LST's

[matt]

+1

[SlipKnt]

The LST comes up to the beach and bridges the beach.  There is no need for water modifications for tanks.  The purpose of the LST is to come up to a beach (it is a flat bottom vessel) and open up the bow doors and tanks can drive right out onto the beach at high tide.  I have ridden many a tracked vehicle off my fair share of LSTs...

It would add a different environment to the game play.  I'd go even further to add that when the fleet is within a certain distance to the town, the LST beaches and certain tanks can be used.  I'd add that they should beach within SB range to make the town somewhat defend-able and fair. 

Then, if you are gunning from a SB, you have to decide what order is needed to defend...  I like to knock out the cruiser first, but if there was a beached LST, I may consider the scenario a little better...

+1 for LSTs

[smoe]

+1

It would be neat to see missions involving cv shore attacks. I can't remember any planned missions involving an lvt or pt raid.

[ridley1]

ok....so you have the lst....
then you unload.....who's driving the vehicles?

Does that mean you have to have a 'gunner' on board when you launch from the carrier? And that guy would drive the tank off the boat while you tower out?

Don't get me wrong....it's a great idea..but I'm wondering how you go from choosing lst and load-out from the carrier hangar to hitting shore and dropping the load.

[earl1937]

ok....so you have the lst....
then you unload.....who's driving the vehicles?

Does that mean you have to have a 'gunner' on board when you launch from the carrier? And that guy would drive the tank off the boat while you tower out?

Don't get me wrong....it's a great idea..but I'm wondering how you go from choosing lst and load-out from the carrier hangar to hitting shore and dropping the load.

Driving up to the shore and dropping ramp would do nothing! The only way you could use the LST is with a mission and players would select which vehicle that they wish to operate when the mission launches. If you had 4 tanks on LST and only 2 players signed up for that particular model of GV, then only two would launch when ramp is dropped for base attack!

[BaldEagl]

The Allies weren't the only ones working on DD tanks, the Germans also saw the need for DD tanks to support amphibious assaults.

DD was an acronym for duplex drive, which it appears the German's weren't considering.  I also doubt the Germans nicknamed their's Donald Ducks (DD) so technically the German's weren't working on DD tanks.

As mentioned previously, it was the waves that swamped the DD's at Omaha beach.  They'd roll off and go down almost immediately and then the next was ordered to roll off with everyone having seen what just happened to the one before.  Those guys had to have been having an oh toejam moment.

[Wildcatdad]

I really like this idea! It would add alot and introduce a new aspect to the game.
+1

[XxDaSTaRxx]

+1 Great idea, would be cool to see some awesome naval beach assaults. D-day, anyone?  

But, if a few heavy fighters with rockets see an LST come in full of GVs....  

[Easyscor]

For this to work, the LST would need to be a mobile base like a CV with internal runway, spawns, tower, hanger, the whole thing except for radar; one or two per TG maybe and part of the maximum 255 base count. Roll up on the beach and lower the ramp and then hope some of your countrymen come along and spawn GVs before you're destroyed for 10(?) minutes and need to start again with the TG. It could be interesting.

Hmm, I see the OP was almost exactly this.

[ridley1]

I think we might have to start off with eliminating the middle man and just get DD Shermans from the carrier.

[SlipKnt]

The "DD" and a LST use are two completely different things.

A LST is a flat bottom ship that carries tanks and tracked vehicles.  It is part of a fleet.  It can drive right up to a beach head at high tide and open it's front doors (off the bow) and bridge the beach, allowing for tanks to drive directly onto the beach without touching the water. 

My vision is that the LST is with the fleet.  You send the fleet off the coast.  When the fleet (CV group) is within a certain distance to shore, the LST is beached and the doors are open.  It is like a floating VH.

I would recommend limiting it to tanks used in the LST.  The M4 and M8 for sure.  Also jeeps and M3s. 

When the fleet is out of range, the LST becomes unbeached and back with the fleet.  It should also be a target that can be sunk / defended against.

The DDs were the snorkel modifications made for tanks and brought in on mike boats (or LSUs) and dropped off close to shore (usually at a sand bar).  It was learned that the modification was worthless and not tactical for the purpose they intended. 

Has nothing to do with a LST though.  The LST would be another ship to add to the fleet.  It would take programming to "teach" it to beach for the brief period it would be within range.  Probably tough, but a worthwile addition to fleet operations as well as defensive operations.

 

[ridley1]

Slip....
I know the difference...but what I meant was...one step at a time..
Instead of coding what would basically be a new 'base', add the DD in the carrier hanger if all we're looking for is armor support. Add in the 'complexity' of using a LST later.

In this game, there are no waves on the water, so the DD would be functional.

The DD's on Omaha failed because they were launched way too far out and in water that was way too rough.  If you asked a Canadian, they sure as hell wouldn't have considered them worthless.

[BaldEagl]

The DDs were the snorkel modifications made for tanks and brought in on mike boats (or LSUs) and dropped off close to shore (usually at a sand bar).  It was learned that the modification was worthless and not tactical for the purpose they intended.

Umm... no. 

DD's were M4's deigned with a skirt that could be raised around the tank essentially making it a boat.  It was driven by twin propellers while in the water and by it's tracks on land (duplex drive).  Once on the beach the skirt was lowered exposing the upper hull and the turret.  AckAck posted pictures earlier in this thread.

The German shore batteries largely ignored the DD's that didn't sink in the D-day landings thinking they were just small boats.  Those that made it ashore were praised for the effect they had.

While they suffered terribly at Omaha beach, being swamped by heavy seas, they were used successfully in numerous other operations through the end of the war.

[SlipKnt]

Understood regarding the DDs.  I misspoke. 

I like the idea of adding the DD as an option.

I also like the idea of starting it out in missions, however, I am not sure how it would work with the programming.

I am still a +1 on the idea either way.


 

[shotgunneeley]

I'd like them to be available at any sea spawn in addition to CV groups.

They would have to be coded as a CV airfield/vehicle combo. People can spawn in either a defensive GS or a GV; the controlling player can flip between steering the ship and manning a GS. Should they be allowed to deploy any GV or only a certain category as selected by the commanding player (e.g. Troop/supply, light, medium, or heavy armor)? This would require multiple to coordinate to be able to provide a diverse selection of vehicles. Would you be able to back off shore or would the player be stuck for the duration of the sortie? How can the player land successfully vs ditching or being captured, as these ships could be some distance away from the target field? The commander will have to make sure the ship has its bow on solid land before releasing GVs, sometimes the waterline isn't exactly where the sea meets the sandy beach.