Problem with Food

[Spackweasel]

No matter what country I play or what scenario I cannot get enough food. I post my request for the deficit on the world market but no one meets it.I cant upgrade my infrastructure fast enough to get anywhere near break even. What gives ? This is so frustrating as the game looks great. In the one I have just started, the USA starts being 32 food in deficit per turn. I managed to get Russia (by asking) to pick up 10 a turn but thats it. Within 10 turns we are starving. The balance of payments elsewhere is fine. Lots of coal, metal, arms, goods but just no food.

[Full Melvin]

I'm not going to try to fool you into thinking I know, but maybe this will help..

I put another post in play explaining my struggle with the timing feel in this game.. It sounds like you have the same problem.. After 4 or 5, panic attack about the food starts, I finally said I'm just going to request, then ignore.. Seems to be the key.. I just needed to get enough turns in to see the motor start..

I started as Germany on the Rise of the Reich campaign, normal D..
Start with 21 food and 39'ish oil deficit If memory serves.. Started upgrading my 6 biggest food centers to level 3 and maximizing all oil. I then went to the market and imported 300 units of oil from various sources, and put a request out for 100 food.. Each turn I would check the trade tab and see if any food was up for grabs.. 1 time lucky early, turn 4'ish for about 7 units so I bought.. Still left 100 food request up.. Fills on the request started to trickle in from multiple sources, onesies twosies.

When my start food surplus ran out I was at -14 for two rounds, more response to my request, then -1 for a two or 3 turns.. Bingo, fairly big hit on the food request.. I am now at turn 17 of 676 which is May 22, 1933, not much time since turn 1, and my food is 79 to the good each turn.. All from response to my 100 request save 7 that I snagged from the up for grabs list..

I am researching improved infantry at 60 IPU a turn, I am not currently exporting anything, nor am I making anything other then goods and +18 arms.. I am stockpiling oil & coal like crazy.. Need the oil, so says history, and coal will be my export when the time comes.. Steel is at +151, I will amp that up soon, when the food upgrades are done..

Spending is at $91,354,100 and total income is at $123, 600, 000 giving me $32, 245, 900 in the bank a turn.. Not bad for the 1930,s.. I think I'm on my way to a good sleeper start..

Hope this helps.
Cheers.

[Spackweasel]

Okay - I will try this and report back.

[CommissarBRO]

More than likely, you're industrializing far too quickly. This causes the MPU's that are 'farming' as unskilled labor to become skilled labor and move towards increasing your IPU's in your cities. The 2 countries who should always have positive food are the United States and China. Increase your agriculture infrastructure as either and you'll have positive food. The only time the US starts to have trouble is when their IPU count is over 2000.

The Soviet Union should be another country which can have positive foodstuffs after a few dozen turns.

Just as a rule, food is ALWAYS in short supply within the first 100 turns or so. You have to let some time pass so other countries can develop.

Worst case scenario, boot up the editor and increase pop counts in the capitols of all the countries you like to play as and that will boost their food production to 'easier' levels.

Hope this helps a bit :)

[CrustyThorn]

I don't do anything for the first fre turns except upgrade food infrastructure - playing Japan, even with the worst little islands (costs very little on those). This works well. I end up with so much food I cannot sell it.