|
Anthropoid -> RE: Escorts (6/27/2007 7:57:05 PM)
|
The other factor are coastal defense artillery implacements at the point of debarkation. Having some ships that can offer some reasonable counter-fire to CDs at the invasion site seems to absorb a bit of the carnage from the defending CDs which would otherwise be targetted solely at APs, AKs, LSTs, etc. There is a balance to be struck here I think, because depending on your context having a critical warship sunk because it was part of an amphibious invastion TF is more annoying than losing an additional AP with half a squad of engineers.
To clarify that point about escourts: create a transport TF and get it all loaded (and as you pointed out in the other thread, most efficient is to use EXCESS load factor to get an ENTIRE unit loaded in one fell swoop, then combine separate TFs with all troops pre-loaded into one big TF. At this point you can add CL, CA, DD, MSW, etc., types of ships, but not BBs. Change the TF type to Escourt and you can add any ships, then change it back to Transport for the actual trip to the debarkation point.
Another factor which is important in this game engine (which does seem to make sense from my navally naive viewpoint) is that having TFs FOLLOWING other TFs can have a big effect.
For example, let us say I have a fairly small amphib invasion TF that has 4 AKs full of supply, 10 APs full of troops, 2 CLs for some additional AA and counterfire, a couple ASW capable DDs, and maybe a couple CAs. Let's say that I know the invasion point is not that heavily guarded as far as Fort and Assault value, thus the relatively small size of the TF. However, I do know that there is at least one pretty tough CD unit on there (thus the mixture of warships and transports to try to spread out the CD gun fire a bit more), and I also suspect it to be heavily mined, and that there are a number of subs lurking about defensively.
Lets say that, the 4 AKs have a capacity of 20,000 and the 10 APs a capacity of 30,000, but I've only got ~9000 in supply and about ~19,000 in troops loaded on them. I have accomplished this by creating TFs that were about twice as big in capacity as the load value of the units and managed to get them to fully load in one turn, then hit IDLE. In sum, the transports are not stuff to the gills, they are about half full. This accomplishes two things: it forces any prospective CD to hit more times to cause X number of casualties to troops or supply loss; and (this is based on anecdotal evidence but I think it is true) they will unload faster, and perhaps even with less disruption and fatigue. So imagine I've got this all loaded up like this and ready to roll.
In this context (potentially serious minefield, CD and sub defense of a target), a good strategy would be to create some additional TFs. First an MSW TF with a few fairly expendable ships. This one will go in firs and be set to Patrol in order to pre-clear the minefield. Depending on how expendable you consider your MSWs to be compared to boat loads of troops. Also, sprinkle in a few MSWs in the actual invasion TF, and set the invasion TF to follow the MSW, maybe a day or two behind it. Although you have some ASW in the invasion TF, if you really think subs are serious problem, it might not be a bad idea to have a small (4 or 5 ship?) ASW TF following the main amphibious TF. Similar things can be done with surface TFs, and I've noted (as I've heard others do too) that one big TF (lets say 3 BBs, 4 CAs, 6 CLs, and 7 DDs) may actually perform better by dividing it into two smaller TFs (the two slower BBs, 2 slower CAs, two slower CLs, two slower DDs in the lead TF; the remainder of all faster ships [faster meaning, they all can travel at some minimum full speed that is sufficiently faster than the lead TF that they can swoop in and surprise any prospective opposition AFTER it has already had a tousle with the lead TF and has expended ammo, casualties, ship damage, etc.]) . . .
|
|
|
|
