Casulties when unloading troops over beach

[JamesLxx]

Just a bit curious as to why there are such catastrophic casulties when a force of troops land at a beach. I know landing meathods were primitive, no landing craft ect but why such high loss when landing at unopposed empty beaches? I can understand a small percentage of loss due to accident but when that loss reaches 1000+ it makes me wonder if they didnt just throw them all overboard and say "go on swim for it!"

At Gallapolli there were some unopposed beaches taken without such high loss. The biggest cost from unopposed landings should be time and disruption.

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: JamesL

Just a bit curious as to why there are such catastrophic casulties when a force of troops land at a beach. I know landing meathods were primitive, no landing craft ect but why such high loss when landing at unopposed empty beaches? I can understand a small percentage of loss due to accident but when that loss reaches 1000+ it makes me wonder if they didnt just throw them all overboard and say "go on swim for it!"

At Gallapolli there were some unopposed beaches taken without such high loss. The biggest cost from unopposed landings should be time and disruption.

Combination of factors ...


(a) The "losses" aren't really "losses" per se .. but disablments ... they can be recovered over time by sitting still with plenty of supply.

(b) The WPO designers choose to make opposed landings more difficult ( then in WITP ) due to lack of technique is this period

(c) The pre-existing ( WITP ) engine then handles landings as we see in the game. But again, disablements are heavy, but actual losses are very small.

[Rysyonok]

Dardanelles, you say? Funny you should mention them...

On V Beach, still on the 25th (of April), as the battleship "Albion" bombards, the ex-collier "River Clyde" attempts to land 2,000 men of the 29th Division across three lighters and a grounded dredging hopper. The pontoon bridge is put in place, when the Turks open heavy fire. After three hours, only 200 men have reached the shore, with many more left dead and wounded.

NOVEMBER 1915... Allied casualties now total at least 250,000 including 50,000 killed

http://www.naval-history.net/WW1CampaignsDardanelles.htm

[wodin]

And the sea turned red.

We shall remember them..........