Matrix Games Forums

In designing a tank the howitzer is cheaper than the velocity gun and does the same damage. So why is the velocity gun a higher tech?
Stratagems that give you a positive, but also a negative in a random zone. Does random zone mean any zone you control or any zone on the map?
How long do HQ stratagems last and do the affect just the SHQ tile? Or is it the units under the HQ commander the stratagem is being played on?
How do you get hard borders with minors besides the minor asking for hard borders?
What do spies do besides allowing you to play further cards on a major/minor?
If I have, say, 10 buildings being built at once...is there a way I can be alerted to them being done and/or a report I can quickly check besides trying to remember each building's location?
Why can't I relieve my secretary?
Is there an equivalent of a cheat sheet that tells me which leader position is considered higher/more valuable to a leader and what traits are specifically better to have for each position?
What does local referendum do? Is it a way to relieve a leader without penalty? Very hard die roll to beat too.
What other scavenging assets are there besides a recycling facility? Are they better to wait for than placing a recycling facility early on?
After I researched tanks and built a model, how do I get them into a formation? Or raise a formation of tanks?

Lastly is there somewhere online I can get an explanation of the various points such as economic, bureaucratic, etc. in one go?

This is a great resource. https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4833342 . It's longish and some parts, especially logistics, are outdated.

ORIGINAL: Rednettle


In designing a tank the howitzer is cheaper than the velocity gun and does the same damage. So why is the velocity gun a higher tech?

Howitzers suffer a penalty to their hard attack (used against unit types that can mount armor plating), high-velocity guns to their soft attack (used against unit types that can mount personal armor). So you will want to mount a high-velocity gun when designing a model intended to counter enemy vehicles.

Stratagems that give you a positive, but also a negative in a random zone. Does random zone mean any zone you control or any zone on the map?

Normally, only zones controlled by your regime.

How long do HQ stratagems last and do the affect just the SHQ tile? Or is it the units under the HQ commander the stratagem is being played on?

Postures last until replaced by a new posture or manually removed. Their effects apply to subordinate formations as well.

How do you get hard borders with minors besides the minor asking for hard borders?

There's a strategem to offer them a peace treaty.

What do spies do besides allowing you to play further cards on a major/minor?

They give you intel, the more the more spies you have in a specific zone or in the same regime. This can allow you to see their units on the map, get reports with detailed information about that regime, or get decisions that allow you to influence their internal politics. It's subject to some randomness, but I recommend concentrating at least 3 spies in a given zone to get the best effect.

Why can't I relieve my secretary?

You can relieve your secretary for a high political point cost, but a new secretary is always appointed automatically. If there is no leader in the reserve pool to take the spot, a new one is generated.

Is there an equivalent of a cheat sheet that tells me which leader position is considered higher/more valuable to a leader and what traits are specifically better to have for each position?

Check manual section 5.8.2.1. to see the prestige rating of each job. For details on what skills are useful for each job, I recommend this guide.

What does local referendum do? Is it a way to relieve a leader without penalty? Very hard die roll to beat too.

As far as I know, that's exactly what it's for.

What other scavenging assets are there besides a recycling facility? Are they better to wait for than placing a recycling facility early on?

There's just the privately-owned and the public-owned version, as far as I know.

After I researched tanks and built a model, how do I get them into a formation? Or raise a formation of tanks?

Right-side panel, Raise Formation, and check the box that says you're raising an independent unit. In order to use the model in non-independent units, you have to use the staff council to research (or "operationalize" as the game calls it) a formation that includes that model type. Until then, you can attach up to 2 independent units to each OHQ (with the independent unit selected, right-side panel -> Unit Admin, and the independent unit must be of the same size category or smaller - no subordinating independent divisions to a brigade).

ORIGINAL: gmsitton

This is a great resource. https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4833342 . It's longish and some parts, especially logistics, are outdated.

Thank you. I've already watch...15? of the videos already.

Howitzers suffer a penalty to their hard attack (used against unit types that can mount armor plating), high-velocity guns to their soft attack (used against unit types that can mount personal armor). So you will want to mount a high-velocity gun when designing a model intended to counter enemy vehicles.

Just quoting the one so a not to make a too long post. Thank you for all the information.