Difference between revisions of "Transportation"

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Transports are used to rapidly move ground and sea forces around the battlefield. There are two transports: [[Charon]] and [[Hercules]]. Both are constructed at the [[Gunship Plant]]. This page is about their uses and abilities. See a different page for [[teleportation]].
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Transports are used to rapidly move ground and sea forces around the battlefield. There are two transports: [[Charon]] and [[Hercules]]. Both are constructed at the [[Gunship Plant]].
  
= '''Basic Commands and Abilities''' =
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[[Teleportation]] is an alternative means of transportation.
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== Basic Commands and Abilities ==
  
 
=== Mass and Capacity ===
 
=== Mass and Capacity ===
 
Transports can pick up and carry a single unit at a time.
 
Transports can pick up and carry a single unit at a time.
  
[[Charon]] can carry '''light''' and '''medium''' units while [[Hercules]] can carry any transportable unit. Transports cannot carry air units or the ship Striders: [[Shogun]] and [[Reef]]. Light units are units below or equal to 500 metal, medium units are between 501 and 1000 metal, and heavy units are everything else. A unit's transportability and mass can be viewed in an information window by Space+Clicking on the unit.
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[[Charon]] can carry '''light''' and '''medium''' units while [[Hercules]] can carry any transportable unit. Transports cannot carry air units. A unit's transportability depends on its metal cost. Light units are units below or equal to 500 metal, medium units are between 501 and 1000 metal, and heavy units are everything else. A unit's transportability and mass can be viewed in an information window by {{key press|Space}}-clicking on the unit.
  
Laden transports have a speed penalty depending on the metal cost of their cargo. Transports receive no additonal speed penalty for transporting units up to their own mass, otherwise, they have a speed modifier of <code>2*selfMass / (selfMass + cargoMass)</code>.
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Laden transports have a speed penalty depending on the mass of their cargo. Transports receive no additional speed penalty for transporting units up to their own mass, otherwise, they have a speed modifier of {{frac|2 &times; <var>selfMass</var>|{{expr|<var>selfMass</var> + <var>cargoMass</var>}}}}<!--<code>2*selfMass / (selfMass + cargoMass)</code>-->.
  
 
=== Loading ===
 
=== Loading ===
Transports can pick up any valid stationary unit, including stunned enemies. Transports have to physically lower themselves onto a unit to pick it up. This process can take a few seconds, depending on the target. Here are two ways to load units:
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Transports can pick up any valid <em>stationary</em> unit, including stunned enemies. They have to physically lower themselves onto a unit to pick it up. This process can take a few seconds, depending on the target. There are two ways to load units:
* Issue the [[Load Command|'''Load''']] command (hotkey '''L''') to a transport to load the target unit. This command is generally available as a right-click context command. Issue an area command with Click+Drag to tell multiple transports to load a group of units
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# Issue the [[Load Command|'''Load''']] command (hotkey {{key press|L}}) to a transport to load the target unit. This command is generally available as a right-click context command. Issue an area command by clicking and dragging to tell multiple transports to load a group of units.
* Select a mixed selection of transports and ground units and issue the '''Load Selected Units''' command (double tap '''L''') to have the transports load the selected units. Idle units will be loaded into the transports while units with orders will be loaded and transported to the end of their order queue.
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# Select a mixed selection of transports and ground units and issue the '''Load Selected Units''' command (double-tap {{key press|L}}) to have the transports load the selected units. Idle units will be loaded into the transports, while units with orders will be loaded and transported to the end of their order queue.
  
 
=== Unloading ===
 
=== Unloading ===
Transports can either carefully place their cargo on the ground or they can eject it in-flight.
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Transports can either carefully place their cargo on the ground, or they can eject it in-flight.
* Use the [[Unload Command|'''Unload''']] command (hotkey '''U''') to unload carefully. This command can be issued in an area with Click+Drag or along a line with Alt+Click+Drag.
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* Use the [[Unload Command|'''Unload''']] command (hotkey {{key press|U}}) to unload carefully. This command can be issued in an area selected by clicking and dragging or along a line by {{key press|Alt}}-clicking and dragging.
* Use the [[Eject Cargo Command|'''Eject Cargo''']] command (hotkey '''D''') to drop transported units. This may damage the dropped units. Transports carrying bombs draw a target on the ground based on their velocity.
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* Use the [[Eject Cargo Command|'''Eject Cargo''']] command (hotkey {{key press|D}}) to drop transported units. This may damage the dropped units. Transports carrying bombs draw a target where the bomb is going to hit on the ground based on their velocity.
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== Transport AI ==
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'''Transport AI''' can be toggled with the unit AI state toggle ([[File:Bulb on.png|18px|alt=light bulb]]) on transports.
  
