Balearics Island scenario 7 republican cant take palma

[Yuvalco]

My approach: land forces at a west coast port, then push on Palma. Problem is I need ~2 weeks to build a formation above AV 10 before I commit. By the time I land and take the area around Palma, the Nationalists have ferried in enough reinforcements that I can't finish the fight fast enough.

Tried blockading the port with my 2 subs — no noticeable effect. BB and DD are used for bombardment when available and do real damage, but still not enough to break the reinforcement race.

any tips will be welcomed

[burningman]

Try to get as much artillery and engineers into position as possible and try to rotate your combat forces, so they don't build too much fatique.

When it comes to the port of Palma, I don't think you can completely shut it down with the ships available - but that's only my impression.

Also, try to fly recon missions over palma as much as possible. Good intel helps a lot in ground combat and ground attack missions, I'm told.

[RangerJoe]

Why not use the surface ships to keep the Nationalists from reinforcing? Just keep them far enough away from the coastal defense guns.

[WingedIncubus]

Why not use the surface ships to keep the Nationalists from reinforcing? Just keep them far enough away from the coastal defense guns.

Is there a way to keep the subs and surface combat TFs from constantly returning to base every turn, besides putting them on Remain on Station?

That usually happens when I send them using hex Patrol Routes, and it is a real hassle. I want to make them remain on their patrol duty and patrol that assigned area, while maintaining the hexes reactions on until they have barely enough fuel to return to home port. From memory, in WITP:AE using Remain on Station would override hex reaction settings, but I don't know if it is similar in WiS.

[RangerJoe]

Why not use the surface ships to keep the Nationalists from reinforcing? Just keep them far enough away from the coastal defense guns.

Is there a way to keep the subs and surface combat TFs from constantly returning to base every turn, besides putting them on Remain on Station?

That usually happens when I send them using hex Patrol Routes, and it is a real hassle. I want to make them remain on their patrol duty and patrol that assigned area, while maintaining the hexes reactions on until they have barely enough fuel to return to home port. From memory, in WITP:AE using Remain on Station would override hex reaction settings, but I don't know if it is similar in WiS.

If they are low on ammo and/or fuel, then they will return to base. Also, if none of the ships can't perform the mission then they will return to base. Such as an ASW TF with no ASW capabilities.

[WingedIncubus]

If they are low on ammo and/or fuel, then they will return to base. Also, if none of the ships can't perform the mission then they will return to base. Such as an ASW TF with no ASW capabilities.

Thank you!

I tested, this time starting the legit long scenario for the Balearics Islands as the Republicans. Subs would return to base if I put a single hex under patrol soon as they reached it, but if I set two or three hexes they patrol as designed without returning to base. Could be also because of the wear and tear and they need some dockyard repair from time to time?

Changing subject... those Republican Float Planes and Patrol Aircrafts suck a lot except for Naval Searches, but when they spot a ship is there a prefered altitude to set to release the bombs and increase the chances of them hitting something? Usually, I set their cruise altitude under 8,000 yards to pass under the clouds and the release altitude the lowest I can without having it in the red.

[WingedIncubus]

My approach: land forces at a west coast port, then push on Palma. Problem is I need ~2 weeks to build a formation above AV 10 before I commit. By the time I land and take the area around Palma, the Nationalists have ferried in enough reinforcements that I can't finish the fight fast enough.

Tried blockading the port with my 2 subs — no noticeable effect. BB and DD are used for bombardment when available and do real damage, but still not enough to break the reinforcement race.

any tips will be welcomed

Do not feel bad - the tutorial scenario is not meant to be easy to win, but a scenario for a beginner to get used to the basics and learn about amphibious operations without being too overwhelmed.

The objective, however, remains challenging: I've failed twice, the second attempt even if by August 15, I held about half of the Island including the two towns north of Palma. I felt I had this in the bag but Palma remains Heavy Urban: heavily defensible and a hard nut to crack in the "real" scenario, let alone the tutorial scenario. The AI knows Palma's VP points would ensure a major Republican victory so it will concentrate to defend both it and Son San Juan to delay the player until the Italian cavalry arrives.

A) That scenario (and Scenario 5 if you wanna play the Nationalists) lasts only a month, which is 30 turns. For the same theater, Scenario 6 lasts 2 months.
B) Scenario 7 has both players start with most of their Navies on the map, and LCUs' devices already kinda set up on the map. The buildup in Scenario 5 and 6 is quite slower - ex:, Jaime I and Libertad do not arrive until 31 days from the start, and LCUs arrive piecemeal and depleted of most of their devices that you need to reinforce from the pool through RSVs. Scenario 7 is a race for who will bring the most infantry to seize Palma itself - the more time you take, the more Italian auxilliaries will start showing up, and their troops are a level of magnitude better that the Nationalist garrisons.
C) The Republicans in real life never managed to take Palma itself; in fact the invasion became a complete boondoggle when the Italians arrived with their pizza, so don't feel bad if you fail - it's the null hypothesis.

[RangerJoe]

If they are low on ammo and/or fuel, then they will return to base. Also, if none of the ships can't perform the mission then they will return to base. Such as an ASW TF with no ASW capabilities.

Thank you!

I tested, this time starting the legit long scenario for the Balearics Islands as the Republicans. Subs would return to base if I put a single hex under patrol soon as they reached it, but if I set two or three hexes they patrol as designed without returning to base. Could be also because of the wear and tear and they need some dockyard repair from time to time?

Changing subject... those Republican Float Planes and Patrol Aircrafts suck a lot except for Naval Searches, but when they spot a ship is there a prefered altitude to set to release the bombs and increase the chances of them hitting something? Usually, I set their cruise altitude under 8,000 yards to pass under the clouds and the release altitude the lowest I can without having it in the red.

How do you know the altitude where the bottom of the clouds are?

[WingedIncubus]

How do you know the altitude where the bottom of the clouds are?

From watching Cannae Gaming's Youtube series on the scenario, he mentioned that the clouds are at 8,000 yards - so he recommended to send Recon and Naval Search underneath that floor. He could be wrong, however.

Aircraft altitudes have always been one feature I have the most trouble juggling with.

[Q-Ball]

I've played PBEM the first few months now 4 times on both sides. Palma doesn't fall unless it runs out of supplies. That's the only way to take it.

Assuming nothing at all gets through it takes to about November for the supplies to run out

If the Nationalists can get supplies there, it's impossible to take....best you can do is lock them in the port and occupy the airbase

[RangerJoe]

How do you know the altitude where the bottom of the clouds are?

From watching Cannae Gaming's Youtube series on the scenario, he mentioned that the clouds are at 8,000 yards - so he recommended to send Recon and Naval Search underneath that floor. He could be wrong, however.

Aircraft altitudes have always been one feature I have the most trouble juggling with.

Was it for that one turn/segment or for the entire game? I never paid much attention to the cloud altitude during the game. Just how cloudy the sky is or isn't!

ps What is worse is when someone up above sends you ice water when you are outside and away from shelter . . .

[WingedIncubus]

Was it for that one turn/segment or for the entire game? I never paid much attention to the cloud altitude during the game. Just how cloudy the sky is or isn't!

ps What is worse is when someone up above sends you ice water when you are outside and away from shelter . . .

He mentioned it was for the whole game. Here is the video, the relevant part about altitude and DL starts at 47:00:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPAAmnrhua0&t=300s