1939 Scenario for UK

[ppccctu]

I have always chosen to play the 1936 scenario, regardless of the country I chose, so I never paid much attention to the 1939 scenarios. Right now, I'm playing as the UK, and I started in 1936. I have now reached the summer of 1939 in my game, so it occurred to me that I might compare what I had achieved with what those who start their game in 1939 have available. It was an enlightening experience. Despite having only 4 research slots to my 5, the technology available to the 1939 player is marginally better than what I had achieved. The 1939 army was definitely better than mine also. On the negative side,the 1939 player would begin with no Intelligence service whatsoever, but that difficulty paled to the most significant problem such a player would face. The United Kingdom in the 1939 scenario begins with virtually no fuel reserves (they have only 364,000 thousand gallons in storage). War is literally looming on the visible horizon, and the UK will not be able to use its two most important assets - the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force - because they lack the fuel to employ them. Frankly, I don't understand how the UK is even playable under those conditions. Am I missing something?

 

[Zauberelefant]

Looks like that forces you to behave like actual Britain and be a bit hesitant until 1940?

 

[ppccctu]

Looks like that forces you to behave like actual Britain and be a bit hesitant until 1940?

A fair point, although it's a bit hard to believe that a nation with such a long sea going tradition, a nation whose very existence has often depended on its navy, would ever allow such a desperate shortage of a critical resource. Are you trying to say that the numbers given are historically accurate?

 

[KubiG37]

I doubt the amount of starting fuel is accurate. Most countries just have a same preset % value of maximum fuel stockpile for the start.

Also don't take the 1939 start too seriously. There's a lot of things outright wrong with regard to equipment and techs, there are bugs, and devs don't really update it at all, since majority of players don't play it at all.

 

[Zauberelefant]

A fair point, although it's a bit hard to believe that a nation with such a long sea going tradition, a nation whose very existence has often depended on its navy, would ever allow such a desperate shortage of a critical resource. Are you trying to say that the numbers given are historically accurate?

Nope, I am saying that, despite the actual situation seeming odd, your forced reaction is quite historical.
Remember this: oil is a flowing resource, you have a daily balance of the flow that determines your long term capacity to fight. So, even if you had twice the stockpile, the main factor is your daily fuel flow.
That is the yardstick for "fuel shortage", the ratio of oil coming in vs oil needed now/max.

 

[ppccctu]

Nope, I am saying that, despite the actual situation seeming odd, your forced reaction is quite historical.
Remember this: oil is a flowing resource, you have a daily balance of the flow that determines your long term capacity to fight. So, even if you had twice the stockpile, the main factor is your daily fuel flow.
That is the yardstick for "fuel shortage", the ratio of oil coming in vs oil needed now/max.

Well said, but a stockpile is still important. From 1936 to summer of 1939, I worked quite steadily to increase each so that by August 1939, my daily flow was up to 4k and my storage was just over a million. When war did come in 1940, I still needed more of each. I'm guessing the AI doesn't have to work under the same fuel restrictions.

 

[Zauberelefant]

Well said, but a stockpile is still important. From 1936 to summer of 1939, I worked quite steadily to increase each so that by August 1939, my daily flow was up to 4k and my storage was just over a million. When war did come in 1940, I still needed more of each. I'm guessing the AI doesn't have to work under the same fuel restrictions.

It actually does.
But what I don't know: how much fuel would you need daily in wartime without major fleet actions or offensives?
That number should be the base for your stockpile, maybe x100? Or 180?
Or just use your Peacetime demand x240 or x365?

 

[ppccctu]

It actually does.
But what I don't know: how much fuel would you need daily in wartime without major fleet actions or offensives?
That number should be the base for your stockpile, maybe x100? Or 180?
Or just use your Peacetime demand x240 or x365?

Almost impossible to know the answer. I was building up based on the supposition that I would be fighting the Italian navy, which turned out to be true. I wasn't greatly worried about the German navy, believing I could operate against them with a small patrol force backed up by a strike force sitting in port. But I would actually need to engage the Italians, and I have, with success, although I've had to watch fuel usage closely. I also assumed I would not be fighting the Japanese navy, hoping they would be too occupied with China, or the US, or both. And, in fact, I've had no worries from them at all. So, to give you ONE answer to your question, to fight a primary naval war in the Med and only smallish efforts elsewhere, You should figure on a storage capacity of around 1.2 million and a daily intake of about 4.5 K. With very careful management, you can even do with less, but we all like to be as active as possible.