= '''Transport AI''' =
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Transports can be set to [[Guard Command|guard]] a factory to automatically pick up newly created units and drop them off at the end of the rally queue.
[[Transport AI|'''Transport AI''']] can be toggled with the unit AI state toggle (<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ZeroK-RTS/Zero-K/master/LuaUI/Images/commands/states/bulb_on.png" height='18' align="center" />) on transports. It has a few different aspects:
 
* Transports can be set to [[Guard Command|guard]] a factory to automatically pick up newly created units and drop them off at the end of the rally queue.
 
* Two queueable commands: ''Embark'' [[File:Embark.png|18px]] and ''Disembark'' [[File:Disembark.png|18px]] - these commands appear on transportable land units and factories when you build your first air transport. '''Embark''' &mdash; wait for transport to pick me up. '''Disembark''' &mdash; disembark from transport.
 
  
=== Possible uses ===
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There are two queueable commands: ''Embark'' [[File:Embark.png|18px]] and ''Disembark'' [[File:Disembark.png|18px]]—these commands appear on transportable land units and factories when you build your first air transport.
# Give bot factory waypoints through safe area next to the current battlefield.
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*'''Embark'''—wait for transport to pick me up. Transports called by the ''Embark'' command will return to the spot where they took the unit using the same path.
#* Result: Units walk along these waypoints and if there are idle transports they will pick them up and transport them to their destination.
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*'''Disembark'''—safely exit from the transport.
# Give factory waypoint to ally's base entrance followed by [[Patrol Command|patrol]].
 
#* Result: Units walk there and if transport nearby it will pick it up, drop it off and the unit will start patrolling.
 
# Give factory a move order near your base, ''Embark'', then move to an impassable mountain.
 
#* Result: Units will emerge from factory and enter ''Embark'' mode - they will stand there and wait for transport to get them to the mountain.
 
# Select crawling bombs, click to move to enemy base then click ''Embark''.
 
#* Result: Bombs will stop and wait for transports, transports will carry them to enemy base.
 
# Select Dantes, give them move commands across air safe areas, followed by disembark from behind the base spot and move to enemy base. Then click ''Embark''.
 
#* Result: Dantes will stop and wait for transports. Transport will carry them along the waypoints to back of enemy base, unload them. From there Dantes will continue on foot.
 
  
=== Notes and details ===
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=== Benefit ===
* Transported called by the '''Embark''' command will return to the spot where they took unit using the same path.
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A transport might skip some units because it finds it pointless to transport them. It takes several things into account—distance of transport from unit, planned unit path, unit speed, transport speed, transport land times, terrain height differences—all of this is used to estimate the "benefit" of transporting a given unit with the air transport.
* Transports might skip some units because it finds it useless to transport them. It takes several things into account - distance of transport from unit, planned unit path, unit speed, transport speed, transport land times, terrain height differences - all of this is used to estimate the "benefit" of transporting given unit with air transport. Benefit = number of seconds saved by using transporter. It only transports units if benefit is higher than 5 seconds and in order of benefit (slowest units will be transported first, fast units might be ignored completely). Exception to this is the ''Embark'' command which serves as "priority" transport - units waiting with the ''Embark'' command will be served first.
 
  
= '''Ferry routes''' =
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'''Benefit''' is the number of seconds saved by using a transport. It transports units only if benefit is greater than five seconds and in the order of benefit (slowest units will be transported first, while fast units might be ignored completely). The exception to this is the ''Embark'' command, which serves as "priority" transport—units waiting with the ''Embark'' command will be served first.
Ferry routes automate transports to travel units across a set path to a destination. The UI for creating ferry routes is (by default) in the upper left corner bar next to retreat and repair. The symbol is a red circle with a ray pointing out of it to the right ([[File:Ferry.png|18px]]). To create a ferry route, first left click the ferry route button, next left click the start location of your ferry route, then left click the destination. A ferry route does not have to be just a straight line, the path to take can twist and turn all you like by holding shift and left clicking between setting the start and destination. Your ferry route will appear as a hard red circle indicating the start and a line directing out of that circle towards the end.
 
