Japanese production question

[niceguy2005]

Uh-oh...

It's January 10, 1942 and I seem to already be running dangerously low on supplies in the home islands. [X(][X(][X(]

I have changed very little (that I know of) in the Japanese production system. I have shut-down a few plane factories and changed over a few more. It's certainly not a large scale change. Status quo on almost everything else. I have shipped at least 300K of supplies out to front line areas to supply troops. Seems like I should have a better supply situation though. Am I doing something wrong?

[ny59giants]

That's about 10k per day. That's way too much so soon. The best thing to do, is install WitPTracker. I've done so to help John 3rd in his PBEM game and now for my own PBEM against him using Nemo's Empire Ablaze mod. This utility is a god send for managing the Japanese economy, especially for a novice like me. [:D] It doesn't make managing the economy bullet-proof, but pretty damn close. His AAR and soon mine will have plenty of screenshots showing how useful a tool it is.
 
What mod are you using?? 

[niceguy2005]

No Mod. Straight up stock. Playing the AI and I was worried that mods would only further confuse the poor thing. [:D]

I thought maybe I had shipped out too much too soon. I'm assuming that if I don't change production much and I don't ship more supplies that the HI will start recovering pretty much immediately. Is that a good assumption? All cities are still in the green on supplies, just a lot lower than I'm comfortable with.

In a related question, my strategy does not call for large offensives in China until later in the war. Will China be a supply boost, or a drain?

[Chris21wen]

I've installed the tracker but I'm struggling to work out the industry bit. What's the best place to go to monitor HI etc.

[Mynok]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005
just a lot lower than I'm comfortable with.

Erm....perhaps you might define the relationship between the above and

running low on supplies in the homeland

Considering you are a die hard AFB of long standing, perhaps you are not used to "normal" levels of Japanese supply. [8D]

[Nemo121]

LOL!!! I think Mynok might be right. I generally run Japan with a global supply ( in all bases ) of 2 million. That includes bases outside of Japan. So 2.5 million is really comfortable and not a worry at all. 2.2 million requires a few cuts to rebuild and anything below 2 million limits my ability to advance further quickly.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

In a related question, my strategy does not call for large offensives in China until later in the war. Will China be a supply boost, or a drain?

Uusally, I'd say it's a wash. I'd recommend attacking in China, if only to kill Chinese. If you don't, the Chinese will become a flood you will have a hard time containing.

In my stock PBEM (Apr 43) I've attacked in China and have not pulled out any supply (nor have I shipped in any supply). There's not an abundance of supply there (only Shanghai has over 20k supply) but I've been able to attack when I wished.

[FeurerKrieg]

I bet Mynok is right here also. I read about Allied offensives in AAR with 500K, 1,000K etc supplies. As Japan an offensive feel 'robust' when you have 100k! [:D]

[Mike Solli]

Chris, I think you've been playing the Allies too long.  Ahh, the thought of too much of everything. [:D]

[Mynok]

Robust?  Heck, they'd find sake-bloated Japs floating down the Slot if Rabaul ever got that many supplies!

[FeurerKrieg]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

In a related question, my strategy does not call for large offensives in China until later in the war. Will China be a supply boost, or a drain?

Uusally, I'd say it's a wash. I'd recommend attacking in China, if only to kill Chinese. If you don't, the Chinese will become a flood you will have a hard time containing.

In my stock PBEM (Apr 43) I've attacked in China and have not pulled out any supply (nor have I shipped in any supply). There's not an abundance of supply there (only Shanghai has over 20k supply) but I've been able to attack when I wished.

Sometimes I set up a couple small CS convoys from Taiwan to Hong Kong and Shanghai so that I'm adding a small amount of supplies to the Chinese supplies that get produced. I like to think it helps my offensives, but no way to really prove it. The thing I like about it is that I don't really have to think about it. My supplies trickle over from Taiwan to China and I don't have big piles of supplies sitting useless on the island.

[Mynok]

You have to ship them to Shanghai for that to work in CHS.

Just for the interest of those lurking.....

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: Mynok

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005
just a lot lower than I'm comfortable with.

Erm....perhaps you might define the relationship between the above and

running low on supplies in the homeland

Considering you are a die hard AFB of long standing, perhaps you are not used to "normal" levels of Japanese supply. [8D]

Bases in the HI have anywhere from about 10,000 to 30,000 supply points..sometimes less at the bases that don't produce much. I have shipped about 300K to 400K to Malaya, PI and Palau...I'm actually gathering some supplies at now little used bases on Formosa and other areas. This may total 100K when I'm done.

It seems to me that my supplies on the HI are dropping noticeably by the turn and this is the real concern. Resources and Oil are stockpiled IIRC.

Again, I didn't do a lot (that I know of) to the production system. That means I also didn't turn much off.

I think I probably shipped a little too much to the front lines. However, as far as I can tell one of two things may be happening.
1. I shipped too many supplies to the front and that is somehow causing the economy to crash at home.
2. Some production item on the HI is eating up a lot of supplies, something that is basically being produced from the start of the game.

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: Chris H

I've installed the tracker but I'm struggling to work out the industry bit. What's the best place to go to monitor HI etc.

Go to the Industry screen and then Global, turn by turn changes are here ... also look at John's AAR to see how NY59Giants has fixed his problem (with some advice from friends)
tm.asp?m=1653188&mpage=23�� (page 16/17 onward.)

Otherwise, I'll help if you post some screen shots / email to me ... [edit] off to work now so I can do that later ...

[Naskra]

Have you thoroughly looked around for supplies?  I have seen Takamatsu draw most of the supplies in the Home Islands for no reason.

[tsimmonds]

How many factories/shipyards do you have set to repair? Doesn't take very many to outstrip your entire production; costs 1000 points per turn per factory. This is the main supply burner in the home islands for most of the game.

[niceguy2005]

Going through now and shutting down almost all factory expansions, except for a few A6M2 factories. However, according to the Economics chart supplies are not required for any production other than new factories, which the chart shows as a cost of 100 per factory. So, not sure if it's new factories or what. Overall supplies are still pretty good I think.

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

Going through now and shutting down almost all factory expansions, except for a few A6M2 factories. However, according to the Economics chart supplies are not required for any production other than new factories, which the chart shows as a cost of 100 per factory. So, not sure if it's new factories or what. Overall supplies are still pretty good I think.

You mention "new factories", but don't forget that any new factory points are created as damaged and need to be repaired at 1000 supply/1 factory point/1 day.

[niceguy2005]

RIght. As I understand it "new" factories show up as damaged. So I have turned repair off on almost all factories. Except for some Nikijima engines and 1 expansion of 20 new A6M2 factories.

[Yakface]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

Going through now and shutting down almost all factory expansions, except for a few A6M2 factories. However, according to the Economics chart supplies are not required for any production other than new factories, which the chart shows as a cost of 100 per factory. So, not sure if it's new factories or what. Overall supplies are still pretty good I think.

You're fine, don't worry about it. 2.85 million supplies means you've got no fundamental problem, though it's possible to have distribution problems. If you are too low in the home islands, just stop shipping out for a few days. Situation will recover very quickly. Of course you have to make sure you have carted enough oil and resources to your home factories.