Which ships/TF for transport to friendly beaches?

[Grotius]

Suppose I have a tiny base, with port size 0 or 1, and I wish to put supply and/or troops there. Should I use a Transport TF or an Amphibious TF? And what sort of ships should I use? E.g., should I use APAs and AKAs rather than regular APs or AKs?

I have read and re-read the manual's extensive documentation of loading and unloading, but it's possible I missed something.

[NormS3]

I recall a thread discussing this. Amphibious taskforces were strongly recomended for small ports. APAs and AKAs are better as I recall.

[Terminus]

Yah. The reason being, with a size 0 or 1 port, you're better off unloading over the beach from an AKA.

[Erik Rutins]

John posted this in another thread:

"Just to make you tear out even more of your hair, you have to be very careful when you talk about “AK/APs”. There’s 3 different kinds.

An xAK (or xAP) is a typical commercial carrier; it has 2-5 ton cranes, a crew of 30-40, and is in general “commercial” service; cargo ‘trash’ haulers, or passenger ‘slave’ ships. They can carry stuff, but load/unload PAINFULLY slowly unless in a port with “facilities”. Some of these had a ‘deep tank’ or a forepeak tank that carried a liquid cargo (av-gas, kerosene, etc ..)

An AK (AP) is a navalized ship, with 10-15 ton cranes, a crew of maybe 300, integral lighters (LCs), and is designed/converted/constructed to haul military cargoes into harms way. Because of their integral deck facilities, crew, and lighterage, they are “relatively” independent of port size restrictions.

An AKA (APA) is a fully navalized assault transport: 15-40 ton cranes, crew of 340-400, Welling davits, LCI, LCVP, LCM up the wazoo. These are the sharp end of the flaming telephone pole looking to be inserted into the bad people’s … well.

You will need to be very, very, very, very, judicious in your selection of just which types are going to perform what sorts of functions."

[DrewMatrix]

These sorts of differences between xAK, AK, and AKA are the thing I really love about this game!

[jhdeerslayer]

ORIGINAL: Beezle

These sorts of differences between xAK, AK, and AKA are the thing I really love about this game!

Me too. I am still trying to figure out all the ship codes for all the other nifty ships we have now. That part of the manual will be dog eared shortly.

[moose1999]

I've got an engineer regiment on route to a friendly beach on board a handful of APs.
How bad an idea is this?
And will it make any difference whether I make the TF a transport TF or an amphibious TF? (remembering to change the ground unit's stance accordingly, of course...)

[Jim D Burns]

So in short:

xAK = Used for rear area shuttles.
AK = Used for forward area shuttles (faster unload speeds = less exposure to danger).
AKA = Save these for assault landings, you'll need em.

Same rules apply to the AP class.

Jim

[jhdeerslayer]

ORIGINAL: briny_norman

I've got an engineer regiment on route to a friendly beach on board a handful of APs.
How bad an idea is this?
And will it make any difference whether I make the TF a transport TF or an amphibious TF? (remembering to change the ground unit's stance accordingly, of course...)

Good question. I'm a rookie too but I think the answer lies on pages 125 and 127 where you compare the unload table (transport/cargo) versus the unload rates for amphibious. There are a few variables but seems amphibious is best.

[DrewMatrix]

ORIGINAL: Deerslayer


I am still trying to figure out all the ship codes for all the other nifty ships we have now. That part of the manual will be dog eared shortly.

I printed out the complicated part of the ship abbreviations list and have it on a sheet taped to the monitor, at least for the first couple of turns. I am setting up local ASW/Mine warfare TFs in my first turn and need to keep all the minor ship types straight.

Delightful!

[Blackhorse]

If you're doing an Amphibious Landing at a friendly base with no or few port facilities (0 or 1) it will help if the first unit you land has Naval Support squads. It doesn't take many NS squads to make a beach as effective as a level 2 or level 3 port.

And if you look around your LCUs, you'll find -- by a remarkable coincidence -- some small base units that appear to be designed especially for this purpose. Starting on December 8th, look around for "[A-F] Detachment USN Port Service Battalion". These can be very helpful if your looking to reinforce the South Pacific.

[AttuWatcher]

ORIGINAL: Beezle

These sorts of differences between xAK, AK, and AKA are the thing I really love about this game!

Me too. I love ships and AE's got tons of 'em!

[Halsey]

ORIGINAL: Blackhorse

If you're doing an Amphibious Landing at a friendly base with no or few port facilities (0 or 1) it will help if the first unit you land has Naval Support squads. It doesn't take many NS squads to make a beach as effective as a level 2 or level 3 port.

And if you look around your LCUs, you'll find -- by a remarkable coincidence -- some small base units that appear to be designed especially for this purpose. Starting on December 8th, look around for "[A-F] Detachment USN Port Service Battalion". These can be very helpful if your looking to reinforce the South Pacific.

These are some of the most important Allied units in the game.[;)]

[Jensemann]

youre all talking about the difference between "transport mission" and "amphibious mission" in my aleutains campain i coudnt load troops unless the taskforce had "amphibious" as mission, is this something special with this scenario or am i doing someting wrong?

I was mixing all kind of transport ships by the way as i hadnt figured out the differences:)

[Halsey]

Amph TF: LCU's in combat mode.

Trans TF: LCU's must be in strat mode.

[Jensemann]

ORIGINAL: Halsey

Amph TF: LCU's in combat mode.

Trans TF: LCU's must be in strat mode.

oh thanks, i guess it will take weeks if not months till i have figured out all the small details

[Shark7]

A size 1 port is really no more than an anchorage. It would have no cargo handling capabilities at all.

[Halsey]

Use Amph TF's to move to all bases with less than a 3 port level.
Supply and LCU's.

If you don't it'll take WEEKS to unload them.

Hint, port size is now more important than airfield size.[;)]

You can grease the unloading time with naval support points.

[Titanwarrior89]

Nice bit of information

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

John posted this in another thread:

"Just to make you tear out even more of your hair, you have to be very careful when you talk about “AK/APs”. There’s 3 different kinds.

An xAK (or xAP) is a typical commercial carrier; it has 2-5 ton cranes, a crew of 30-40, and is in general “commercial” service; cargo ‘trash’ haulers, or passenger ‘slave’ ships. They can carry stuff, but load/unload PAINFULLY slowly unless in a port with “facilities”. Some of these had a ‘deep tank’ or a forepeak tank that carried a liquid cargo (av-gas, kerosene, etc ..)

An AK (AP) is a navalized ship, with 10-15 ton cranes, a crew of maybe 300, integral lighters (LCs), and is designed/converted/constructed to haul military cargoes into harms way. Because of their integral deck facilities, crew, and lighterage, they are “relatively” independent of port size restrictions.

An AKA (APA) is a fully navalized assault transport: 15-40 ton cranes, crew of 340-400, Welling davits, LCI, LCVP, LCM up the wazoo. These are the sharp end of the flaming telephone pole looking to be inserted into the bad people’s … well.

You will need to be very, very, very, very, judicious in your selection of just which types are going to perform what sorts of functions."

[Grotius]

Use Amph TF's to move to all bases with less than a 3 port level.
Supply and LCU's.

Ah, so choice of TF type matters when hauling stuff to friendly beaches, not just choice of ship. Thanks!