Matrix Games Forums

Being new to this game, I have the following question which I raise unashamedly

Is there a simple way to transfer a munitions magazine (or parts of it) from an airbase to another with cargo planes? I am playing Hail Mary from Chains of War and I would like to transfer all those weapons sitting in Australia to the airbases in Philippines. The cargo planes are there already but there is no obvious way to tell them to load the staff and move it. I set up a cargo mission at destination, designated the cargo planes but there is nothing that I can show then to transfer.

I have seen a tutorial that involves the editor and cargo facilities etc, but this was all too convoluted for me. Do I really need to edit the scenario in order to achieve my aim, or do i miss something very simple?

Thank you for your tolerance...

Cargo works fine for moving units (bradleys, jeeps, artillery, TOW units, tanks... etc). It also works well for transferring munitions, however, they must first be loaded into "containers", which are 10 to 40 foot or pallet sized. After this, they can then be loaded into trucks, ships, airplanes and helicopters and then transferred to another bases magazines using ... cargo transfer missions. As these cargo ops were added as a new feature, many if not most scenarios DON'T have containers in them anywhere, and thus for most they must be added in the editor in order to move munitions about.
This may be a sort of "cheat" depending on the authors intent for the mission, most of which were likely designed before this feature was available. IMHO, Cargo ops including munitions (containers must be in mission) should be part of most EVERY mission, as it makes the player decisions that much more complex and consequential. Alas, I see few with CARGO ops strongly implemented.
I've been working on one or 2 for about a year and I am terrible at making scenarios!

JFS737 wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 4:42 pm As these cargo ops were added as a new feature, many if not most scenarios DON'T have containers in them anywhere, and thus for most they must be added in the editor in order to move munitions about.

Thank you. It makes sense. There is no chance I am doing scenario editing though...

A bit off-topic, but I just wanted to say "don't give up." I've been writing scenarios for Command (and before that Harpoon) for twenty years and I'm STILL learning things. You get better with practice. Also, it sounds like you're working on some big scenarios...maybe go back to something more simple like a surface action group hunting submarines. It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the possibilities in Command. Good luck.

JFS737 wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 4:42 pm
I've been working on one or 2 for about a year and I am terrible at making scenarios!

Thanks,
Yes, it's grown much larger than I intended. I think I can cut it in half and make 2 reasonably small ones. I've shelved it for now, but I'll get back at it and try again. I have hope the smaller version will be complete-able. Testing the opposition missions and execution is the most difficult.

Regards,
John

Agreed. Sometimes it helps to build the scenario one opfor mission at a time (e.g., part of a multi-pronged assault on a base or a surface group), make sure that works, then do the next one, make sure it works and works together with the first part, and so on, instead of trying to create all of them at the same time and seeing if they all work together or not.

I hope this helps. Good luck with the projects!

JFS737 wrote: Tue Mar 25, 2025 7:13 am Thanks,
Yes, it's grown much larger than I intended. I think I can cut it in half and make 2 reasonably small ones. I've shelved it for now, but I'll get back at it and try again. I have hope the smaller version will be complete-able. Testing the opposition missions and execution is the most difficult.

Regards,
John

Makes sense, I tend to jump around and I think your process is more likely to allow me to complete the mission. I really enjoy cargo ops and feel like it adds a significant dimension, but there aren't many scenarios (yet?) that utilize this. Mine is basically all about moving ground units and ammo around and you'd fail if you are not able to do this.

When I get time, I'll start back up.

Mgellis wrote: Mon Mar 24, 2025 1:31 pm A bit off-topic, but I just wanted to say "don't give up." I've been writing scenarios for Command (and before that Harpoon) for twenty years and I'm STILL learning things. You get better with practice. Also, it sounds like you're working on some big scenarios...maybe go back to something more simple like a surface action group hunting submarines. It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the possibilities in Command. Good luck.

JFS737 wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 4:42 pm
I've been working on one or 2 for about a year and I am terrible at making scenarios!

I second this. I worked on the initial version of my Eldorado Canyon scenario on and off for 2.5-3 years and that's not including the time I've continued to put into it since then. All in all I have 9 years (on and off) into a scenario I thought I was going to get done in a few weeks.

JFS737 wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 4:42 pm IMHO, Cargo ops including munitions (containers must be in mission) should be part of most EVERY mission, as it makes the player decisions that much more complex and consequential. Alas, I see few with CARGO ops strongly implemented.

