The Abstraction of Amphibious Landings

[Nazcatraz]

I’m about to try my first Allies amphibious landing in the game, and I’ve been reading up on how abstracted these landings seem to be compared to historical accounts. In real WWII Pacific landings, infantry would load into landing craft like LCVPs (the “Higgins boats”) to hit the beach, but in the game, it looks like you can land troops straight from ships like APs or LSDs, with no mention of LCVPs initially.

From what I understand, LCVPs do show up later in the game, but for now, it seems like they’re just assumed to be part of the process when using APs for amphibious assaults. I wonder if that’s just a simplification for gameplay, since otherwise, you'd be handling a ton of individual landing craft.

Also, are LVT-4 Amtracs represented in the game? Historically, these bad boys were crucial in the Pacific for getting troops ashore under fire. It would be awesome to see them in the game.

[RangerJoe]

I’m about to try my first Allies amphibious landing in the game, and I’ve been reading up on how abstracted these landings seem to be compared to historical accounts. In real WWII Pacific landings, infantry would load into landing craft like LCVPs (the “Higgins boats”) to hit the beach, but in the game, it looks like you can land troops straight from ships like APs or LSDs, with no mention of LCVPs initially.

From what I understand, LCVPs do show up later in the game, but for now, it seems like they’re just assumed to be part of the process when using APs for amphibious assaults. I wonder if that’s just a simplification for gameplay, since otherwise, you'd be handling a ton of individual landing craft.

Also, are LVT-4 Amtracs represented in the game? Historically, these bad boys were crucial in the Pacific for getting troops ashore under fire. It would be awesome to see them in the game.

Yes, the "Higgins" boats and other landing craft/boats are included in the transports.

Look up your "Amphibious Tractors" in your game, you have units of them coming in later.

[HansBolter]

The abstraction of small landing craft embedded in the larger transports is most visible in the Unloading Over Beaches rate differences between xAP/xAK, AP/AK and APA/AKA.

[Nazcatraz]

I’m about to try my first Allies amphibious landing in the game, and I’ve been reading up on how abstracted these landings seem to be compared to historical accounts. In real WWII Pacific landings, infantry would load into landing craft like LCVPs (the “Higgins boats”) to hit the beach, but in the game, it looks like you can land troops straight from ships like APs or LSDs, with no mention of LCVPs initially.

From what I understand, LCVPs do show up later in the game, but for now, it seems like they’re just assumed to be part of the process when using APs for amphibious assaults. I wonder if that’s just a simplification for gameplay, since otherwise, you'd be handling a ton of individual landing craft.

Also, are LVT-4 Amtracs represented in the game? Historically, these bad boys were crucial in the Pacific for getting troops ashore under fire. It would be awesome to see them in the game.

Yes, the "Higgins" boats and other landing craft/boats are included in the transports.

Look up your "Amphibious Tractors" in your game, you have units of them coming in later.

By included in the transports, you mean in an abstracted way right? Because I went through many AP ships/Transport TF details without seeing any mention of any LCVPs. I also found out that there are no LCVPs visible in the game at all even in the later dates.

I also did not see any LVT-4 in the game. There are LVT(A)1 in AFV divisions/regiments later in the war but no mention of any LVT-4 in either the LCU or ships.

I'm fine with them being abstracted. But if there is ever a WITP sequel, I would love to have LCVPs and the LVT-4 included in the game.

[RangerJoe]

I’m about to try my first Allies amphibious landing in the game, and I’ve been reading up on how abstracted these landings seem to be compared to historical accounts. In real WWII Pacific landings, infantry would load into landing craft like LCVPs (the “Higgins boats”) to hit the beach, but in the game, it looks like you can land troops straight from ships like APs or LSDs, with no mention of LCVPs initially.

From what I understand, LCVPs do show up later in the game, but for now, it seems like they’re just assumed to be part of the process when using APs for amphibious assaults. I wonder if that’s just a simplification for gameplay, since otherwise, you'd be handling a ton of individual landing craft.

Also, are LVT-4 Amtracs represented in the game? Historically, these bad boys were crucial in the Pacific for getting troops ashore under fire. It would be awesome to see them in the game.

Yes, the "Higgins" boats and other landing craft/boats are included in the transports.

Look up your "Amphibious Tractors" in your game, you have units of them coming in later.

By included in the transports, you mean in an abstracted way right? Because I went through many AP ships/Transport TF details without seeing any mention of any LCVPs. I also found out that there are no LCVPs visible in the game at all even in the later dates.

I also did not see any LVT-4 in the game. There are VT(A)1 in AFV divisions/regiments later in the war but no mention of any LVT-4 in either the LCU or ships.

I'm fine with them being abstracted. But if there is ever a WITP sequel, I would love to have LCVPs and the LVT-4 included in the game.

I suggest that you open your game, go to the database for ships, select Allied ships, if they are not sorted alphabetically then do so, then look for the ship/boat that you want.

Then go to the database for aircraft, vehicle, and troops, select vehicles, if they are not sorted alphabetically then do so, then look for the vehicle that you want.

It is easier for you to do so than for me to do so.

[Nazcatraz]

Yes, the "Higgins" boats and other landing craft/boats are included in the transports.

Look up your "Amphibious Tractors" in your game, you have units of them coming in later.

By included in the transports, you mean in an abstracted way right? Because I went through many AP ships/Transport TF details without seeing any mention of any LCVPs. I also found out that there are no LCVPs visible in the game at all even in the later dates.

I also did not see any LVT-4 in the game. There are VT(A)1 in AFV divisions/regiments later in the war but no mention of any LVT-4 in either the LCU or ships.

I'm fine with them being abstracted. But if there is ever a WITP sequel, I would love to have LCVPs and the LVT-4 included in the game.

