rail repair

[blow56]

Can't find this in the manual but Turn 2 of the main campaign seems to suggest that at least one hex of broken rail has gone from 100 per cent damage to around 29 (and has turned orange). I take it this means rail repair is automatic per unit but I am not sure how long it takes, approx, or if having more than one unit in a hex improves matters or not. Anyone tell me? And what does 'return unit to HQ' actually do?

[ComradeP]

There are several threads on rail repair already, let's try to minimize duplication of threads.

Construction battalions send out by HQ's will automatically fix rail lines and return to their HQ after the turn, the return to HQ button sends them back instantly. If the construction battalions didn't fix a rail line, I'm guessing not enough labor squads were available in them to fix the rail line. It takes about 3 battalions to fix a single hex of rail.

[karonagames]

And what does 'return unit to HQ' actually do?

What is says on the tin - the unit returns to the HQ it is attached to. This function is used if the construction battalions are clogging up hexes that you want to move into. This problem has been reduced with the recent rule that prevents construction battalions operating within 5 hexes of an enemy unit.

[blow56]

It does say that on the tin, though that explains nothing about the content of the tin! So you need more than one rain repair unit per hex to fix a rail line in that hex? Do they fix more than one hex? Then they return to their parent HQ - how do you re-acquire them to send out again - or is THAT automatic?

I wouldn't have to ask any of this if the manual actually dealt with any of it at all - but if it does, I can't find it. And if there are any othyer threads on rail repair in this forum, you had better point them out because I can't find them either!

[ComradeP]

Are we reading the same forum, blow56?

Rail repair thread 1#: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2642825
Rail repair thread 2#: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2645716
Rail repair thread 3#: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2644965
Rail repair thread 4#: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2643907

If you want me, or anyone else, to answer your questions, I'd like to advise you to ask them politely and to not repeat questions that have been answered before, not to mention posting them in the wrong sections of the forum.

I'll answer the only question that, I believe, no one has asked before: theoretically, a single construction unit can repair a rail line, it depends on the damage. As a guideline, assume you need 1 battalion for every 33% of rail damage.

[Montbrun]

ORIGINAL: blow56

It does say that on the tin, though that explains nothing about the content of the tin! So you need more than one rain repair unit per hex to fix a rail line in that hex? Do they fix more than one hex? Then they return to their parent HQ - how do you re-acquire them to send out again - or is THAT automatic?

I wouldn't have to ask any of this if the manual actually dealt with any of it at all - but if it does, I can't find it. And if there are any othyer threads on rail repair in this forum, you had better point them out because I can't find them either!

The individual Construction battalions are automatic. The only way you can influence this mechanism is to transfer the Construction Battalions between HQs. The five FBDs, however, are under your control as "on-map" units. They repair rail as you move them. They can repair rail lines up to five rail hexes per turn, as you move them along the broken line in question. The rail hexes that these units repair need to be connected to an operating rail line hex.

It's a little complicated at first, but critical to the game, because supplies run along the lines. Early in the game, as the Germans, smart manipulation of the FBDs can mean the difference between operational panzers, and having to stop for your units to repair rail lines close enough to your spearheads to provide supply. This is also critical for the Soviets later in the game, however less so.

Brad

[blow56]

I am being polite, Comrade P - trust me, you will know when I cease to be. Foolishly, I did not check Tech Support. I did not consider it a Tech Support question, which is why I posted it in The War Room. Forgive me for being logical. And it would help that when you are rapping my knuckles with your big ruler, you actually attempt to answer what I ask.

In that regard, thank you Brad Hunter.

And lastly - at long lastly, I have discovered the reference to Rail Repair in the manual. Which does not explain it fully, considering that this is fairly crucial.

However, I will work it out in silence from now on. Thanks to all who helped.

[Montbrun]

ORIGINAL: blow56

I am being polite, Comrade P - trust me, you will know when I cease to be. Foolishly, I did not check Tech Support. I did not consider it a Tech Support question, which is why I posted it in The War Room. Forgive me for being logical. And it would help that when you are rapping my knuckles with your big ruler, you actually attempt to answer what I ask.

In that regard, thank you Brad Hunter.

And lastly - at long lastly, I have discovered the reference to Rail Repair in the manual. Which does not explain it fully, considering that this is fairly crucial.

However, I will work it out in silence from now on. Thanks to all who helped.

You ask any questions you like. They'll get answered by someone.