  
<htmltag tagname="video" width="560" height="320" loop="true" autoplay="true" src="https://i.imgur.com/XHY0vP7.mp4" controls="true"></htmltag>
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=== Possible uses ===
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; Give bot factory waypoints through safe area next to the current battlefield.
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: Result: Units walk along these waypoints, and, if there are idle transports, they will pick them up and transport them to their destination.
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; Give factory waypoint to ally's base entrance, followed by [[Patrol Command|patrol]].
 +
: Result: Units walk there, and, if transport is nearby, it will pick them up, drop them off, and the units will start patrolling.
 +
; Give factory a move order near your base, ''Embark'', then move to an impassable mountain.
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: Result: Units will emerge from factory and enter ''Embark'' mode—they will stand there and wait for transport to get them to the mountain.
 +
; Select crawling bombs, click to move to enemy base, then click ''Embark''.
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: Result: Bombs will stop and wait for transports, and transports will carry them to enemy base.
 +
; Select Dantes, give them move commands across safe areas, followed by disembark from behind the base spot, and move to enemy base. Then click ''Embark''.
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: Result: Dantes will stop and wait for transports. Transport will carry them along the waypoints to back of enemy base and unload them. From there, Dantes will continue on foot.
  
You can even edit your ferry route, by clicking the ferry route button, hold shift and click on anyplace you placed a start, end, or corner to select it, and then click where you want that point to be.
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== Ferry routes ==
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Ferry routes automate transports to travel units across a set path to a destination. The <abbr title="user interface">UI</abbr> for creating ferry routes is (by default) in the upper left corner bar next to ''retreat and repair''. The symbol is a red circle with a ray pointing out of it to the right ([[File:Ferry.png|18px]]).  
  
<htmltag tagname="video" width="560" height="320" loop="true" autoplay="true" src="https://i.imgur.com/WC2qb03.mp4" controls="true"></htmltag>
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[[File:Route set up.mp4|right|upright=1.3]] To create a ferry route, first left-click the ferry route button, next, left-click the start location of your ferry route, then left-click the destination. A ferry route does not have to be just a straight line. The path to take can twist and turn all you like by holding {{key press|Shift}} and left-clicking between the starting area and destination. Your ferry route will appear as a hard red circle indicating the start and a line directing out of that circle towards the destination.
  
To remove a ferry route, click the ferry route button and left click a start location.
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Transports return to the spot where they took a unit using the same path.
  
<htmltag tagname="video" width="560" height="320" loop="true" autoplay="true" src="https://i.imgur.com/SHFhe68.mp4" controls="true"></htmltag>
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[[File:Route edit.mp4|left|upright=1.3]] You can even edit your ferry route by clicking the ferry route button, holding {{key press|Shift}} and clicking where you placed a start, end, or corner to select it, and then clicking where you want that point to be.{{clear}}
  
Now that you have your ferry route, it's time to put it to use! Assign transports to the ferry route by issuing a move command into the start circle. The transtports will now stay within a short distance of the start, even if you try and move them away, waiting for units. take a unit you want to ferry, and issue a move order into the circle. Once the unit is in the circle, it will wait for a transport to pick it up and move it to the end of the ferry route. you can shift queue commands for the unit and it will follow the commands after the transport.
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[[File:Route del.mp4|left|upright=1.3]] To remove a ferry route, click the ferry route button and left-click a start location.{{clear}}
  
<htmltag tagname="video" width="560" height="320" loop="true" autoplay="true" src="https://i.imgur.com/No0wGkg.mp4" controls="true"></htmltag>
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Now that you have your ferry route, it's time to put it to use! Assign transports to the ferry route by issuing a move command into the start circle. The transports will now stay within a short distance of the start, even if you try to move them away, waiting for units. Take a unit you want to ferry and issue a move order into the circle. Once the unit is in the circle, it will wait for a transport to pick it up and move it to the end of the ferry route. You can {{key press|Shift}}-queue commands for the unit, and it will follow the commands after arrival at the destination.
  
