Matrix Games Forums

CrusaderRex wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2026 3:43 pm I use air transports all the time to move trained squads in RSVs and supplies closer to the front from the rear areas. I wish I had more of them. I find it faster than rail movement when your just moving infantry or specialty squads to hotspots. For the Republic in 1936 those trained Infanteria Squad 33's are worth more than gold.

I'm yet to grasp the concept of rail movement - maybe this weekend.

Rysyonok wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2026 1:12 am

CrusaderRex wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2026 3:43 pm I use air transports all the time to move trained squads in RSVs and supplies closer to the front from the rear areas. I wish I had more of them. I find it faster than rail movement when your just moving infantry or specialty squads to hotspots. For the Republic in 1936 those trained Infanteria Squad 33's are worth more than gold.

I'm yet to grasp the concept of rail movement - maybe this weekend.

Loading and unloading takes time. Loading should probably take longer than unloading . . .

The time to load should include getting the correct railroad cars in the correct amount to the place where the units are loading. They are not necessarily instantly there but small elements such as replacements and/or reinforcements to fill out the TO&E could be moved during ordinary passenger and/or cargo train movement. Also, loading and unloading of vehicles and heavy equipment takes time and they have to be properly positioned on the open goods wagons (flat bed cars) or the load might shift causing a derailment with the equipment being unloaded as well so it could end up damaged. This is where adjusting the loading/unloading times for the size of the train depot could be used but that would make it more complicated.

One other factor that could adjust the loading and unloading time comes from World War One in London, England. The troop trains would arrive in the morning and the soldiers would enjoy the city. In the evening when the soldiers were supposed to load the trains to go to the coast for movement to France or elsewhere, a lot of them were sleeping on the sidewalks or in the gutters. Thus, the public houses (pubs) would close at 3 pm until 5 or 7 pm . . .

I get served with my first A2A combat (lost) and my first airbase bombardment (also not good). My ships find precisely nothing this turn, even though the Med is covered in NAT task forces. Battles are definitely becoming much bloodier.

RangerJoe wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2026 3:32 am Loading and unloading takes time. Loading should probably take longer than unloading . . .

The time to load should include getting the correct railroad cars in the correct amount to the place where the units are loading. They are not necessarily instantly there but small elements such as replacements and/or reinforcements to fill out the TO&E could be moved during ordinary passenger and/or cargo train movement. Also, loading and unloading of vehicles and heavy equipment takes time and they have to be properly positioned on the open goods wagons (flat bed cars) or the load might shift causing a derailment with the equipment being unloaded as well so it could end up damaged. This is where adjusting the loading/unloading times for the size of the train depot could be used but that would make it more complicated.

One other factor that could adjust the loading and unloading time comes from World War One in London, England. The troop trains would arrive in the morning and the soldiers would enjoy the city. In the evening when the soldiers were supposed to load the trains to go to the coast for movement to France or elsewhere, a lot of them were sleeping on the sidewalks or in the gutters. Thus, the public houses (pubs) would close at 3 pm until 5 or 7 pm . . .

It seems like I need to concentrate my rail cars, I have way too few. I imagine that for proper movement to work, I need to control every base hex along the route?

It was suggested that I group up my sectors - I agreed. The Southern Theater is this:
We're falling back from Cordoba while reinforcing the area from the east and the north (red arrows). Enemy is harassing us near Malaga (yellow arrows), and I'm having to send to the port a couple of available units before an unprotected harbor is overrun. Heavy fighting north of Granada (orange star). Local fighters are pulled back from training into all CAP, while patrol boats and bombers have their arcs reduced to 12-16 hexes, just enough to cover the edge of African beaches.

Air force in the area:

- Malaga - not enough support, so I'm trying to get 1-2 airbases there.
- Tabernas (Almeria) - barely staffed.

The Western Theater is this - essentially west of Madrid, east of Lisbon:
Lots of small NAT attacks (yellow arrows), except in the middle, where they are running away from my huge stack (red star on the right). My rail cars are starting to die off on the left flank (red heart), even though supply is available and enemy is nonexistent. The goal here is to allow my stack in the bottom left corner get back to Madrid, hopefully, picking up the rail cars along the way.

