rail damage and rail movement

phoenix · 07-01-2020, 11:03 PM,

Can anyone tell me what the effect of a 'rail out' hex is on RR (entrained) units? Can't find it in the manual. The hex stops them when moving in RR mode, I see. But do they need to come out of rail mode to get past it, or can they move past it whilst still in RR mode somehow? Thanks.

Outlaw Josey Wales · (This post was last modified: 07-01-2020, 11:11 PM by Outlaw Josey Wales.)

Rail out is a destroyed section of the railroad. I would think you have to come out of rail mode, move to the next good rail hex, go rail mode again, the move.

RR mode is on good rail only.

One of the powers that be could verify better.

ComradeP · 07-01-2020, 11:26 PM,

Rail movement through a rail out hex isn't possible, but units can leave rail mode, move to a non-damaged rail hex and switch back to rail mode as long as rail capacity is available.

There's no check to determine whether a rail hex is or isn't operational aside from the "rail out" status. You don't need to be able to trace a path of undamaged rail hexes to the edge of the map or something like that in order to switch to rail mode. It's possible as long as rail capacity is available.

phoenix · 07-02-2020, 01:40 AM,

Thanks. What a nuisance, especially since to change to or from rail mode takes ALL movement points, according to the manual, so that would be (i) arrive at the broken rail, end of turn, (ii) next turn change out of rail mode, (iii) turn after that go round the broken rail hex, (iv) turn after that back into rail mode, (v) turn after that move on. No? 4 turns to get past a broken rail?

ComradeP · (This post was last modified: 07-02-2020, 04:14 AM by ComradeP.)

It might be a nuisance, but it's not very punishing for the attacker. The defender needs to keep damaging rail hexes in order to block rail movement if the attacking side has a rail capacity (otherwise the first damaged rail hex will limit all further movement along that line as units can't change back into rail mode).

Other (war)games feature mechanics where in order for a rail line to be functional, it needs to be able to trace an unbroken path to the map edge, with broken rail lines requiring repairs or a requirement for rail lines to be converted to the gauge used by the side capturing the hex with the rail line in it.

phoenix · (This post was last modified: 07-02-2020, 06:18 AM by phoenix.)

4 turns to get past a break is pretty punishing. That's 8 hours.

I'm not complaining about it, by the way. Happy with the rule.

Outlaw Josey Wales · 07-02-2020, 11:55 PM,

Correct me if I am wrong, but, the rail should matter most to both sides in the West being of same gauge. Repair and move on. The Russians had a different gauge, so, repair was the same if they had captured Russian trains. They pretty much didn't, so, they had to extend their own rail and that takes time.