I suggest that you open your game, go to the database for ships, select Allied ships, if they are not sorted alphabetically then do so, then look for the ship/boat that you want.

Then go to the database for aircraft, vehicle, and troops, select vehicles, if they are not sorted alphabetically then do so, then look for the vehicle that you want.

It is easier for you to do so than for me to do so.

I did look through the Allies ship database but did not find any mention of a single LCVP or LVT-4.

[Platoonist]

I did look through the Allies ship database but did not find any mention of a single LCVP or LVT-4.

The LCVP anyway seems to be present in mine.

LCVP.jpg (31.58 KiB) Viewed 1504 times

[Platoonist]

To get some LCVP represented on the map like other ships it seems like you have to wait unit the landing craft pool runs low on higher capacity LC. Can't say I ever used them much due to their limited range and load.

Barge TF.jpg (61.86 KiB) Viewed 1493 times

[Nazcatraz]

Okay so the LCVP are somewhat represented in the game. That's good to know thanks. But what about the LVT-4?

[RangerJoe]

Okay so the LCVP are somewhat represented in the game. That's good to know thanks. But what about the LVT-4?

Well, when I looked at my games database . . .

[Nazcatraz]

Okay so the LCVP are somewhat represented in the game. That's good to know thanks. But what about the LVT-4?

Well, when I looked at my games database . . .

ah yeah I forgot there's a database for LCU units too lol, I was looking in the ships one. But even though the LVT-4 is in the database, I cannot find it in any reinforcements at all. All the amphibious reinforcements from the Army & Marines all have LVT(A)1 with them instead. Just some obscure curiosity. Not that it matters anyway. I just love looking at the LCVP/LVT-4 landing troops amphibiously in movies.

If there is a sequel on the way, I would love to have the ability to micro LCVP and LVT-4, loading troops from APs into them to land them into the beaches like IRL. Please Gary & Joel if you are reading this pleeeease.

[RangerJoe]

Okay so the LCVP are somewhat represented in the game. That's good to know thanks. But what about the LVT-4?

Well, when I looked at my games database . . .

ah yeah I forgot there's a database for LCU units too lol, I was looking in the ships one. But even though the LVT-4 is in the database, I cannot find it in any reinforcements at all. All the amphibious reinforcements from the Army & Marines all have LVT(A)1 with them instead. Just some obscure curiosity. Not that it matters anyway. I just love looking at the LCVP/LVT-4 landing troops amphibiously in movies.

If there is a sequel on the way, I would love to have the ability to micro LCVP and LVT-4, loading troops from APs into them to land them into the beaches like IRL. Please Gary & Joel if you are reading this pleeeease.

You receive amphibious tractor units which help ships unload over the beach. You need to look those up and then check the upgrades for those units.

[Sardaukar]

All of those are in DaBabes mod.

[HansBolter]

IIRC Pool craft do not appear in the Ship Reinforcements listing.

Beyond that, I couldn't speak to what is included in the base game any longer, as I have been playing Babes mods for some time now.

[LargeSlowTarget]

But even though the LVT-4 is in the database, I cannot find it in any reinforcements at all. All the amphibious reinforcements from the Army & Marines all have LVT(A)1 with them instead.

Device 1187 LVT(A)1 upgrades to device 1188 LVT(A)4 starting 12/43.

[BBfanboy]

IIRC Pool craft do not appear in the Ship Reinforcements listing.

Beyond that, I couldn't speak to what is included in the base game any longer, as I have been playing Babes mods for some time now.

Some of them do appear by 'ship' name, but many more are just suddenly available for you to buy with supplies at ports of the same nationality. When you create those vessels in your port they normally (given enough supply) come in batches specific to type (IIRC mini-subs appear in batches of 4, PTs and MTBs in batches of 12).

The number of them available is shown at the bottom of the ship reinforcements screen. And those types of vessels can be sent back to the pool from your ports (not sure if the port needs to be the same nationality), but there is a delay to simulate transit before the vessel appears in the sum for that type.

[Nazcatraz]

But even though the LVT-4 is in the database, I cannot find it in any reinforcements at all. All the amphibious reinforcements from the Army & Marines all have LVT(A)1 with them instead.

Device 1187 LVT(A)1 upgrades to device 1188 LVT(A)4 starting 12/43.

That's good to know, thanks!

To get some LCVP represented on the map like other ships it seems like you have to wait unit the landing craft pool runs low on higher capacity LC. Can't say I ever used them much due to their limited range and load.


Barge TF.jpg

From my research, these LCVPs were loaded into APs, LSTs, LSDs ships etc and then during the amphibious invasion, they would be unloaded into the beaches. But I am sure there's no option to load landing crafts into ships in the game, not that they appear in the first place anyway unless after the whole "wait unil the landing craft pool runs low" like you said. I hope this would be addressed in the sequel and the dev would let us load landing crafts along with troops into ships like APs. And then during landing we could load infantry into landing crafts, and then launch them. That sounds like it would enhance the amphibious operations experiences.

[RangerJoe]

Some of the landing craft were left behind at Guadalcanal and they were used independently. Others were probably shipped out to be used for local watercraft. They are using for hauling smaller units and/or supplies around.

[Sardaukar]

I think game does pretty good depicting amphibious assault.

If you do it right, it's impressive...if you do it wrong, it can be painful.

[Platoonist]

I hope this would be addressed in the sequel and the dev would let us load landing crafts along with troops into ships like APs.

This game is already a sequel to the 2004 game War in the Pacific. Hence the Admirals Edition label. Any successor to this game would have to something completely new built from the ground up given the age and increased complexity of the code over the years due to many patches and modifications. Even working the bugs out of the last offical patch out is proving to be a major undertaking.