Brad

[Titanwarrior89]

Come on theres no since in that.....You in a bad mood or something?[:-][X(][8|][&:][:)]

ORIGINAL: ComradeP

Are we reading the same forum, blow56?

Rail repair thread 1#: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2642825
Rail repair thread 2#: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2645716
Rail repair thread 3#: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2644965
Rail repair thread 4#: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2643907

If you want me, or anyone else, to answer your questions, I'd like to advise you to ask them politely and to not repeat questions that have been answered before, not to mention posting them in the wrong sections of the forum.

I'll answer the only question that, I believe, no one has asked before: theoretically, a single construction unit can repair a rail line, it depends on the damage. As a guideline, assume you need 1 battalion for every 33% of rail damage.

[ComradeP]

I have literally spend hours on the forums just answering questions the last few days, so forgive me for not always being entirely happy if someone asks about something that I or some other tester has already answered a number of times, and after having stated that there are already other threads about it.

That has nothing to do with me having a "big ruler" to slap someone on their knuckles with, it has to do with first looking in the normal forum, prior to posting a thread in the War Room subforum about something that should not be discussed in the War Room subforum. I'm a very patient man, but my patience has its limits too.

[blow56]

I have no idea of the etiquette or the organisation of forums, subforums or subsubforums, nor do I wish to and nor should I have to. Like everyone else, all I want is an answer to a question. I would not have to ask it at all if the answer was clearly and easily available where it should be - in the game manual and the fact that you are irritated and annoyed at constantly having to answer questions proves my point.
 
Nevertheless, I appreciate your problems and your weariness. However, bear in mind that people like me paid money for this and that old maxim proves true whether you are buying a cow for five beans or a Matrix game - the customer is always right.
 
Hopefully a good night's sleep will improve your mood. If it helps any, I am sure - apart from a steep and somewhat unnecessary learning curve - that I have not yet purchased a pig in a poke.
 
 

[modrow]

Gentlemen,

ORIGINAL: blow56

I have no idea of the etiquette or the organisation of forums, subforums or subsubforums, nor do I wish to and nor should I have to. Like everyone else, all I want is an answer to a question. I would not have to ask it at all if the answer was clearly and easily available where it should be - in the game manual and the fact that you are irritated and annoyed at constantly having to answer questions proves my point.

Nevertheless, I appreciate your problems and your weariness. However, bear in mind that people like me paid money for this and that old maxim proves true whether you are buying a cow for five beans or a Matrix game - the customer is always right.

Hopefully a good night's sleep will improve your mood. If it helps any, I am sure - apart from a steep and somewhat unnecessary learning curve - that I have not yet purchased a pig in a poke.

I think your "customer" comment is off target. AFAIK the (alpha)testers are volunteers who do not get any compensation for their efforts (for which they deserve lots of kudos from the community [&o] - thanks for contributing to make this game real !). If they would, the game would be much more expensive than it is already.

So you are most likely demanding something from someone who did a lot of volunteer work for free to make this game available to us and shares his experience with us, not an employee of Matrix who gets money for his presence in these forums. I don't think that's appropriate - but hey, that's just me.

That being said, at least over in the WitP:AE forums there seems to be sort of an agreement that the search function for these threads may work less than optimal, so sometimes questions pop up again.

Just my 2cts

Hartwig

[critter]

ORIGINAL: ComradeP

I have literally spend hours on the forums just answering questions the last few days, so forgive me for not always being entirely happy if someone asks about something that I or some other tester has already answered a number of times, and after having stated that there are already other threads about it.

That has nothing to do with me having a "big ruler" to slap someone on their knuckles with, it has to do with first looking in the normal forum, prior to posting a thread in the War Room subforum about something that should not be discussed in the War Room subforum. I'm a very patient man, but my patience has its limits too.

Like the testers you and I both complained about before. Its funny what a little "conceived" power will do. Nobody asked you to be a tester and nobody made you do it. All things being equal, I don't belive Matrix asked you to be a forum rules hall moniter either.
If you're tired of answering questions, shut up and let someone else do it. Like the guys that are getting "paid" for the game.
You are acting like the other testers we both had problems with when we had problems or questions about their posts.
Its one of the reasons allot of us haven't pulled the trigger on WitE yet. It don't look ready.

[critter]

ORIGINAL: hartwig.modrow


I think your "customer" comment is off target. AFAIK the (alpha)testers are volunteers who do not get any compensation for their efforts (for which they deserve lots of kudos from the community [&o] - thanks for contributing to make this game real !). If they would, the game would be much more expensive than it is already.

