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Does anyone have any ideas on the best way to supply sea borne invasions? I have tried many, many techniques and still not found anything I am very happy with. My problem is that I am not getting enough supplies on the beaches to support my initial invasions. It seems that the computer will only unload so many troops or supplies during any given turn and gives preferential treatment to troops. Therefore, my troops fight the first and often the second or third day with little or no supplies.

What I have been trying lately is to load troops onto APs with about 10% transport space left over for supplies. Then I also load some Aks about halfway with supplies and sail them in a seperate TF, but along with the transports. They all hit the beaches at the same time.

This problem has been particularly problematic when attacking atolls becuase of the automatic shock attack requirement.

You need a lot of AKs. Same principle as for loading troops onto APs. Each one can only unload 200 points per phase over the beach. Figure out how many points you need for the first day, divide by 200 (or 400, depending on whether you are going to have one or two phases to unload), and bring that many AKs with some amount of supply. They don't all have to be full. The small AKs are very good for this. I like to keep a bunch of them around already half-way loaded for just this purpose.

Why not just put the AKs into the same TF with the APs? Simplifies coordination and screening, and dilutes the effect of CD fire that much more.

Thanks irrelevant for that relevant advise. Somehow I missed that ships unload 200 points per phase over a beach. Is that true no matter how many ships you have?

I split the APs and AKs because usually the APs finish unloading first and then can exit the area while the AKs finish the job. I may play around with that though.

Thanks again.

yes...200 points per ship per phase.

I load each unit in it's own specific task force and then double the tonnage required (a unit requiring 18,000 tons of shipping gets 36,000 tons). After I load the land unit I load supplies. This way the troops going ashore have plenty of supplies during the initial invasion phase. I should mention that I figure out HOW much tonnage I need and then double it before loading troops so my troops are spread out among all the ships which makes loading/unloading that much quicker.

I also have a specific supply task force which I usually combine with my SeaBee and Base/Aviation Regiment units I only land after I've captured the base (why waste supply on units that don't actually fight?). This task force is usually 5-10 7,000 ton cargo ships.

I also have a "staging area" usually one hex off my target where all my task forces congregate and stay until they're ready to land or leave the area. Also, having the task forces head to the staging area first keeps one task force from landing troops while others are still a day out.

I have tried loading troops and supplies together on transports, but my experience is that the troops seem to unload before the supplies, meaning that they may be under supplied the first day. Although, I usually don't double the capacity, so that may make a big difference. I'll try that sometime.

Troops are always the priority for loading and unloading...justlimit how many troops are loaded and the supplies will get unloaded sooner.

ORIGINAL: irrelevant

Same principle as for loading troops onto APs. Each one can only unload 200 points per phase over the beach. Figure out how many points you need for the first day, divide by 200 (or 400, depending on whether you are going to have one or two phases to unload)

1.Is this mean that unit which need 2000AP points need 10(11 to be 100%) AP to be able to unload in only one unload phase ?
2.Is AK unload 200 points per phase during invasions ?

ORIGINAL: Milman

ORIGINAL: irrelevant

Same principle as for loading troops onto APs. Each one can only unload 200 points per phase over the beach. Figure out how many points you need for the first day, divide by 200 (or 400, depending on whether you are going to have one or two phases to unload)

1.Is this mean that unit which need 2000AP points need 10(11 to be 100%) AP to be able to unload in only one unload phase ?
2.Is AK unload 200 points per phase during invasions ?

1. AP will only unload up to 200 cargo points, no matter how you load it. It would seem to say that in terms of unloading rates, capacity of the ship doesn't matter. That's if I understand the rule correctly.
2. I don't think the type of ship matter.

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

I split the APs and AKs because usually the APs finish unloading first and then can exit the area while the AKs finish the job. I may play around with that though.

Just create a new TF in the hex and send them off....

my fast rule is to bring 1 supply point per 1-2 men of my landing force on AKs - works good

It sounds to me like my biggest problem was just not bringing enough supply ships. I need usually bring a few really big ships packed with supplies. I simply need more ships.

THis doesn't seem very physically realistic, but oh well. It's nice to have a solution.

My method for loading an invasion group is this:

I build 1 TF per unit that I am shipping (load troops option, not load only troops). I usually allocate about double the shipping points what I need to carry the unit. This will provide me with follow-up supplies.

After I have all the 1 unit TFs formed, I merge all those TFs into 1 single TF. Add 3 7000 ton AKs per division, 2 per bde, and 1 per smaller unit for landing supplies. This will take 3-4 days to load the convoy and then you are off. If its a big convoy I will stick a tanker or 2 in it as well. The tanker will not provide fuel enroute, but after you capture the base, this will give you instant fuel at the base for your support ships.

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

My method for loading an invasion group is this:

I build 1 TF per unit that I am shipping (load troops option, not load only troops). I usually allocate about double the shipping points what I need to carry the unit. This will provide me with follow-up supplies.

After I have all the 1 unit TFs formed, I merge all those TFs into 1 single TF. Add 3 7000 ton AKs per division, 2 per bde, and 1 per smaller unit for landing supplies. This will take 3-4 days to load the convoy and then you are off. If its a big convoy I will stick a tanker or 2 in it as well. The tanker will not provide fuel enroute, but after you capture the base, this will give you instant fuel at the base for your support ships.

This is very interesting. I do the same thing, with the exception of the AKs & TKs added at the end. I never realized that they would fill with supplies/fuel. I would usually send an additional convoy with AKs/TKs. Thanks, you just saved me some very scarce escorts.

No charge [8D]

I use the load troops only method with do not unload selected and the home and destination ports the same and the one being used to load. After all the troops are on board then I have supplies loaded to full capacity. I use about 125 - 150% capacity. Then I attach 4500 size AKs with only supplies, I use 4 per division. I also have a second TF with more AKs waiting just off shore, they are usually with the SeaBees and Base Forces, they provide long term supply support. Using LSTs you should be able to get a full division unloaded to the beach in 3 cycles or so.

Ah God, LSTs. IJ can only dream....

ORIGINAL: irrelevant

Ah God, LSTs. IJ can only dream....

Yep, don't leave port without them. [:D][:-] More than anything, I think the appearance of the first 30+ LSTs really spells doom for IJ.

Irrelevant-What I've found effective is to load troops in both AP & AK in the same TF, with about a 10-15% extra loading. ( If troops require 19000 load points I put in 2-3 small AKs.)Thus, when you finish loading troops the AKs load supplies & hit the beach at same time. I also follow your practice & have 50-70000 supplies loaded on AKs ready to unload after beach is secure. Or, load troops in APs then load supplies on an AK & transfer the AK into the troop TF. Hugh Browne

When I invade I want some ships that unload supplies during the first phase of unloading. that way I know I have supplies available on the beachhead. That is why I include some AKs with nothing but supplies loaded. If you have to unload some troops before you unload supplies, you could be attacking without supplies, at 25% attack factors. [:@] Your troops will not like that. [:-] As the Allies, I have no supply problems when it is time to start doing major invasions so pile it on( that would be historical ).