Victoria 3: (1.8) Labor saving does not save brainpower (Labor saving guide)

Go to table of content, click “suggested time to turn on labor saving” section, you’re welcome.

Imagine this: You beeline electrical capacitors from electrical generation. Because 40% (100 to 140) production increase in clothes production from sewing machines to electrical sewing machines is a great deal.

However, there is no available peasants, aka future workers ready to be shoved into those hydroelectric power plants.

Well, electrical capacitors also enables automatic power loom. So by switching from mechanized power looms to automatic power looms. For 10 extra electricity per level, you push 1000 (-2500 – (-1500) = -1000) laborers out from textile mills and hopefully they go straight into power plants. Problem solved, right?

Except it (by simple calculation) doesn’t. To produce that 10 electricity, you would need 0.2 (10/50 = 0.2) hydroelectric power plant, which is equivalent to 1100 labor (2500+1800+1200=5500, 5599 * 0.2=1100). Given that power plant does not have any labor saving methods. By simple calculation ,switching to automatic power looms with hydroelectric power plant would constitute an extra of 100 (-1000+1100=100) labor committed for textile mills — hydroelectric power plants. Not to mention the labor committed to produce the motor that would be used up by the power plants.

Note that the calculation is based on automatic power looms with hydroelectric power plant. Coal power plant, which produces twice as much electricity (100 to 50) per level while employing 600 less labor (4900 to 5500), under similar calculation would conclude that workforce would be saved from switching to automatic power looms.

The core idea is that, applying labor saving methods does not guarantee higher productivity or workforce saving. You’re welcome.

The pool of pops working in the building when the building is at full employment.

The total quantity of the workforce.

All production methods that belongs to either automation production method group 1 or 2. (Reference to Paradox Victoria 3 Wiki)

A reduction in labor.

The amount needed to maintain the sell order : buy order ratio. Normally expressed as “any change in demand should be offset by the same change in supply”

The amount needed to prevent a shortage, a shortage occurs when sell order : buy order ratio is bigger than 2. In other word, a minimum 50% increases by amount in sell order in respond to an increase in buy order is needed to avoid a shortage.

1. For whatever the reason it is, Paradox uses the term “workforce” instead of “worker composition”. Thus the guide follows as such and the term “labor force” is used for clarification.
2. The words “labor” and “labour” are the same terms. American English uses the first one and anywhere else uses the second one. This guide uses “labor” because it is one less letter to type.

• The first production method in either group of LSMs is considered as the null LSM. Which does not save any labor by default.
• Labor saving is compared by the difference between the considered PM and the previous PM in the group.
• No ahead of time is considered. If a tier 4 production tech is researched, then all production tier 3 tech are also considered as researched.
  However, not having barbered fences for ranches (requires military t2 field works) while having electrical fences (requires production t3 electrical generation) is fairly reasonable. Because barbered fences used to be locked in military t4 trench works, (and thus many playthroughs had electrical fences unlocked before barbered fences) thanks Paradox.
• The guide assumes there is ample supply of iron and coal at production t3 and ample supply of rubber and oil at production t4.
• By ample supply, no shortage is allowed in long term.
• There is sufficient qualification and little to no peasant population.
• Throughput is considered as 0% unless further noted.
• MAPI is considered as 100% unless further noted. It is considered as 0 % in the case of local goods (services, transportation, electricity).
• The sell order: buy order ratio is considered as 1 unless further noted, which suggests the goods at their base price. And any change in demand should be offset by the same change in supply.

The workforce of a logging camp in saw mills PM consists of 500 shopkeepers, 500 machinists, and 4000 laborers. For a total of 5000 labor.
Steam donkeys compared to horse drawn will save 1000 labor by decreasing 1000 laborer jobs.
Chain saws, compared to horse drawn will save 1250 labor, and thus relative to steam donkeys will save 250 labor by decreasing 500 laborers jobs and adding 250 engineers jobs.
Chain saws are not “workforce” saving to be precise because it adds 250 engineers jobs, but still labor saving because it saves 250 more labor compared to steam donkeys.
This 250 more labor is saved via spending 4 oil, however 4 coal is also saved by the switch.

As the direct consequence, labor saving do:

• Save labor, as its name implied.
• Increase market demand for goods . Pops demand for goods, however, is another story…
• Decrease the percentage of laborers in the workforce. this also happens when you “upgrades” a PM.

Which often implies:

• More labor for other part of economy.
• Higher GDP per capita.
• Weaker trade unions, since laborers tend to support trade union.
• Higher literacy, since laborers usually have low wealth and do not receive any additional education access.