Potential uses for ferry routes are to move a large army around static anti-air cover to far locations, as the transports will follow the route both to and from the location. You can set your factory's way-point to the ferry route start, and units will wait for transports to ferry them.
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[[File:Route exec.mp4|upright=2]]
  
There are a few bugs with the system, such as if you assign a transport to a ferry route one time it may be unable to ever be assigned to a different ferry route, sometimes units won't seen to call for transports when they are in the start circle. if you have a gunship plant's rally point in a ferry route, the transports will wait for transport instead of being added to the ferry route, so you need to manually move them into the circle. There seem to be cases where there are both units and transports at the start location, but the units wait for a transport that is already off on it's ferry mission to come back and pick them up, which is undesired. Somehow, units seem to wait for a transport outside the circle, and thus never get a transport to pick them up.If a unit is waiting and not picked up, it will never get assigned a wait command when issuing a move command into the circle, and if you want it to be ferried, you must manually issue a wait command on the unit while it is inside the ferry circle. If the LZ is cluttered with units at the end of the ferry, transports will get stuck and not place units down, instead just holding them hostage over the end point. All in all, while automated, ferry routes require periodical check-ups.
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Potential uses for ferry routes:
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*To move a large army around static anti-air cover to far locations, as the transports will follow the route both to and from the location.
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*You can set your factory's waypoint to the ferry route start, and units will wait for transports to ferry them.
  
=== Notes and details ===
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Although the ferry routes are automated, they still require regular oversight. Under certain circumstances, a unit may end up waiting to be transported forever. Also, units waiting for transports may enter the [[Wait Command|Wait]] state, denoted by an hourglass icon above the unit, which will prevent them from defending themselves.
* In all of these cases transports return to the spot where they took unit using the same path.
 
  
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<!--There are a few bugs with the system, such as if you assign a transport to a ferry route one time it may be unable to ever be assigned to a different ferry route, sometimes units won't seen to call for transports when they are in the start circle. if you have a gunship plant's rally point in a ferry route, the transports will wait for transport instead of being added to the ferry route, so you need to manually move them into the circle. There seem to be cases where there are both units and transports at the start location, but the units wait for a transport that is already off on it's ferry mission to come back and pick them up, which is undesired. Somehow, units seem to wait for a transport outside the circle, and thus never get a transport to pick them up. If a unit is waiting and not picked up, it will never get assigned a wait command when issuing a move command into the circle, and if you want it to be ferried, you must manually issue a wait command on the unit while it is inside the ferry circle. If the <abbr title="landing zone">LZ</abbr> is cluttered with units at the end of the ferry, transports will get stuck and not place units down, instead just holding them hostage over the end point. All in all, while automated, ferry routes require periodical check-ups.-->
  
 
{{Navbox manual}}
 
{{Navbox manual}}

Latest revision as of 11:10, 30 October 2024

Transports are used to rapidly move ground and sea forces around the battlefield. There are two transports: Charon and Hercules. Both are constructed at the Gunship Plant.

Teleportation is an alternative means of transportation.

Basic Commands and Abilities[edit]

Mass and Capacity[edit]

Transports can pick up and carry a single unit at a time.

Charon can carry light and medium units while Hercules can carry any transportable unit. Transports cannot carry air units. A unit's transportability depends on its metal cost. Light units are units below or equal to 500 metal, medium units are between 501 and 1000 metal, and heavy units are everything else. A unit's transportability and mass can be viewed in an information window by Space-clicking on the unit.

Laden transports have a speed penalty depending on the mass of their cargo. Transports receive no additional speed penalty for transporting units up to their own mass, otherwise, they have a speed modifier of 2 × selfMass ÷ (selfMass + cargoMass).

Loading[edit]

Transports can pick up any valid stationary unit, including stunned enemies. They have to physically lower themselves onto a unit to pick it up. This process can take a few seconds, depending on the target. There are two ways to load units:

  1. Issue the Load command (hotkey L) to a transport to load the target unit. This command is generally available as a right-click context command. Issue an area command by clicking and dragging to tell multiple transports to load a group of units.
  2. Select a mixed selection of transports and ground units and issue the Load Selected Units command (double-tap L) to have the transports load the selected units. Idle units will be loaded into the transports, while units with orders will be loaded and transported to the end of their order queue.