So you are most likely demanding something from someone who did a lot of volunteer work for free to make this game available to us and shares his experience with us, not an employee of Matrix who gets money for his presence in these forums. I don't think that's appropriate - but hey, that's just me.

Hartwig

Where is he demanding? He asked a question? Where does it say because I VOLUNTEERED to playtest a game I can be an a****. ComP has helped out allot. But read his reaction of the answers to his questions in the pre release AAR's when he and others were being treated like he treated blow56.
He could have just posted the links.

[karonagames]

There is no need to blow this out of proportion. The original post was a question posted in the War Room section, which is supposed to be the section of the forum to "Share your gameplay tips, secret tactics and fabulous strategies with fellow gamers here."

No one is on any form of "power trip" here. We are trying to answer questions as accurately and as honestly as we can without telling people to "RTFM". Whether Pieter was entitled to express his irritation at seeing another rail repair thread created in the "wrong" section is marginally debatable, so let's end that debate here and now.

[Sabre21]

Ok guys, let's just back up a step or two and take a deep breath. No sense in getting riled about all this. All of us testers help as much as we can because we enjoy it and it allows for Gary, Joel, and Pavel to continue to refine the game and correct any bugs that are found. By the way, none of us get paid for any of this. Pieter is pretty excited about this as all of you are and even though he became a tester later on he learned quite a bit about the game and it is good he and many of the others are out here helping out.

None of us know it all and I too must refer back to the manual, especially when I respond to one of your questions. I want to make sure my answer is correct and there is a reference to where to go to find it in the manual so you can read up about it yourself. Allan did a superb job with tha manual and it's use in game is invaluable so it is worth reading. I can understand though the excitement about getting into the game as quick as possible so I don't have any issue with responding to questions, but I will point to the manual section each time in most cases. 

Everyone just needs to be nice and respect one another on the forum while we clobber each other in game

Andy

PS: Bob..you beat me too it

[modrow]

Critter,

ORIGINAL: critter
Where is he demanding? He asked a question? Where does it say because I VOLUNTEERED to playtest a game I can be an a****. ComP has helped out allot. But read his reaction of the answers to his questions in the pre release AAR's when he and others were being treated like he treated blow56.
He could have just posted the links.

Well - I don't know anything about the previous history and agree that a direct link to the other threads may have been a good idea. But what I know is

I have no idea of the etiquette or the organisation of forums, subforums or subsubforums, nor do I wish to and nor should I have to. Like everyone else, all I want is an answer to a question.

1) I firmly believe that the chances to get what you want if complying with etiquette is significantly higher than without and that you should care about forum organisation (because it makes finding threads more easy for those who look for them) and etiquette.

Nevertheless, I appreciate your problems and your weariness. However, bear in mind that people like me paid money for this and that old maxim proves true whether you are buying a cow for five beans or a Matrix game - the customer is always right.

2) He applies rights derived from a customer-vendor relationship to someone who is not part of the vendor, and I think that is not appropriate. In Germany, where I live, there are people who volunteer to go to hospitals and visit patients who usually don't get visitors. It's like complaining to one of these volunteers that he does not do the job of the nurse, because, after all, the patient pays the hospital bill.

As always, just my 2cts.

Hartwig

[Titanwarrior89]

I love all U testers....[:)][&o]

[ComradeP]

A good night's rest did help a lot, also to clear the headache I had. I try to be as honest as I can be when answering a question, which meant that I expressed frustration yesterday.

I'm glad you got the answer that you wanted blow56, but I stand by my opinion that a sentence like this:

And if there are any othyer threads on rail repair in this forum, you had better point them out because I can't find them either!

is not the best way to get someone to answer your question.

Especially if after that, you say I didn't answer your question, even though I did EXACTLY what you asked for: I linked to the threads where you could find the answers and answered the only question that had not been answered before. When somehow giving you precisely what you ask for is suddenly not enough and you essentially blame that on me (as you're saying I'm not attempting to answer your question), I get frustrated, which is what happened yesterday. That does not seem unreasonable to me, but it might seem unreasonable to you.

Like the testers you and I both complained about before. Its funny what a little "conceived" power will do. Nobody asked you to be a tester and nobody made you do it. All things being equal, I don't belive Matrix asked you to be a forum rules hall moniter either.
If you're tired of answering questions, shut up and let someone else do it. Like the guys that are getting "paid" for the game.
You are acting like the other testers we both had problems with when we had problems or questions about their posts.
Its one of the reasons allot of us haven't pulled the trigger on WitE yet. It don't look ready.