Therefore, labor saving should better done when you:

• have little to no peasant population, then labor saving allows more buildings to be filled with employment
• Improve building productivity, when it actually does improve and higher productivity is needed.
• Deepen industrialization process, which is the two points above.
• Prefer a weaker trade union.
• Have specific literacy goal (want higher literacy), for example the reading campaign achievement, iranzamin achievement.

Meanwhile, labor saving should be avoid if:

• have large peasant population or high unemployment.
• Do not make the economy more productive, or the alternative serve better for industrialization.
• To investment to achieve the said labor saving divert too much resource from industrialization.
• Prefer a stronger trade union.
• Prefer the devote to not lose attraction from high literacy.

Although one LSM could be used in many different buildings. The exact effect of the LSM varied by buildings. (For instance, automation in tooling workshops does not consume tool but consume extra coal or oil.) Thus the list will provide descriptions rather than actual values for those cases.

Rye, Wheat, Maize, Millet (or all other farms beside rice) use 5000 labor per level with null labor saving.

For rice farm, it uses double (10000) the labor per level and produce twice as many food. This is mostly designed to balance the arable land in East Asia while matching the historical population density of east asia countries. The labor saving methods similarly save twice the labor with double the cost. But only up to steam-powered thresher machines are available. Largely because the intensive farming nature of east Asia farms does not allow tractors to be use efficiently in small, well tended plots.

This refers to water tube boilers (t2 water-tube boilers), rotary value engine (t3 rotary valye engine) and assembly line (short as ASB line, t4 conveyors ).

These three LSMs cover furniture manufacturies, tooling workshops, paper mills, steel mills, motor industries, arm industries, artillery foundry and munition plants.

[1]tooling workshops, arm industries, artillery foundry, munition plants do not use tool, but use 5 coal/oil extra.
[2]motor industries saves 500/1000/1500 laborer plus 500 machinists, for a total of 1000/1500/2000 labor.
[3]ASB line on artillery foundry save 2500 labor instead of 3000.
[4]paper mills, steel mills do not have ASB line.
[5]arm industries, artillery foundry, munition plants do not have water tube boilers.

Rail and transportation guide is WIP.

Rail transportation unlocks at t2 railway. Plantations, mines, logging camps, and oil rigs all have access to the basic 5 transportation save 1000 labor rail transportation. The last two each also get further upgrades, rail logs cart (8 transportation, save 1500 labor) at t4 electrical railway and tanker cars (10 transportation, save 2000 labor) at t3 steel railway cars.

T3 steam donkey can be applied on mines and logging camps. For 1 engine and 4 coal (coal mine use 1 less coal) it saves 1000 labor.

Logging camps get an upgrade chainsaws at t4 combustion engine. Which for 1 engine and 4 oil save 1250 labor (1500 less laborers and 250 more engineers). Prior to 1.8 it used to be 10 tools and 5 oils to save 1100 labor (1500 less laborers and 200 more machinists, 200 more engineers.) Which is such a joke compared to steam donkey.

There is another guide I made regarding electricity, check the appendix below.

Ranches, fishing wharves and whaling stations all use 5000 labor per level. Refrigeration technologies are t4 pasteurization, t4 electrical railways and t5 flash freezing. Most often electrical railway is the relevant tech because how important electrical engine is. Refrigerated rails cars and flash freezing also use transportation but there is electrical railway available to satisfy any transportation need.

• Food industies Automated bakery at t5 dough rollers. 10 tools to save 2500 labor.
• Textile Mills Mechanized looms at t2 mechanized workshops, 5 tools to save 1500 labor. Its upgrade automatic power looms unlocked at t4 electrical capacitors, 5 tools, 10 electricity to save 2500 labor.
• Glasswork automatic bottle blowers at t4. 2 tools 5 oil 2 engines to save 2500 labor.
• Ranches Barbed wire fences at military t2 field works, 2 irons to save 800 labor. Its upgrade electric fences unlocked at t3 electrical generation, 2 irons 2 electricity to save 1400 labor.

Although ports have only one production method group. (Anchorage, cargo, industrial and modern port). The percentage increase of convey per production method changes is rather low compared to other buildings. (150-175-200 from cargo-industrial-modern, which are below 20%.) However, the labor use per level decreases dramatically, (5000-4000-2000 from cargo-industrial-modern).

Coupled with the fact that port max level increases with techs, it can be said that port has labor saving integrated into the primary production method group.

