The Japanese Economy

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: pacificbetta

Is there a need to have ready aircraft (of the correct type of cours) ready in order to receive new airgroups? If so, how many of these aircraft do we need to prepare? Can we have just 1-2 aircraft for each airgroup, and once it is on map, to swap the aircraft to another type?

You don't need to have enough aircraft to fill the unit to capacity. I recommend it though for one reason. Sometimes, air units come with aircraft, but they usually don't. If not, the aircraft come out of the pool. The concern is that on occasion, you'll get an air unit with pilots. That's usually because historically, the air unit had very experienced pilots. I don't know if those particular air units come with aircraft too. If not, and there aren't enough planes in the pool to fill the unit, will you get all the pilots? The reason I ask is that in WitP, if an air unit arrived and there weren't enough planes in the pool for the unit, you'd get less than the full complement of pilots. Not sure if this has changed in this rare instance.

And yes, you can upgrade the unit, depending...... With PDU (Player Defined Upgrades) on, you can swap out planes by type (F or F, DB for DB, etc.). But, if you have PDU off, you may or may not be able to upgrade depending on what happened to that unit historically.

ORIGINAL: pacificbetta
Another thing which I could not for hell figure out, within bases that are connected by rail, how are items like oil being moved about? I understand we can influence supply drift by setting the supply needed to be mantained at each base, but in the case of oil, does it spread out all over the place even to bases that do not have need for them? Or will it only be automatically transferred (as limited by the volume of course) only to bases with refineries?

The AI will move oil and resources (and fuel now) around based on factory need. In WitP, it occurred every 3 days. Not sure if it's different in AE. I just make sure there is sufficient stuff by region (areas of factories linked by rail lines) and the AI usually does a good job of moving the stuff to where it's needed. Now, if there's a shortage, all bets are off. The AI often scatters small amounts of the stuff around the region and very little gets enough to function.

[pacificbetta]

findme: The dos version is a much less complicated economy model, almost like what the allies have right now

mike: thanks, i guess i have to run the turns and see for myself, thanks for the clairifcations.

Now, if only I can get that damn WitPstaff to work.......

[sval062]

ORIGINAL: FatR

One thing that I've noticed after playing for several months is inexorable drop in resources level. While the stockpiles of resources on Honshu remain at a relatively stable level, the overall amount of resources is down to 4838k. I already took almost all major bases in SRA, and oil reserves have started to climb, but resources contuinue to decline. Does anyone know, what I'm doing wrong and what can be done to remedy the situation?

The only logical explanation I see is that you have captured more LI/HI capabilities than ressources ones.
Let's say you gain 100 ressources points and 100 LI capabilities on a base, then: you will produce 1000 ressources/ day but you will use 1500 ones to run your LI.
As a result, your supplies production will rise, but your ressources will drop.

Check Witptracker and Witpstaff to see if I am right, and stop some of your capabilities to recover (or maybe repair some hypothetical damaged ressources you may have). But in these cases your supplies will decline.... hard to be Japanese (I am also playing this side... [:'(][:D]

[Andy Mac]

Or some of your sites may have hit the 999999 cap and not be producing more i.e. they are at max storage capacity

[pacificbetta]

In preparation for my first game as Japan, I was looking at the a/c reinforcement charts of Japan, and noticed an incredible number of Kamikaze squadrons. After doing a quick/cursory count, I found that to fully equip the squadrons (one time load), it will take the Japan player some 900 single engine fighter and some 700 twin engine bombers. This has not even included the 100 odd planes needed to staff late war zero squadrons.

I was wondering, for those who have experienced it, are kamikaze worth it? My first reaction now was

"Wow, I found a use for the extra Nates and Idas that the Jap player will start with, and there is now a minor incentive to use up some of the crappy a/c engines that Japan started with."

Also one question: If I am trying a squadron for Kamikaze duties, what should the training focus be?

[Mike Solli]

One thing to note.  All of the air units that arrive late in the war that are "training" units come with planes.  They are expected to be used as kamikazes.  I wouldn't bother to attempt to train them.  I don't think it would make a difference.

[Mike Solli]

One thing to note.  All of the air units that arrive late in the war that are "training" units come with planes.  They are expected to be used as kamikazes.  I wouldn't bother to attempt to train them.  I don't think it would make a difference.

[FatR]

I checked, and there aren't any bases with 999k resources. Oh, well. I hope patch 2 is going to fix this.

Another problem that Japan faces right now, although this one is due to my own negligence is dire supply situation all across Malaya and Burma. It is clearly important to start hauling supply there from Home Islands early. The local production is too anemic.

[pacificbetta]

About the Kamikaze, so am I correct to conclude that we need not ensure that there are a/c in the pool for these airgroups to "appear" on map?

My original thoughts were that if there were unserviceable a/c during the first attack, we could "rebuild" the squadrons from pilots and plane stocks (reserves permitting, which I thought may not be the case).

Also, I was thinking along the line that if we can mass the Kamikazes for a massive attack, it could be useful. And while waiting for the hoarding, may as well train since they have nothing to do, hence I was asking what to train for?

