How to provide bombardment support for invasions

[CapAndGown]

For a long time I was mystified as to how to keep my bombardment TFs in the same hex with my invasion force. When I simply set them to a bombardment mission with patrol/do not retire, they would bombard, switch to a surface combat TF and set retire allowed and then head for home. I know many other players have had the same problem. But there is a way to stop this and keep your bombardment TF in the same hex as your invasion TF. (If you have already figured this out, please don't throw stones at me, I just stumbled on this solution not too long ago.)

To get you bombardment TF to stay with your transport TF, set it to follow the transports and have it set to patrol/do not retire. The bombardment TF will bombard the target hex and then switch to being a surface combat TF with retire allowed. But it will still be set to follow the transport TF that was previously set. Reset its patrol status to patrol/do not retire. If you want it to bombard again, change its mission to bombardment. Be sure to set its retirement status to patrol/do not retire.

Voila. You now have naval gun fire support for your invasion and the ships with the big guns will not be heading for home the next turn.