While I likely need to play another game or two to really understand what is happening with Manpower generation but it seems to be fairly close to a base value plus 1:1 based on population. The UE quest option for Manpower requires 288 Manpower in reserves which players have little control over unless they want to sacrifice a couple population. In Era 2 this is alleviated by the food->manpower conversion building Exotic Rations(which stacks but that seems like it might be a bug, additionally the Era 1 building is named identically).

Early game Manpower feels irrelevant, except for the one quest, and mid to late game feels irrelevant because you have enough to not run out thanks to the stacking Exotic Rations building.

I'd like to see additional manpower options, perhaps from the Market or other non-conversion Improvements. Additionally I'd rather the Era 2 Exotic Rations worked the way the Era 4 Super Biofuel Factory worked and just converted all excess food.