[pacificbetta]

I am working on the various aspects of Japan economy before starting a game proper and found out the following, someone please point out where I went wrong [&:]

For scenario 1, at start Japan has approximately
Engine production 315 (x18 for HI points)
a/c production (engine equivalent) 354 (x18 for HI points)
Veh production 72 (x6 for HI points)
Arms production 620 (x6 for HI points)
Merchant Shipyard 807 (x3 for HI points)
Naval Shipyard 1384 (x3 for HI points)
Current HI base 6950

Now without expanding any factory capacity, Japan has a HI need of 22,000 + while only generating only 13900 point of it. That means Japan needs to add almost 5000 HI factory to the home island right off the bat? I am sure this is the wrong conclusion, but I cannot find out where I went wrong with the calculations.

[Mike Solli]

For aircraft and engines, that's monthly production. That's the first mistake we all make. [:D] Also note that airframe cost is 18x the number of engines that plane takes.

1E = 18 HI
2E = 36 HI

Then you add the cost of the engine itself.

Edit: I see you already calculated the airframe correctly.

[erstad]

ORIGINAL: pacificbetta

I am working on the various aspects of Japan economy before starting a game proper and found out the following, someone please point out where I went wrong [&:]

For scenario 1, at start Japan has approximately
Engine production 315 (x18 for HI points)
a/c production (engine equivalent) 354 (x18 for HI points)
Veh production 72 (x6 for HI points)
Arms production 620 (x6 for HI points)
Merchant Shipyard 807 (x3 for HI points)
Naval Shipyard 1384 (x3 for HI points)
Current HI base 6950

Now without expanding any factory capacity, Japan has a HI need of 22,000 + while only generating only 13900 point of it. That means Japan needs to add almost 5000 HI factory to the home island right off the bat? I am sure this is the wrong conclusion, but I cannot find out where I went wrong with the calculations.

Aircraft and engine numbers are per month. Divide by 30 to get the approximate per day usage (approximate because it depends on how lucky you are with the die rolls)

[pacificbetta]

Oh right
/me stupid mistake!

Now we have a lot of surplus HI, LOL

[findmeifyoucan]

You are forgetting that there is a huge amount of stockpile of HI to start the game so you have a while before you start running out. Just keep in mind not to spend it all at once as you are running at a deficit to start the game.

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: pacificbetta

I am working on the various aspects of Japan economy before starting a game proper and found out the following, someone please point out where I went wrong [&:]

For scenario 1, at start Japan has approximately
Engine production 315 (x18 for HI points)
a/c production (engine equivalent) 354 (x18 for HI points)
Veh production 72 (x6 for HI points)
Arms production 620 (x6 for HI points)
Merchant Shipyard 807 (x3 for HI points)
Naval Shipyard 1384 (x3 for HI points)
Current HI base 6950

Now without expanding any factory capacity, Japan has a HI need of 22,000 + while only generating only 13900 point of it. That means Japan needs to add almost 5000 HI factory to the home island right off the bat? I am sure this is the wrong conclusion, but I cannot find out where I went wrong with the calculations.

Not that I find your figures, esp a/c and eng production correct anyway, but did you divide by 30 (it is a daily rate)?
Also with planes, did you take note of how many of engines each airframe has. So a 1 engine airframe costs 18, a 2 engine 36 etc...

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: findmeifyoucan

You are forgetting that there is a huge amount of stockpile of HI to start the game so you have a while before you start running out. Just keep in mind not to spend it all at once as you are running at a deficit to start the game.

Sorry, this is wrong ... Japan has surplus HI and production to begin with ...

[pacificbetta]

Ok, I "think" I am almost done with the planning stage of the Japan economy before I go into detailed tactical planning and after which I can kick off my first ever game. I was wondering of the following factory sizes I have planned for is adequate.

Japan aircraft/engine
Zero 100 (1942) => 125 (1943) => 175 (1944)
Kate (replaced by Jill later) 30 (1942) => 40 (mid 43)
Val (replaced by Judy later) 30 (1942) => 40 (1944)
Nell/Betty 40 (all the way)
Oscar (replaced by Tojo later) 30 (until mid 43)
Frank 140 (with a massive 120 research factory dedicated to it, I am hopeful it becomes available from late 43)
Land based IJA bombers 40

I also intended to expand naval shipyards by 100, and merchant ship yards by 300. I thought I calculated the HI that Jap have and it can support these expansions. My chief concern is the weak IJA fighter support until Frank comes online. Is that cutting things too thin? Dive bomber and torpedo bombers also appear a little light weight imho.

[findmeifyoucan]

Do you think it is that important to expand the ship yards rather than to put it into more air power?

[String]

ORIGINAL: findmeifyoucan

Do you think it is that important to expand the ship yards rather than to put it into more air power?

Slight increase might be useful, as is for the veh and armament factories, especially veh. factories early on.

[findmeifyoucan]

yes, I can agree with armament and veh factories but for shipping?? Now if I could specify just for building Carriers that would be another story but I don't think it will have that much of an effect overall compared to applying it directly to air power. Later on in the war the Japanese will need every aircraft they can get their hands on and shipping will be more on the back burner.
How long did the Yamato last against the American air power near the end of the war? Was it 15 minutes? )