Matrix Games Forums

Can air groups be set to training and be trained while transporting on a cargo ship?

They can be set to train but they don't actually train or improve aerial skills. Not that I've ever seen. I guess it makes sense though. If your plane is currently packed in a crate below deck all you can do is read the owner's manual.

They will train some but mostly the inexperienced pilots from what I have seen.

Admiral Scott wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:30 pm Can air groups be set to training and be trained while transporting on a cargo ship?

They do but very, very slowly and for all practical purposes can be ignored.

If you examine a group being transported as cargo you will see they are in stood down. Normally this would mean 'no training' but there is a small 'quirk' in the program that does allow it.

Note also that in addition to no or miniscule training of air groups, IIRC, land units don't gain preparation points during transport.
That is bit of oversight, but not that big deal.

To add, just checked that air units don't train at all when aboard ship.

They are set to Stand Down and that cannot be changed.

Sardaukar wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2024 8:23 am To add, just checked that air units don't train at all when aboard ship.

They are set to Stand Down and that cannot be changed.

There is a difference between "setting air units to train" and "don't train at all when aboard ship". The first graphic shows the 8 P-47 pilots accompanying their unit as it sets out from LA to Noumea on May 13, 1943. No pilots have experienced any training this month (all colors are white). The second graphic shows the same pilots, still aboard ship as it arrives in Noumea on May 29, 1943. Six of eight have improved their Air and/or Defense skills enroute. The gains are small, but they are improvements none-the-less.

Maybe the difference is that Kull's squadron was left in training mode when it loaded aboard the transport while Sardaukar's unit was stood down before it loaded?

Sardaukar wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2024 8:23 am To add, just checked that air units don't train at all when aboard ship.

They are set to Stand Down and that cannot be changed.

Your correct they are stood down and cannot be changed but I did test and they did train but I set them to trining before loading. BBfanboy has probably nailed it.

Thing is, I didn't set them to Stand Down, it was done "automagically".

Maybe there is some difference in ship they are loaded or port they are loaded.

Or the distance traveled/elapsed time?

Sardaukar wrote: Mon Mar 25, 2024 8:57 am Thing is, I didn't set them to Stand Down, it was done "automagically".

Maybe there is some difference in ship they are loaded or port they are loaded.

Whenever you load a unit it is stood down no matter what state it was in prior to loading. I believe the game has to remember this so that when it is unloaded it has the same state as it was prior to loading!

Chris21wen wrote: Tue Mar 26, 2024 6:42 am
Whenever you load a unit it is stood down no matter what state it was in prior to loading. I believe the game has to remember this so that when it is unloaded it has the same state as it was prior to loading!

It is interesting that the P-47 pilots only improved their Air and Defense skills, which is exactly what you would expect to see if they were set to "Escort" training prior to loading (which they were, see below). So it does seem possible that the game "remembers" the last assignment prior to loading and trains for that during the voyage.

Is an air unit placed in "deep freeze" when it is loaded aboard a ship and carried as cargo? Yup.

Does the game remember what the unit was doing when it was loaded aboard ship? Yup.

If the unit was assigned a training mission, does training continue while the air unit is at sea? Yup.

How can we be sure? It's all right there in front of us.

Number 1 below shows that this bomber squadron is stored as cargo. Looking to the right, we see that the group missions are turned off. This unit is in deep freeze!

Number 2 shows that the game remembers what the unit was doing when it was loaded.

Number 3 shows what I'm sure we all agree on by now, that training does continue. Not only that, but as Kull noted above, the skills that are developed are precisely those that you would expect to be developed for the assigned training mission.