Flashfyre
Posts: 330
Joined: 10/6/2000 From: Waynesboro, PA, USA Status: offline
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Just finished the first battle of a US long campaign. Morrocco, so I'm up against Vichy French. Beach landing, and desert...no trees.
Ok. Bought 2 engineer companies and 2 platoons of dozer tanks. Also BB, CA, and DD support, and gunboats.
Looked at map, picked the best spot for beachhead (a draw between 2 hills), shelled it with all naval guns pre-invasion. Landed the engineers and dozers. DID NOT move anyone inland. Initial landings are safe....even if on a mine hex, no casualties occur. Next turn dropped smoke along both hills, and flanking landing craft.
Engineers began discovering mines, stacked at least 2 squads and a dozer in each hex I wanted to clear, and kept my forces 15-20 hexes from beach. 5 turns (and multiple shellings of the hills) later, had cleared half a dozen paths thru the fields. Began landing troops and tanks, with engineers advancing forward.
By Turn 8, all forces on the beach, deployments to flank the defense line begun, AND NOT A SINGLE UNIT CASUALTY during the whole time. :D
Oh..forgot to mention the 12 B-17 bomber flights that hit the defense line during the pre-invasion landing. Many casualties amongst the French Legionnaires.... :eek:
So, yes, it can be done. A beach landing is one of the few types of battles that require the Three P's.....Planning, Patience, and Purpose. Plan the assault before you place units, Patience while the beach is secured and the landings occur, and remember the Purpose-to safely assemble your forces while limiting the enemy's ability to attack them.
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