Shutting down messina

[cato13]

Im pretty sure i read in a thread somewhere that if you place two task forces adjacent to the two ferry hexes (but not next to a port) control the sea hexes adjacent to messina and fly enough ferry ground attack missions you can isolate messina.

well ive done that the previous turn but it isnt isolated. the two sea hexes next to messina are level 3 and both say WA control.

the two ferry hexes read interdiction 3 and 4 respectively in WA favour yet they both say axix control.

what am i missing here?

[loki100]

its not just your side of the interdiction score that matters.

If i recall you need +2 to flip a hex to your control.

the rules for ferry hex control are a product of ground units not naval interdiction - see 6.3.6

but what you are doing is effectively cutting most resupply, at best the axis are getting what comes down that single track rail line to Reggio-Calabria and then gets ferried over.

You could hit that line with rail interdiction

[cato13]

yeah i fly naval interdiction in both phases. i exceed the plus 2 level naval interdiction level so it looks like according to that rule its impossible to control the ferry hexes without at owning messina which obviously defeats the purpose of what im trying to achieve which is to prevent axis forces escaping messina.

so i guess there was also no point on placing my task forces where i placed them then either

this is from a thread a few years back i assume this is no longer doable?

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Carlkay is right, and one more thing you can do if you have two amphibs available is isolate it, by placing them adjacent to the ferry hexes (but not adjacent to the ports; it's possible to position them that way).

That will make it still tough to crack, but you will bag the German defenders

This is why many humans don't defend Messina with Germans usually; getting elite units destroyed is a disaster, not because of the losses so much as the morale loss when the unit comes back

EDIT: Another way to get a tough position is to move fresh units in to attack it twice, if you have alot available. The defenders will be tired after first combat, second one is often successful, IF you have fresh units to commit

[loki100]

if the Germans really commit, it can be near impossible to take. If the Germans really commit, in the end their units there are doomed when you manage a landing in Italy proper.

but don't mix up naval interdiction with control of the ferry hexes - the two are a product of different rules and concepts