Unloading[edit]

Transports can either carefully place their cargo on the ground, or they can eject it in-flight.

  • Use the Unload command (hotkey U) to unload carefully. This command can be issued in an area selected by clicking and dragging or along a line by Alt-clicking and dragging.
  • Use the Eject Cargo command (hotkey D) to drop transported units. This may damage the dropped units. Transports carrying bombs draw a target where the bomb is going to hit on the ground based on their velocity.

Transport AI[edit]

Transport AI can be toggled with the unit AI state toggle (light bulb) on transports.

Transports can be set to guard a factory to automatically pick up newly created units and drop them off at the end of the rally queue.

There are two queueable commands: Embark Embark.png and Disembark Disembark.png—these commands appear on transportable land units and factories when you build your first air transport.

  • Embark—wait for transport to pick me up. Transports called by the Embark command will return to the spot where they took the unit using the same path.
  • Disembark—safely exit from the transport.

Benefit[edit]

A transport might skip some units because it finds it pointless to transport them. It takes several things into account—distance of transport from unit, planned unit path, unit speed, transport speed, transport land times, terrain height differences—all of this is used to estimate the "benefit" of transporting a given unit with the air transport.

Benefit is the number of seconds saved by using a transport. It transports units only if benefit is greater than five seconds and in the order of benefit (slowest units will be transported first, while fast units might be ignored completely). The exception to this is the Embark command, which serves as "priority" transport—units waiting with the Embark command will be served first.

Possible uses[edit]

Give bot factory waypoints through safe area next to the current battlefield.
Result: Units walk along these waypoints, and, if there are idle transports, they will pick them up and transport them to their destination.
Give factory waypoint to ally's base entrance, followed by patrol.
Result: Units walk there, and, if transport is nearby, it will pick them up, drop them off, and the units will start patrolling.
Give factory a move order near your base, Embark, then move to an impassable mountain.
Result: Units will emerge from factory and enter Embark mode—they will stand there and wait for transport to get them to the mountain.
Select crawling bombs, click to move to enemy base, then click Embark.
Result: Bombs will stop and wait for transports, and transports will carry them to enemy base.
Select Dantes, give them move commands across safe areas, followed by disembark from behind the base spot, and move to enemy base. Then click Embark.
Result: Dantes will stop and wait for transports. Transport will carry them along the waypoints to back of enemy base and unload them. From there, Dantes will continue on foot.

Ferry routes[edit]

Ferry routes automate transports to travel units across a set path to a destination. The UI for creating ferry routes is (by default) in the upper left corner bar next to retreat and repair. The symbol is a red circle with a ray pointing out of it to the right (Ferry.png).

To create a ferry route, first left-click the ferry route button, next, left-click the start location of your ferry route, then left-click the destination. A ferry route does not have to be just a straight line. The path to take can twist and turn all you like by holding Shift and left-clicking between the starting area and destination. Your ferry route will appear as a hard red circle indicating the start and a line directing out of that circle towards the destination.

Transports return to the spot where they took a unit using the same path.

You can even edit your ferry route by clicking the ferry route button, holding Shift and clicking where you placed a start, end, or corner to select it, and then clicking where you want that point to be.

To remove a ferry route, click the ferry route button and left-click a start location.

Now that you have your ferry route, it's time to put it to use! Assign transports to the ferry route by issuing a move command into the start circle. The transports will now stay within a short distance of the start, even if you try to move them away, waiting for units. Take a unit you want to ferry and issue a move order into the circle. Once the unit is in the circle, it will wait for a transport to pick it up and move it to the end of the ferry route. You can Shift-queue commands for the unit, and it will follow the commands after arrival at the destination.

Potential uses for ferry routes:

  • To move a large army around static anti-air cover to far locations, as the transports will follow the route both to and from the location.
  • You can set your factory's waypoint to the ferry route start, and units will wait for transports to ferry them.

Although the ferry routes are automated, they still require regular oversight. Under certain circumstances, a unit may end up waiting to be transported forever. Also, units waiting for transports may enter the Wait state, denoted by an hourglass icon above the unit, which will prevent them from defending themselves.