Matrix Games Forums

I like the way loading/unloading is handled in the game, but I do have a few questions.

1. When you use commercial loading you have a choice of using "Use All Ships", which is the default, and "Use Minimum Ships" methods for loading the ships. What are the advantages and disadvantages of those two methods?

2. 6.3.3.2 section in the manual states that ship load ability is the ability of a single pier or group of lighters to load a single ship. Port load ability is a representation of how many such piers or loading stations are available. Meaning, as I understand it, how many ships the port can load/unload concurrently. So if I have a size 4 port does it mean that it can load/unload 4 ships concurrently and size 5 port 5 ships and so forth?

3. In the "Ship And Port Load Ability Table" (section 6.3.3.2.4) it tells how many load points different sized ports can load/unload in a 12 hour phase into a single ship. There are also columns for daily cargo and daily fuel/oil limits. Now although the single ship load/unload rates are given in 12 hour phases I take that the daily limits are given in 24 hour phases? For example size 1 port has a daily cargo limit of 2500. So if you hit that limit in the first 12 hour phase no loading/unloading happens in the latter 12 hour phase?

ORIGINAL: Kumppi

1. When you use commercial loading you have a choice of using "Use All Ships", which is the default, and "Use Minimum Ships" methods for loading the ships. What are the advantages and disadvantages of those two methods?

Use Minimum Ships will cram the unit(s) into as few ships as possible. It uses minimum ship capacity.
Use All Ships will spread the unit(s) over all ships in the TF, even to the point of having one squad on each. It limits losses should a ship be sunk during transport.

2. 6.3.3.2 section in the manual states that ship load ability is the ability of a single pier or group of lighters to load a single ship. Port load ability is a representation of how many such piers or loading stations are available. Meaning, as I understand it, how many ships the port can load/unload concurrently. So if I have a size 4 port does it mean that it can load/unload 4 ships concurrently and size 5 port 5 ships and so forth?

No. The statement concerning how many piers/loading stations are available is an explanation of the theory behind loading and unloading limitations. The actual number of ships that can load/unload at a given port is based on the tonnage of the ships involved and the tonnage capacities for each port size as in the table in section 6.3.1.1.

3. In the "Ship And Port Load Ability Table" (section 6.3.3.2.4) it tells how many load points different sized ports can load/unload in a 12 hour phase into a single ship. There are also columns for daily cargo and daily fuel/oil limits. Now although the single ship load/unload rates are given in 12 hour phases I take that the daily limits are given in 24 hour phases? For example size 1 port has a daily cargo limit of 2500. So if you hit that limit in the first 12 hour phase no loading/unloading happens in the latter 12 hour phase?

Correct. It all depends on number of ships, which depends on size of ships. A lot of small ships will generate a lot of over-the-pier handling and use up the port capacity quickly. Longshoremen exhausted, unloaded cargo stacked about on the pier waiting movement to storage, etc.

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen

Use Minimum Ships will cram the unit(s) into as few ships as possible. It uses minimum ship capacity.
Use All Ships will spread the unit(s) over all ships in the TF, even to the point of having one squad on each. It limits losses should a ship be sunk during transport.

I didn't think about the possibility of my ships sinking at all. I guess I have too little respect for my enemy. Good point.

How about loading and unloading operations. Does it have any effect? What I mean is that If you cram a single LCU into a single ship it does take longer for it to load and unload because of the single ship loading rate limitation, but if it's divided between ships more of the LCUs load points can be loaded in the same 12 hour pulse. Does my thinking make any sense?

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen

No. The statement concerning how many piers/loading stations are available is an explanation of the theory behind loading and unloading limitations. The actual number of ships that can load/unload at a given port is based on the tonnage of the ships involved and the tonnage capacities for each port size as in the table in section 6.3.1.1.

I understand that, but what I mean is how do I know how many ships the port can load unload at the same time. Let's say I have a transport TF of 20 ships docked in port. I am in a size 7 port. I initiate a loading operation of supplies only. Will all 20 ships load at the same time or must some ships wait until others are done?

There are too many variables to answer your questions in detail.

It's all math, and the values are given in the table mentioned in the manual.

Each ship gets the specified load/unload rate. If that ship is carrying up to that amount of troops/cargo it will fully unload in one turn. Else it will take multiple turns.

The number of ships that can unload in one turn is governed by the size of the ships (in ship tonnage), the capacity of the port (in ship tonnage), type of cargo on the ships and capacity of the port (in troop/cargo/liquid "units"). If the port can handle x tons of ships and there are 2x tons of ships in the TF, not all can unload in one turn.

Number of ships is important because no ship can unload more than the ship rate.

Size of ships (and of port) is important due to the total docked and total cargo handling capacities of the port. Ships too large to dock will unload slower. A lot of small ships will overcrowd the piers.

OK. Thanks for the answers!

Probably a dumb question, but I couldn't find the answer in the manual. What is the process to load a TF with say, fuel and then cargo before it leaves to it's destination? Do you have to create two separate TF's or is there a way to instruct a partial load of each? (Assume only one turn is used to load)

If you create a TF and put in it AKs and AOs/TKs and start to load supplies then AKs load up with supplies and AOs/TKs load up with fuel automatically.

Some of my TF's are listed as too large to dock at the port facilities but they can still unload.  What is the consequence for not being able to use the piers while loading/unloading?  I've found that creating a new TF and moving ships into it until it's just large enough to dock works, but does that hurry up the loading/unloading process?

It means some of the ships will have to wait their turn before other ships have unloaded. Those ships might still unload, but because they can't use the piers they unload much slower.

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


There are too many variables to answer your questions in detail.

It's all math, and the values are given in the table mentioned in the manual...

Thanks Don.

Color me stupid, but I have a simplified version that I use.

>>> Big ports load/unload faster, small ports load/unload slower.

So far, that has worked just fine. I don't try and crunch number to eek out maximum efficiency. And, even if you grossly overload a port, the action will take place -- just not fast, but I already knew that from just common sense.

Regards,
Feltan

I am experiencing a problem related to amphip TFs and the new Japanese AK-ts. I want these TFs to load the troops and the 3-day combat supply load as per the manual. If you select "load troops" then the troops load along with too many supplies due to the large cargo capacity of an AK-t. This is a problem as it can drain a base's supplies. For example, it could drop a base below 10K or 20K supplies. You can't unload just the supplies, and too many supplies load in one turn if you're loading an SNLF or other small unit.

My question is - if I select "load only troops" will I still get the 3-day combat supply?

Yes. You always get the 3-day supply when combat loading.