This part serves as an opinion. It follows the assumptions above and does not take account to specific or exact cases of industrialization.

• ASAP : turn it on when the technology is researched, provided there is not shortage of goods and no large unemployment. Extremely beneficial.
• Gradual : probably turn some but not all on when the technology is researched to wait for resources, so the input goods supply goes up to match the new demand. Mostly beneficial but more price sensitive than ASAP grade.
• Situational : may or may not turn this on when the technology is researched. That is highly subjective to the cases. This grade is the middle between gradual and delayed. A mixed opinion for this grade.
• Delayed: Preferably not turn this on when the technology is researched and should wait until some other technology is researched (indicators). Turn this too early will divert resources that should better to be used elsewhere.
• Joke/design mistake : Please, don’t turn it on because it is counterproductive. Pre 1.2 ASB line Pre 1.6 barbed fence, Pre 1.7 tractor/compression ignition tractor, Pre 1.8 chainsaws, will be in this grade.

Harvesting tools: Joke without steelworking. Delayed without mechanized tools. Gradual with both mechanized tools and Bessemer process.

Steam-Powered Thresher Machines: Gradual, 1 coal for 500 less labor is too good a deal to refuse. The only thing holding it back is a large peasant population/ high unemployment.

Tractors: Gradual without electrical railway, ASAP with electrical railway. The only two things holding it back is a large peasant/population/ high employment, or those engines have to be on automatic irrigation (and perhaps automobile production) instead.

Compression Ignition Tractors: ASAP, that is t5 tech for you. The only thing holding it back is a large peasant population/ high unemployment.

water tube boilers : Delayed without nitroglycerin, situational with nitroglycerin. Coal production is the deciding factor here.

rotary value engine : Delayed with none of dynamite, open hearth process, vulcanization. situational with at least one of the above. 5 extra coals for 500 less labor is less efficient compared to from null to water tube boilers. (Especially compared to steam-powered threshing machines)

assembly line (conveyors): Delayed without steam turbine, situational with steam turbine. Power plants themselves do not have any LSM.

These three LSMs cover furniture manufacturies, tooling workshops, paper mills, steel mills, motor industries, arm industries, artillery foundry and munition plants.

Special mention: delayed all labor saving for motor industries until electrical railway, its LSMs are innately worse than all other versions and must wait for electrical railway to make it profitable enough to turn these LSMs on.

Steam engine feels so bad compared to electric engine. Double the engine output is too good to not prioritized. Albeit you do need all the electricity for the switch to electric engine.

Rail transportation: Joke at experimental trains (railway), delayed at steam trains (steam railway cars), transportation prior to electrical trains should focus on meeting infrastructure needs and high transportation price is to make railway profitable to be at full employment.

Rail transportation(continued), rail logs cart, tanker cars: gradual at electrical trains (electrical railroad). ASAP at diesel train (compression ignition) with access.

steam donkey: delayed without electrical railway. automatic irrigation (and automobile production) need those engines than steam donkey, situational with only electrical railway, gradual with steam turbine and electrical railway.

chainsaws: situational, because electrical railway also offers rail log carts and transportation can now be provided by electrical railway.

Hydroelectric power plant feels so bad compared to coal power plant. Double the electricity output is too good to not prioritized.

refrigerated storage (pasteurization): Situational without steam turbine, gradual with steam turbine. (The tech itself is low priority compared to electrical railway)

refrigerated rail cars (electrical railways): Situational without steam turbine, gradual with steam turbine.

flash freezing: ASAP with electricity and transportation access, that is t5 tech for you.

• Food industies Automated bakery: ASAP, that is t5 tech for you.
• Textile Mills Mechanized looms : Delayed, probably still large peasant population, a good sign is vulcanization which enables machined steel tools for tooling workshops.

  Its upgrade automatic power looms : Joke with neither steam turbine nor electrical railway, delayed with only electrical railway, situational with only steam turbine, gradual with both.

• Glasswork automatic bottle blowers: ASAP with the 1.8 change, could be gradual with no electrical motor (electrical railway).
• Ranches Barbed wire fences : Delayed, prior to society t3 steel-fume building iron should goes to construction sectors. Its upgrade electric fences : Delayed, you probably do not have power plant of your own by the time electrical generation is researched.

ASAP to upgrade industrial port to modern port when concrete dockyards is done. The upgrade from cargo port to industrial port is situational. It can wait if there is ample convoy.

WIP

Feel free to move over to my other guide here.

• The oil guide
• The electricity guide

• Not Yet Lost