Arab Nations - Oil Production

[ArcturusRising]

Is it possible to increase domestic oil production in a nation? All of the guides I have read are oriented towards the bigger powers such as Germany and they say to buy more crude oil (or conquer it) and then refine it. As an Arab nation, shouldn't I be the one selling the oil to other powers? I'm playing as Yemen right now and my oil production is zero. Next game I will try playing as Saudi Arabia, but was wondering if there was a way to "dig wells".

[TheBromgrev]

There is no tech that increases oil extraction, and if you don't have any oil at the start of the '36 scenario then you have to buy it. There's no way to dig wells.

Also, just because a nation is Arab doesn't mean it has large oil reserves that were known about and exploited during the WW2 time frame Yemen's reserves are so small they weren't discovered until 1982 and they're expected to disappear completely in the next 4-5 years.

[ArcturusRising]

Thanks for the response and the history lesson. That's one of the reasons I like playing historical wargames; I learn things while having fun and engaging my mind.

I enjoy the challenge of playing a smaller nation - also less micromanagement -, but I think the game would need to start well before 1936 (maybe post WWI). I spent so much time researching engineering, industrial capacity, oil refinement, and construction, that I haven't even touched the military technologies and the war is half over.

[Ferdiad]

The game does have a pause button you know.

[I WUB PUGS]

The US was the leading producer of oil during the period. Middle Eastern oil output was minimal at the time as most fields hadn't even been discovered.

Paradox is not ignorant to this. Its why Texas produces the most oil in the game along with Ploesti, Baku and the Dutch East Indies being vital oil areas.

[TheBromgrev]

I enjoy the challenge of playing a smaller nation - also less micromanagement -, but I think the game would need to start well before 1936 (maybe post WWI). I spent so much time researching engineering, industrial capacity, oil refinement, and construction, that I haven't even touched the military technologies and the war is half over.

There's the problem. The scope of the game is the big war that took place between 1939 (1937 if you count China) and 1945. HOI3 is a war game, not a nation building game. It's not meant to really handle the civilian-side of a country. If you want to build a small nation up into a major power, HOI3 isn't the game for you. East vs West looks like it might have a nation-building element to it, and Victoria 2 is a prime example of a nation-building game, but HOI3 is about building up an army and throwing that army into a war to see how well you prepared.