Advice on LSTs

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> The War Room >> Advice on LSTs

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Advice on LSTs - 8/15/2015 10:52:09 PM

Major Shane

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I am playing stock as the Allies against the AI. It's Jan 43 and I am preparing to invade Tarawa. I have had several LSTs arrive and have moved them to Pearl Harbor. What is the best way to use them for my amphibious assault? Do I just include them as ships inside the TF? I have never had them available for an assault. Thanks in advance.

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RE: Advice on LSTs - 8/16/2015 6:44:31 PM

Bullwinkle58

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Yes, just include them. They work in several types of TF. To use them well you need to balance their unloading prowess with their very slow speed and only moderate range. They are also not very durable. Against very small and small islands you will auto-Shock attack on every turn you land troops so it's essential to get as much ashore as fast as you can else you can go into a death spiral and have a failed landing.

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The Moose

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RE: Advice on LSTs - 9/3/2015 6:43:36 PM

BBfanboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Yes, just include them. They work in several types of TF. To use them well you need to balance their unloading prowess with their very slow speed and only moderate range. They are also not very durable. Against very small and small islands you will auto-Shock attack on every turn you land troops so it's essential to get as much ashore as fast as you can else you can go into a death spiral and have a failed landing.

Further to this, I would decide what units I needed to unload fastest and form the LSTs into their own TF (with AP types for the personnel) and load them. Then merge them with another Amphib TF that has the usual xAKs and xAPs etc. This helps get tanks and arty onto the LST rather than in the hold of a ship. AK type ships should haul mobile support (trucks) and supply.

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No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

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RE: Advice on LSTs - 9/3/2015 8:01:26 PM

HansBolter

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Once you have enough of them to combine with smaller deployable landing craft for rapid, one turn unloading of troops, it is also not a bad idea to form a separate supply only TF of LSTs as they will also dump all contents on the beach in one turn.

The extra combat loaded supply filling the extra space in troop transports can take several turns to unload.

This is especially true if using xAPs and xAKs for amphibious missions (not a good idea, but sometimes a necessary expedient).

It is less of a factor when using APs and AKs and even less of one when using APAs and AKAs.

If a threat develops after the first day that causes your unloading troop ships to have to bug out after unloading the troops such as what happened at Guadalcanal, then having the extra supply TF of LSTs vomit its entire contents onto the beach on the first day can be a lifesaver for the troops ashore.

I second BBFBs advice. Whenever I send in a Marine expeditionary force the artillery and tank battalions go ashore in their own dedicated LST TFs to ensure they get ashore with the Marine divisions troops the FIRST day.

< Message edited by HansBolter -- 9/3/2015 9:08:52 PM >

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RE: Advice on LSTs - 9/4/2015 12:12:03 AM

John B.

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In an non-invasion role I've found that with their quick unloading speed they can be good for delivering large amounts of supply to forward bases that are under interdiction threats.

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