Every port has a domestic industrialization index value of between zero and 10.
The index is a measure of the level of industrialisation that is able to sevice the port using only domestic materials available locally - the quantity and value of which are determined by the port's 'Domestic Materials Index' (DMI) - which is set separately. (See setting the domestic materials index).
A higher industry value means not only more but more complex industry. The higher the level, the more the value that can be extracted from a given amount of materials.
Note that the level of a port's domestic industry has nothing to do with it's export industry level. Both may be high, both low, or one high and the other low. These values are set to create starting economic conditions for each side that determine not only how wealthy a country is but also how relatively dependant it may be on the import of materials - ie trade by sea. For example, in the 'Atlantic1' scenario, the Germans have deliberately been given high levels of domestic materials and industry - to simulate that their wealth was generated very largely without reliance on the import of materials by sea. Conversely, Britain was given industry and materials indices at its ports that greatly necessitate sea trade to maintain a robust economy.
The domestic industry levels at your ports, together with the accompanying domestic materials indices are used by the computer when it calculates the total value of your economy.
Changing the industry levels can have a big affect on the value of a country's economy, and hence on the starting odds also.
Your domestic industry factories at each port produce RPs every turn. Any domestic materials available locally get converted to RPs. The formula is:
number of RPs = 10 * the port's domestic materials index * the port's current domestic industry index.
This formula assumes that the strategic turn is the standard 30 days (one month). The RPs produced are directly increased or reduced by increases or reductions in the length of the strategic turn.
As industry values are changed you should notice the odds change also (unless the change is small).
To change the industry level for the currently selected port, just select a new value in the combo box.
Note that although you can improve industry levels at selected ports during a game, this gets increasingly expensive as industry levels increase. It is relatively easy to establish small scale industry, but to create a fully sophisticated industrial base is very expensive (and time consuming) indeed. Giving a country an advantage with its industry at the start of the war represents a significant advantage (all else being equal).
Note also that it is most productive for industry levels to be highest at your home port, because this is where aircraft and troop unit production take place and most or all of your ship production also. Surplus RPs can be convoyed in to home port but this takes time and involves risk of course.
Click here to return to the help page detailing what other port parameters you can change.