I respectfully disagree with it needing to be part of every scenario. IMO, Command works best at the 24 hour ATO cycle scale. At that scale, strategic movement of munitions should already have been done. A bad example of this is the Opening Night scenario of the DS DLC. IIRC you have to move some C-141s to a few air bases in order to finish arming your aircraft. It makes absolutely no sense. By that point in time, all the required munitions where already at the respective bases (or they should have been).

Now there are exceptions. Also from the DS DLC. The first scenario where you have to conduct strategic movement of aircraft to the middle east. In a case like that though, the logistics is the scenario. One day I really want to make REFORGER scenario in the same vein where the player has to move aircraft and supplies from CONUS to Europe, and move dependents and other civilians back. It's somewhere on my ever growing to do list...maybe when/if I ever retire and can make (non-pro) Command scenarios full time

Knightpawn wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 4:32 pm Being new to this game, I have the following question which I raise unashamedly

Is there a simple way to transfer a munitions magazine (or parts of it) from an airbase to another with cargo planes? I am playing Hail Mary from Chains of War and I would like to transfer all those weapons sitting in Australia to the airbases in Philippines. The cargo planes are there already but there is no obvious way to tell them to load the staff and move it. I set up a cargo mission at destination, designated the cargo planes but there is nothing that I can show then to transfer.

I have seen a tutorial that involves the editor and cargo facilities etc, but this was all too convoluted for me. Do I really need to edit the scenario in order to achieve my aim, or do i miss something very simple?

Thank you for your tolerance...

A scenario I released last year where the Allied Coalition launch operations against the Chinese islands in the South China Sea has cargo operations. Hail Mary was designed long before the new Cargo Ops were introduced, so I'm not sure if you can move munitions around in that mission without using Editor mode.

Link to my scen on these forums (shameless plug):
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 3&t=400483

I respectfully disagree with it needing to be part of every scenario. IMO, Command works best at the 24 hour ATO cycle scale. At that scale, strategic movement of munitions should already have been done. A bad example of this is the Opening Night scenario of the DS DLC. IIRC you have to move some C-141s to a few air bases in order to finish arming your aircraft. It makes absolutely no sense. By that point in time, all the required munitions where already at the respective bases (or they should have been).

Now there are exceptions. Also from the DS DLC. The first scenario where you have to conduct strategic movement of aircraft to the middle east. In a case like that though, the logistics is the scenario. One day I really want to make REFORGER scenario in the same vein where the player has to move aircraft and supplies from CONUS to Europe, and move dependents and other civilians back. It's somewhere on my ever growing to do list...maybe when/if I ever retire and can make (non-pro) Command scenarios full time
[/quote]


I see your point here. I may have been off a bit on my love of Cargo and it's potential in the game. Still, I prefer to be able to move ground units (SAMs, Arty... etc) and munitions and do local resupply on a tactical level and for some or even many scenarios it would have been an enhancement. Good point though, big picture.... we're not going to be loading Ships with battalions worth of gear and shipping it to Europe in this sim.

Regards,

John

TempestII wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 1:33 pm

Knightpawn wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 4:32 pm Being new to this game, I have the following question which I raise unashamedly

Is there a simple way to transfer a munitions magazine (or parts of it) from an airbase to another with cargo planes? I am playing Hail Mary from Chains of War and I would like to transfer all those weapons sitting in Australia to the airbases in Philippines. The cargo planes are there already but there is no obvious way to tell them to load the staff and move it. I set up a cargo mission at destination, designated the cargo planes but there is nothing that I can show then to transfer.

I have seen a tutorial that involves the editor and cargo facilities etc, but this was all too convoluted for me. Do I really need to edit the scenario in order to achieve my aim, or do i miss something very simple?

Thank you for your tolerance...

A scenario I released last year where the Allied Coalition launch operations against the Chinese islands in the South China Sea has cargo operations. Hail Mary was designed long before the new Cargo Ops were introduced, so I'm not sure if you can move munitions around in that mission without using Editor mode.

Link to my scen on these forums (shameless plug):
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 3&t=400483

Thanks Tempest,
I'll get that immediately, quite interested. I actually got a cold last Friday and have been working on cutting my scenario in half and trying to get it to Alpha mode. I may have something soon. Thanks to all for the encouragement.

I finished ... I think my scenario. Took a very long time but I cut it in half and it was easier. It should be fairly quick to play, CARGO ops plus conventional warfare. PRC units are landing on a small island and a US amphib Ready group is attempting to put a stop to it by taking the airport. They are outnumbered and must use stealth/emcon and precise timing and execution to capture the airport and get a foot hold on the island.

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 8#p5218438

Please let me know what you think, and any bugs or issues. Thanks..