When does captured equp get used?

[kirkgregerson]

I have a lot of captured equipment from looking at the prod screen. But the 'Units' column is 0 for all. So I take it I'm not using any of it yet? I have about 40 T34 and should be using them? Can I force a unit to use them?

[karonagames]

Page 223 15.3

AFV, combat vehicles and guns (devices that are named gun, usually individual ground
weapons of 20mm size or greater) from other types of ground elements (e.g. artillery) can be
captured as a result of a unit being forced to retreat or conduct a displacement move. Units
that shatter or surrender have a greater chance of having equipment captured along with the
manpower in the ground element. Captured equipment is placed in the “captured” production
pool (21.3) and may be used to equip applicable ground elements when a sufficient quantity
has been captured. In some cases during retreats and attacks that fail to force the defender
to retreat, equipment may be considered abandoned without the manpower associated with
the equipment being disabled. In those cases, the manpower is returned to the pool while the
equipment is either captured or destroyed.

Captured equipment will not be used by any country until October 1941.

[kirkgregerson]

good to know

[FM WarB]

I believe that some may overestimate how easy it is to use captured equipment rapidly in WW2.

Tanks, trucks, whatever.