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Hello, what's the difference between a surface attack and a bombardment?
Do both attack a TF if it encounters it?

Do both provide support during an amphibious landing? Meaning, do they attack soldiers on the beach? Thanks!

Both will defend themselves against an enemy surface attack, but the TF set to do bombardment will not be as good at defending itself. It will likely have a delay while they switch ammo from bombardment ammo to what they need against the enemy ships. There is a good chance they will suffer some damage before they return fire.

Warships from BB to DD size that are embedded with an Amphibious landing will return fire at enemy shore batteries that are firing at ships and troops. They do not engage enemy soldiers so much as hit some of them when firing at the shore batteries. Mainly, they suppress the enemy fire by keeping them tied up in a duel or just keeping their heads down.

Jusepe131 wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 12:44 pm Hello, what's the difference between a surface attack and a bombardment?
Do both attack a TF if it encounters it?

Do both provide support during an amphibious landing? Meaning, do they attack soldiers on the beach? Thanks!

A surface attack is, depending on what you mean, a battle between 2 surface TF's.

A naval bombardment is an attack on a land target.....GP

Thanks for answering.

Of course, my question is what to bring in an amphibious attack. Should I bring a bombardment TF? But what happens if I'm attacked by a naval TF?

And if I bring a surface attack TF, how efficient would it be compared to a bombardment TF?

An amphib invasion is a choreographed event. Minesweepers first, then sweep with SCTF if you think enemy ships are in the area and ASW for subs, then the bombardment TF, then the Amphibs with embedded warships to bombard the enemy that are opposing the landing. Then Amphibs with supply only to ensure your landing troops have some supply to work with. If you are Allies, you will also get some AGC command vessels to help organize waves of landing craft. Put an Amphibious Force HQ in them and set them to "Do Not Unload". Then bring it into the landing hex with your Amphibs. If you get Amphibious Truck units, bring them into the hex and land them to provide extra help with unloading and clearing the beaches of stuff.

You try to get your TFs in that sequence by making the first TF have the lowest TF number and so on in sequence. But there are always die rolls and circumstances that could interrupt that. E.G. if your TFs are in the hex next to the landing hex and your SCTF has already gone into the target hex, you might find an enemy SCTF bumping into your transports ... Having multiple TFs of SCTF and ASW to cover everything is good if you can manage it.

PS - don't forget the air cover from distant CVs or nearby AFs.

Be aware that ASW TFs will also act like Surface Combat TFs but there is a limit of 4 ships in such a TF.