US pre-war

[Kermit_Mupp]

I´ve started trying out the US pre-war (using the WiF-mod, but I don't know if that's a factor?) and noticed something:

In my first few run-ups to the war I got repeated options to invest money in research or in infrastucture - but in later games I diddn't get those.
Is this only offered if I go further towards central planning, perhaps?
So it's either these offers with more central planning or the random free market research events with more free market?
Just a guess on my part - maybe that's not the reason or how it works?

But if I stay free market I seem to amass an insane amount of wealth I have nothing to spend on - and I see other nations doing the same, run by the AI.
What am I supposed to do with all this money?
I don't actually think FDR had that problem pre-war.

Also, I noticed that some options (like "Good neighbour" is only available for a while. Wanting to save the -2% dissent for a time when I actually had dissent I didn't use it as soon as it became available and when I did want to use it, it was gone.

Are all options time senetive like this or only that one? Does anyone know the answers to these questions or can point me towards a detailed description of playing the US pre-war?
I've looked but haven't been able to find anything usefull.

 

[Altruist]

In my first few run-ups to the war I got repeated options to invest money in research or in infrastucture - but in later games I diddn't get those.
Is this only offered if I go further towards central planning, perhaps?

Yes.

So it's either these offers with more central planning or the random free market research events with more free market?

Yes..

But if I stay free market I seem to amass an insane amount of wealth I have nothing to spend on - and I see other nations doing the same, run by the AI.
What am I supposed to do with all this money?
I don't actually think FDR had that problem pre-war.

Hehe.

Also, I noticed that some options (like "Good neighbour" is only available for a while. Wanting to save the -2% dissent for a time when I actually had dissent I didn't use it as soon as it became available and when I did want to use it, it was gone.

Are all options time senetive like this or only that one?

Depends. some are, some not.
Some events are time restricted, others by certain policy settings or a special person like FDR being head of state or an army being present in a region...

# The Good Neighbor Policy
    trigger = {
            random = 20
            atwar = no
            government = democratic
            headofstate = 240001 # FDR
    }
    date = { day = 0 month = january year = 1935 }
    offset = 15
    deathdate = { day = 29 month = december year = 1935 }

The Good Neighbour Policy is only available for the year 1935, if the US is democratic, not at war and FDR head of state.

or can point me towards a detailed description

The events of DH are txt-file based, so quite readable and can be found in the directory
..\Darkest Hour\Mods\Darkest Hour Full\db\events\..
If you are not playing Darkest Hour Full but another mod just replace "Darkest Hour Full" with the approbiate mod-directoy-name.

Most of the generic events you have mentioned can be found in:
DayofDecision.txt : 2049103 USA The Good Neighbor Policy
or
generic_decisions.txt : a bit hidden there and NOT listed upfront
id = 9000030
Invest in National Infrastructures
as well as "public works", "Invest in National Research" etc.

Obviously the file USA.txt has also interesting events.
Over time and by mods there might be more events scattered over several files. Just check the non-nation-specific named files.

 

[Vilcoyote]

I usually stay free market and use full devaluation as a mean to tank my money. I believe it is more beneficial to me than building IC.
Otherwise I heard of another strategy, going central planning via public works decision until you can spam research plan to get a huge boost in tech and thus to be in front of everyone years in advance.

 

[Kermit_Mupp]

Thank you both for your replies!

I've played some more and it seems that going one shift towards central planning for the US (apart from the ones you get from doing the 1st and 2nd New Deals) is optimal. That will let you get the option of investing in research which not only gives you blueprints but also raises your research modifier by 2,5% (provided that you choose the maximum investments - which is the optimal kind).

Doing this and pre-researching the computing machines will have you past the 100% research modifier by early 1942, at which point the payback from further investments in research falls to a fraction and it's probably no longer worth it.

But at that point your at war and don't have the same kind of money to spend anyway, since your war economy won't produce such abundance of money.


Regarding Vilcoyote's idea about doing financial devaluations to boost industry instead of actually building new industries that's an interesting point I haven't looked into but may try later.


Regarding "going central planning via public works" I believe that's what I've done then?

But as I say you only need to do a single public works to get a single step towards central planning, because you will probably always want to do both New Deals, as they also raises production.

So further steps towards central planning is unnecessary to get the option to invest in research and if you don't go any further towards central planning you can then turn back towards free market and later also get the random free market investments in research.

So from a standpoint of research at least I think that's the optimal part?

Unless there is some further boost to research from going further towards central planning that I'm unaware of?