Auto-Roller?

[Darkstar]

What are your opinions on machine rolled cigars? I generally don't use them but considering that it increases production per worker by 50% and only decreases value by 10% it would seem to be more profitable if you have enough teamsters. What are your thoughts on this?

[Malovane]

It seems to be worth it, especially when you have a huge number of tobacco farms. A 50% increase in production is better than most (if not all, im not sure) additions on other factories. It may drop the price of cigars a little bit, but you do make up for that in volume. The decreased tobacco wastage option is a worthy investment as well IMHO. Of course, the best way to make cigars more profitable is to get that cigar premium through trade delegations, which can boost the price 70%.

[Captain_Morgan]

Captain Morgan, being the wise leader he is, realizes that hand rolled cigars are more valued so when he isn't too busy making spiced rum he merely builds more cigar factories and skips the auto-roller.  More jobs, more people in the night club, and the economy thrives.

[bhar]

I think Captain Morgan is on the point here.  I would ALWAYS rather build another cigar factory (if possible) than build the auto-roller.

[Malovane]

Just got back from testing what the auto-roller and other production enhancing machines do. It was rather odd to see how the production system works, which I hadn't really watched before.

Each industry has a base conversion ratio, a base production amount, and a base production rate of speed. For cigars it is 1:1 for purposes of calculating how many tons of tobacco go into a ton of cigars. The factory converts .2 tons every work period with no workers. The work period seemed to be a couple of months.

When a worker comes into the shop, he or she starts his own work period, and then converts .2 tons worth of goods. Therefore, with one worker in the shop, .4 tons would be converted every 2 months. With all 6 working, it would be 1.4 tons every couple of months. This is without skilled workers. The more skilled the worker, the faster he or she completes that work unit. The factory itself seems unskilled

Silly me, I thought that the factories churned out the same no matter if the workers were there or not. It turns out that this is the reason behind the large industry production spikes and crashes. Sometimes they are all there working for about 6 months and then they all go to their services for about a year.

Anyway, the decreased tobacco wasteage option is great. Instead of turning 1 ton of tobacco into 1 ton of cigars, it turns 1 ton of tobacco into 1.2 tons of cigars. This equates to quite a bit of cash in the long run.

The auto-roller was interesting. It increased the output per work unit from .2 to .3. A 50% increase, just like it said. Two tobacco farms supplied all it needed to churn out cigars. Without the roller, there was quite a bit of excess tobacco going to the docks. One farm was not enough to supply one cigar factory, hand rolled.... and two overloaded it.

Adding another Cigar factory would work, but then you would have to add another two farms. This is all fine and good, and what you are supposed to do, really. I think the best ratio I have found is about 5 farms for every 3 factories. The problem happens when you start running out of space. Just the cigar factories and farms don't take a huge amount of space, but you do have to add a lot more infrastructure.

If your island reaches critical mass, and you find yourself with a bunch of tobacco left over, then you build a couple auto-rollers. It will alleviate having to bulldoze things to make room for other things. I usually play small islands and encounter this problem frequently. I really don't think 320 pesos less per load will really cause too much fiscal pressure.

[bhar]

Excellent research!  I also always thought that the factory produced the same amount whether the workers were there or not (I thought it was like banks and foreign ministries rather than like farms or docks).  Anyway, this is good stuff to know.  I still don't build auto-rollers, since I think it's better to build another factory and get them for their full price (unless I have a land shortage).  I like trade delegations to raise the price (70% is good), but I usually don't have an airport unless I have a major touism industry.

[metakhr]

I woudn't recommend auto roller, I too would rather build another factory

[Peron]

 Maybe it was reading this thread that put the idea into my head, but just picturing Cuban cigars being machined sent chills of terror down my spine.  How could anyone want to use a machine on such a wonderful thing!

 

 

[Darkstar]

Peron's got a good point there. In keeping with the spirit of the game, auto-rolled cigars shouldn't be an option.

[Olle_Petersson]

Two tobacco farms supplied all it needed to churn out cigars. Without the roller, there was quite a bit of excess tobacco going to the docks. One farm was not enough to supply one cigar factory, hand rolled.... and two overloaded it.

