Matrix Games Forums

Okay, I've SEEN talk about it but never had to do it before, and I'm not sure how.

How do I evac troops from a base?

The base where my troops are is quite forward and within range of enemy bases with air power. Hence, I can't have my ships loiter. They are currently aproaching the base on a Fast Transport mission with supplies onboard. I want the ships to move in, unload the supplies, pick up as many troops as possible, and get the heck out of dodge, hopefully all in one night so I'm not in range of enemy air strikes the next day.

Only I don't know how I can order my ships to do so. Do I really NEED to change it to a Patrol/No retire order, endure the air strikes for a day, and then click on the Load Only Troops button? Is'nt there another way, something close to what the Japanese did historicaly with their reverse Tokyo Express when they pulled out of Guadalcanal?

I'm not sure if you can do both in one phase. Usually when I'm pulling out, I just pick up the units.

1) stand in boiling water
2) you have to start from an exisitng base. You can't be at sea to give the orders.
3) create FT TF
4) click on load troops only (scroll to bottom of page)
5) click on pickup unit
6) a list of all your land units comes up. click on the units from the DH base (TF will auto move there during MP)
7) Survive any surface combat
8) troops load on and you can return to any home base. (Don't forget you loose 10% of troops loaded on FT).

If you start more than the max speed of TF, the TF moves to a hex your max speed away. If you are at Shortands and want to FT to Lunga you need a speed of 12 to do in one night. If you start at Rabaul, the FT TF will move to a position equal to the max move. Be careful, if the sys damage reduces your speed down you will waste another turn or have to separate ship from Tf (and shoot the engineer). Don't forget extra sys damage for moving at max speed. If I want to move 12 hexes I try not to use ships with speed 30 in the FT TF in case the speed drops to 29 and the TF speed will only be 11.

CA, CL have the best capacity.

PS You can only select bases and dot locations for the pick up. Land units in the hex SW of Tasaforonga can not be picked up by FT because there isn't a dot there (though your land units can be there).

I suggest using a fast transport TF that brings in supplies and another one that performs the evac mission.....

Trying to do both at once will only get your ships stuck in harbour next morning and bombed.

I'd also suggest that you try to run FT missions in bad weather: That way you even got a chance against Murphy!

Form the FT somewhere else. Click the load troops only option.

At the bottom of the panel, you'll see the option to pick up troops.

This is the evac option you are looking for.

It will not mess you up and leave ships there beyond the night phase.

Do NOT mess with settings after setting the pickup order or you WILL be sitting there exposed during the daylight turn.

Originally posted by Mr.Frag
Form the FT somewhere else. Click the load troops only option.

At the bottom of the panel, you'll see the option to pick up troops.

This is the evac option you are looking for.

It will not mess you up and leave ships there beyond the night phase.

Do NOT mess with settings after setting the pickup order or you WILL be sitting there exposed during the daylight turn.

I have had occasions where the TF does not get back out to full movement range by the next day (and has gotten clobbered). Don't think I have messed with the settings, but there have been times when the TF has still been loading troops the next day. It may be that I have asked them to pick up a unit whose load factor is more than they can load - don't know if that would cause a problem or not - it cartainly should not cause it.

Hi all,

Originally posted by SoulBlazer
Okay, I've SEEN talk about it but never had to do it before, and I'm not sure how.

How do I evac troops from a base?

The base where my troops are is quite forward and within range of enemy bases with air power. Hence, I can't have my ships loiter. They are currently aproaching the base on a Fast Transport mission with supplies onboard. I want the ships to move in, unload the supplies, pick up as many troops as possible, and get the heck out of dodge, hopefully all in one night so I'm not in range of enemy air strikes the next day.

Only I don't know how I can order my ships to do so. Do I really NEED to change it to a Patrol/No retire order, endure the air strikes for a day, and then click on the Load Only Troops button? Is'nt there another way, something close to what the Japanese did historicaly with their reverse Tokyo Express when they pulled out of Guadalcanal?

The only solution to your demand is "Fast Transport" TF with "Pick Up Troops" order.

They will come at night, load at night and leave at night (and thus maximally
avoid enemy air power).

The only other thing this TF can't do is to bring supply in same mission.

I hope this will help you...


Leo "Apollo11"

Good luck Greg. I'll let you try it the first time then its interdiction time. However my planes will be set for naval attack as normally so when daytime comes they better be out of range.