economy, since those states rarely roll for improvements. Think of it as a simple percentage scale, where the worst states only have a 10% chance per turn to improve a city and the best have something like a 60% or 70% chance (just an example, I have no idea what the actual percentages are).

Yes it’s expensive early on but the payoff after about one full year of investing should be large enough to carry you through the rest of the war without any need for huge investments each turn anymore.

Jim