One way to fine-tune production is to reduce the work force; either in the farms or in the factories.

How is the production from two farms with three workers each compared to the turnover of a fully staffed factory without auto-roller?

Cheers
Olle

[General PinochetNut]

I use auto roller, trade delegations and Climate control.   Auto-roller makes up the cost. I don't want to waste 10grand plus maintance when I can just use autoroller.And with trade delegations it is even better.

[Stoller_R_Shohalt]

I tested the thing myself.

I played a game with unlimited pesos and sandbox political stability. I split the island into two camps. The Auto-rollers and the double factories.

The double factories won hands down for profit and productivity, IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE!!!!

[General PinochetNut]

True, but I don't play sand/sand test scenarios.

[bhar]

If it works there it should work in a real game.  I personally think that the autoroller is a waste of money.

[Alastar]

there´s no simple better/worse choice here, it all depends on the conditions on your island. a few examples:

unemployed high school grads milling about? -another factory
lack of workers and unstaffed buildings everywhere? - autoroller
- already on a building spree with construction offices busy for years? - autoroller
out of space, can´t build another factory without polluting an area you want to keep clean? - autoroller

more factories will increase profits for the same amount of tobacco, but they use up resources the autroller does not:
- building office capacity
- workers (not their wages, the workers themselves. they could be out there making money in a different job)
- space (especially important as they cause pollution)

in short, if your island is running smoothly and you have no unemployment problem, the autoroller is definitely worth it despite first impressions

[Egg]

Well, the problem with auto rollers is that they need electricity and you may not be able to get that early in the game. If you have the money, i would suggest another Factory. More jobs. And there was once where i was a farmer with administrator traits and all so what i did was this. In the begining of the game. I paused it immediately and built a cigar factory which was worth $9000 since i was an administrator and i used the remaining $1000 to build a tabacoo farm. I changed one of my starting farms to a tabacoo farm and so i had 2 tabacoo farms. When the factory was ready, i raised the wages, fired my soldiers and Xed out the spaces so they can't become soldiers until i have enough educated people. By that time my first batch on Tabacoo was ready. And the good part is that you there will always be some tabacoo left in the factory. I usally have about 3 tons of it left when the next one arrived. I had 3/5 workers. And when i hired some more, i found out that i had too many workers. So instead of wasting and putting it on easy does it, i decided to leave it on sweat shop, leave 2 spaces blank with the red X on it and save the other 2 for other jobs, i used them as teachers since they were both females and i had a good start. By the 2nd year i was making profits. I started Lumber and slowly another factory. All this, 2 cigar factories, 4 tabcoo farms, 1 logging camp, 1 lumber mill, was ready by the 10th year. With the money i started building houses slowly and well of course i used some of the money on clinics and churchs in the early years, i think on the 3 or 4th year. By the 26th year, i had rum dis, and 2 sugar farms, and only 8/12 workers in it.... Smart eh?

[zegoiaba]

This order of buildings will make the people get mad on you.
I build 4-6 ranches in the start, and by 55-56 it gives more money than any one factory. As it costs only $4.5k to build 6 ranches, there's money left to build another CO and some more things you need.

[mooski]

Evenin!

   Well, it depends on how fast you can start getting the necessary infrastructure into place.

   If you can't win the first election, you're already in trouble.  So now, you have about 10-12 years or so to have housing, church and a clinic up and going.

   Granted, you don't need to have everyone housed by the second election, but you should be able to win that one as well.

   And from there - you should be all set on how your little feifdom is taking hold.

   If you have enough money - all your worries should be gone...

   And it sounds like a big gamble, but if it pays off, I think it pays off big...  And if it fails, there's always the rowboat...

   Happy Happy!

[Baron Francisco]

Possibly, if you have about 5-7 tobbaco farms, you could build two tobbaco factories. One would have hand rolled cigars, the other machin rooled cigars. You could get the best of both products. The El Tropicano Premium and the El Tropicano Cheapo.

[Coconut Kid]

Just got back from testing what the auto-roller and other production enhancing machines do. It was rather odd to see how the production system works, which I hadn't really watched before. ...

Pay attention to Malovane's comments. No one has to the extent they deserve. It is reply #4 in this thread.