FBD / RAD question

[Light4bettor]

For any folks knowledgeable on this subject, I would like a brief primer on FBDs and their assigned RADs. Looking to free up RADs for rail conversion by pulling them from FBDs but I don't know the consequences. On my previous post in the quick questions thread Malyhin informed me about some consequences, but I'd like more clarity on the mechanics if anyone knows. Plus the following nuance:

FBD 4 (AGN sector) has 1 "RAD Detachment" (36 labor squads) assigned to it.

While FBDs 3,2 (AGC sector), and FBD 1 (AGS sector)- each have 2 bigger "RAD Labor Groups" assigned to them (each Labor group has 72 labor squads).

So, FBD 4 with only 1 RAD detachment can do the same amount of Railroad conversion as the other FBDs, even though it has less RAD units (4th FBDs RAD detachment is only 1 unit and maybe a quarter of the size in terms labor squads as compared to the others)?
Do FBDs require RADS inside them in order to function as rail conversion units, or can I pull RADs from the FBDs to increase my free RADs to convert rail, and the FBDs still do their rail conversion functions at 16 MP per turn?

[malyhin1517]

The most important thing that you should know is that you will not be able to return the repair units to the FBD again. And the cost of repairing a hex will be 2-3 times higher than usual. But your FBD will have 16 MP as before, only the MP consumption for each railway repair hex will change. Moving FBD will cost as usual.

[Jango32]

As malyhin says once you pull out RADs/O.Ts from an FBD you cannot put them back in. If you play with TB control there are 2 RADs you can move from Norway to the map. After playing games where I pulled 1 RAD from each FBD that had 6 SUs and games where I didn't, I honestly think it's better to keep them in the FBDs.

The reasons for that are the lack of locations to deploy them once you repair up the Baltic countries and potentially link up Brest-Litovsk from the other double rail and single line. The RADs that you normally get with the 2 extras from Norway and the 4 Romanian rail repair SUs (after their FBD disbands) are more than enough.

[ShaggyHiK]

It sounds like it will be possible to pull it out after the summer of 42, but before that it’s better not to, but how will it work with a super depot?

[malyhin1517]

...but how will it work with a super depot?

As usual!

[PeteJC]

I strip out the "extra" RAD and OT units and assign them to 16th army on T1. I also get rid of all units in 38th corps (Chappuis). On T2 I assign all the extra RAD and OT to 38th corps. I then use that corps to clean up the Baltic rail network. Around turn 8 I add another stripped-down corps so I can allocate the RAD & OT to the two corps and fine tune the clean-up. round turn 12 the entire Baltic area can be repaired then the two corps can work on other areas (north of Carpathian Brest-Litovsk link up etc.).

With that said, I have only been playing to the T16 VP check so in the longer run it may very well be better to keep the RAD & OT units attached to their original FBDs. However, it is pretty easy to arrange your divisions in a manner that gets you two extra corps HQs which allows you to direct those extra units pretty effectively.