Matrix Games Forums

Am playing my first game after reading the manual and watching a few tutorials on youtube.
I think I understand most of the basics but one thing I am struggling with. Don't seem to be able to transport
planes from the US West Coast to for instance Hawai. The distance is to far to fly and I docked all sorts of
cargo ships in harbor but don't seem to be able to load planes onto them. Any help is appreciated!!

At this point in the war, about the only Allied planes that can make the hop from California to Hawaii are the B-17s and PBYs going by memory.

It's possible that you are trying to load restricted air groups where you have to pay a political point cost to transfer them to an unrestricted command HQ. Then they can load on an air transport TF. Groups like that will have a [R] or other letter after their HQ designation. If the HQ name is in white it's permantly attached to the West Coast. Also, air groups can"t load onto transport or cargo TFs. It has to be an air transport TF.

Thanks for the info. Will have to look for my AKV’s and get those planes moving.

You can use most cargo ships in an air transport task force. The AKV does get them there uncrated, assembled and ready to fly. But, I think the USN only has two of them at the start of the war.

Regular cargo ships can load the air units but the aircraft will be inoperable until they are reassembled/repaired.

Note that many West Coast air units are Restricted and cannot be flown out outside or shipped out.

If their HQ is in yellow and they have [R] in HQ name, you can release them with paying Political Points. If their HQ is in white, they are Permanently Restricted.

One option available for the carrier-capable planes is to hitch a ride on a carrier. The CVE Long Island is ideal for this as she has no dedicated air group onboard when it arrives. Just fly a Marine/Navy fighter or bomber air squadron to her while she is in a task force off the US West Coast and then fly them off again when she sails within range of whatever base you want to transfer them to. Saves on a bit on time with no need for tedious loading/unloading/repairing. The big fleet carriers can do this too, but are usually needed elsewhere.

Platoonist - one correction: Transport TFs can load aircraft for transfer. The aircraft is dismantled and crated so when they get to destination they take 3 days to reassemble. Aircraft put in and Air Transport TF (without AKVs) take one day to make operational. As you mentioned, Air Transport by AKV or CV type vessels are ready to operate as soon as they are ashore (assuming there is some air support there).

BBfanboy wrote: Wed Sep 20, 2023 11:56 pm Platoonist - one correction: Transport TFs can load aircraft for transfer.

Thanks! My tech support always suffers without the game open in front of me.