So it's that time of the year again, critter.

A member of the testing team asked me to be a tester, and I accepted. Nobody made me do it, but I wanted to do it. The testers we both complained about before at the time didn't answer the questions we asked for in any way, or were egotripping at their own vs AI AAR's. I referred blow56 to other threads where his questions were answered, and reminded him that he was looking in the wrong sub-forum.

I do not have "power" on this forum. I am not a moderator. I'm a member of the testing team who has in the last few days spend significant parts of those days over here answering questions. Does that factual statement mean I'm somehow pretending I have "conceived power"? No, it means I have spend a lot of time answering questions.
That's all it means, and that's all I'm saying.

Stating that someone is posting in the wrong forum section and that there are numerous other threads doesn't make me a "forum rules halls monitor", it's an attempt to keep the forum as "clean" as possible now that the threads are popping up like mushrooms. Since release, we're at about 7.5 pages worth of threads on the main forum alone. The development team has already made it clear that they don't have the time to keep up with all the threads, so the "cleaner" the forum is, the bigger the chance a developer will see something that's important and reply to it if needed. You might not think that's important, but I do, as do the people who ask the questions that only the developers can answer.

I am not "tired of asking questions" otherwise I would not be here at this moment.

Where is he demanding?

He was demanding to be shown the threads we talked about.

Where does it say because I VOLUNTEERED to playtest a game I can be an a****

So, just so I understand you correctly: I'm an "a****" for providing precisely what the person asked for, even though that was not enough for him?

ComP has helped out allot. But read his reaction of the answers to his questions in the pre release AAR's when he and others were being treated like he treated blow56.

We were treated like we were buggers asking uncomfortable questions, all I'm doing is tell blow56 that his answers are available on the main forum. He doesn't have to plow through some 30-ish (at the time) pages of a Q&A thread to get an answer. No, all I asked him to do was look in the appropriate forum section after giving him a quick first answer.

He could have just posted the links.

So my second post in this thread, according to you, doesn't contain any links?

As to WitE not looking ready: OK, to each his own opinion. Many are enjoying the game, some people have technical issues that are luckily being fixed fairly rapidly in most cases, but many technical issues are not actually related to the game itself. Personally, I'd say it has been a pretty smooth launch. A monster game is never finished, but you're not paying to play a beta.

I know you have a problem with me, in part due to losing a single PBEM game, but that problem has nothing to do with WitE or this forum.

That's all I have to say about this.

[blow56]

A good night's rest did help a lot, also to clear the headache I had. I try to be as honest as I can be when answering a question, which meant that I expressed frustration yesterday.

I'm glad you got the answer that you wanted blow56, but I stand by my opinion that a sentence like this:
[blockquote]quote:

And if there are any othyer threads on rail repair in this forum, you had better point them out because I can't find them either!
[/blockquote]
is not the best way to get someone to answer your question.

Especially if after that, you say I didn't answer your question, even though I did EXACTLY what you asked for: I linked to the threads where you could find the answers and answered the only question that had not been answered before. When somehow giving you precisely what you ask for is suddenly not enough and you essentially blame that on me (as you're saying I'm not attempting to answer your question), I get frustrated, which is what happened yesterday. That does not seem unreasonable to me, but it might seem unreasonable to you.

 
Enough of this. You set up on this forum as the official voice of problem-solving, volunteer or not, which makes you part of the corporate structure, with an obligation not to get snappy, frustrated or irritated with customers of the game wanting to know why aspects of it don't work, or how to get them to work.
 
While I appreciate your state of mind at the time, you have had time to reflect on it and should now have realised that simply throwing out links to the other threads in that pointedly annoyed way did NOT answer my question. Read it. Read them. It answered lots of other questions I had not asked, mind you - so thanks for that.
 
What I expect when I come on to a forum asking questions is not a lecture in how I am subverting your systems, or a whinge about how p'd off you are about having to deal with folk like me. It's an answer to the question, which was asked politely. My statement, italicised above, was a self-depractory one about now only failing to find the reference in the manual but failing to find the reference in any thread on this forum. It was more a statement on my own ineptitude than any sarcasm.
 
The fact you found it impolite is unfortunate. The fact you then had to wag your finger at me shows a lack of tact.
 
However, when all is said, this is a storm in a teacup; life's too short, Comrade P - so if you still feel aggrieved, you are on your own with it.