Factories - ever a good investment?

[jadam12]

While playing a PBEM game I decided that with SU and the US I spend some of my early PPs to build some factories besides research and some units.
I did not really make any serious calculations about it, and so far never bothered with it, so I ask you is it ever a good investment to build a factory or two?
Thanks,
Jadam

[Lebatron]

For Russia yes depending on what the Axis do. For Japan I once won a game by AV by building a factory which pushed my total points from production from 24 to 27. With the other strat points Japan took, that extra 3 put me over the top and really surprized my oppenent. For Germany an extra factory could do the same if you have enough resources while Germany is still at FM3. Once Germany hits FM4 that extra factory will not play a big part anymore but before that it could. For the US I never have since the UN is more resource starved. 

[christian brown]

I have created a helpful spreadsheet that will automatically determine whether building additional factories will result in an overall profit for the building player. I'm happy to e-mail it to you or anyone else interested (let me know @ alexander.paramahansayogananda@gmail.com) Note that there are several other determining factors apart from the pure math contained in the worksheet:

Enemy airpower projection on a strategic level (ex: Germany obviously plans to bomb Russian factories in range of HBs - may be wise to build a few east of the Urals)

Expected "end date" - crucial!

Expected DoW dates

etc..........

Note: You must tweak the numbers in the "Resource," "Factory," "FM" and "Captured Factory @ FM1" columns according to your projections in order for the formulas to work as they are set up for an "imaginary" nation.