There's no airforce in this theater.

The Northwestern Theater is this - essentially stopping just before Santander:
Heavy battles in Oviedo, Vivero (yellow lightning symbols). I'm sending Gijon garrison south to try to make a difference. There are many REP garrisons all over the place: for the first time this war, static units are granted permission to enable reinforcements and upgrades. This will slow NATs down and burn up supply.

There's no airforce in this theater - yet, but I'm preparing a base in Santander.

The Northeastern Theater is this - essentially Santander and onto France:
NATs are pushing up, but for now we are slowing them down. In one spot (red lightning symbol), we may be even turning the tide. Every sentry unit with enough supply was given permissions to replenish and upgrade.

There's no airforce in this theater - yet, but I'm preparing a base in Santander.

This theater is the capital of Madrid and the nearby suburbs.
Essentially, it's all about rest and recon here. Every possible plane is on a recon mission to estimate the incoming NAT forces better. Some are training. There are two major airfields, southwest and northeast of the city, Getafe and Barajas respectively.

In what's becoming the new normal:
- My Navy can't find anything
- NATs are bombing Cartagena from Africa
- NATs are winning lots of smaller battles
- REPs pull together corps-sized forces and in the couple places that they can do so, NATs lose

Rysyonok wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2026 4:00 pm - My Navy can't find anything
- NATs are bombing Cartagena from Africa

Use Patrol planes for Naval Search but beware the enemy fighters
Defend Cartagena by CAP

Your RR logistical units are for moving supplies, resources, fuel, and/or oil. They do not move units.

You do need to control the bases but also enemy units near the rail line can interfere with the railroad movement as well.

For your surface combat task forces, you need to have a reaction range. Let the aircraft find the targets so the surface combat task forces can play.

This theater is essentially a Barcelona - Zaragosa and a Valencia - Zaragosa vector. NAT activity here is slow, so we are trying to push slowly west from Lerida and north from Teruel where we have just scored a nice victory. Airforce-wise, there are a couple of airfields by Barcelona. That's also where 1a/13grupo is staged that's refused every order to rebase anywhere.

Dreamslayer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2026 4:16 pm Use Patrol planes for Naval Search but beware the enemy fighters
Defend Cartagena by CAP

Done and done, although with minimal success. At least the bombs missed this turn.

RangerJoe wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2026 5:07 pm For your surface combat task forces, you need to have a reaction range. Let the aircraft find the targets so the surface combat task forces can play.

I've been reducing air force ranges hoping for more spotting. I guess you are right, my navy is operating farther out than the ships these days. I should fix that, eh?

Rysyonok wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2026 6:02 pm Done and done, although with minimal success. At least the bombs missed this turn.

Learn about CAP from the game manual and WitP forum section.

NATs manage to raid Madrid all the way from Algeria.
Finally a major victory north of Granada - notice just how many forces did it take - and that's with me rebuilding every unit I can. I even put Malaga at risk, as there's a NAT Inf trying to come for it, and I'm shipping in cooks and secretaries from all over to cover.
The days are becoming bloodier and bloodier.

Dreamslayer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2026 6:14 pm Learn about CAP from the game manual and WitP forum section.

Will do.

Seems like REP airforce loses every time to the NATs: we're up to 11 losses to their 0. Perhaps, it's time to switch all the trainees to the battle stance. After all, NATs are breaking through my existing 4 REP fighter CAPs, we need more.
Somehow a single NAT minesweeper, upon meeting REP CLs and DDs, managed to survive without a hit, while severely hurting one REP DD and wounding another.
The AI is really many notches above WPO. I'm starting to doubt I can win this one.

Read about the aviation:
https://forums.matrixgames.com/viewtopi ... 9#p2119069
https://forums.matrixgames.com/viewtopi ... 7#p2434307
Or start reading when you've lost all your planes.