Sea Borne Invasions

[Schnurri]

One of the things I find most annoying as Axis and, least realistic, is the (mostly Allied) sea borne invasions. The Allied player can run 10 or more transports along the coast of France, then, when the Axis responds, move them to a totally different area. This is possible as early as 43 and goes against historical reality where D-Day was an enormous operation requiring months of training, careful site selection and preparation, coordination of massive amounts of air, sea and land forces. Below are suggestions for either 2.0 or 3.0 versions to make this more realistic (though some of the changes already in 2.0 may help). The same criticisms apply equally well to the Axis landings in either Greece or England. I'm not sure of the mechanics of modding this but assume it can be done.

1. Require invading party to purchase, wait and then place a landing hex offshore the intended beach. This then would make the beach hexes adjacent open for invasion if the beach was occupied. Unoccupied beaches could be invaded normally.

2. Make only certain elite units capable for opposed landings - they would also be purchased and have some wait (training) period. These units could have a special bonus for these type of attacks.

In this way, the invading side would need to prepare for the invasion, choose a site for the invasion and the opposing side could decide to either defend the entire coastline or choose the most likely ones and have a reserve force to repel the invaders.

[Peter Stauffenberg]

This is quite tricky to achieve and with the other changes made it would become very hard for the Allies to actually get ashore. Let's say you're stuck to one invasion area and the Germans send mech and corps units to the coast. It's not so easy to dislodge these and you might only succeed with one. This unit would be quite easy to destroy at the beaches.

Remember that the Axis player can see the real transports and only defend where the real threat is. In the real war the Allies managed to trick the Axis to defend the Calais area more than the real invasion area in Normandy. How can be replicate this kind of fog of war?

I think allowing the transports to have mobility and keeping more at sea than you can land simulates this better than having to design an invasion area before you even sail for the hex. When Overlord begins the Germans will have to protect both Normandy, Calais and the Brest area to have a fair chance stopping the invasion at the shore. That would mean some weaknesses in the defense line the Allies can use to get ashore.

Also remember that we've added German fortresses in the French ports. So getting ashore in one thing, but getting port supply is something else. The invasion is vulnerable before securing a port.

I think an Allied invasion in 1944 should be pretty certain to get ashore somewhere. If you need a lot of luck to even get ashore then the Allies have a too difficult task winning the war.

Good Axis players can keep units in the rear that can attack the beachhead when it's vulnerable at the coastal hex. I've destroyed many Allied landings that way.

[Schnurri]

You have a better overall feel for the game so I'll bow to your experience and see how this works in 2.0 once it comes out. Maybe a new solution can be developed for 3.0.

[zechi]

You have a better overall feel for the game so I'll bow to your experience and see how this works in 2.0 once it comes out. Maybe a new solution can be developed for 3.0.

I think this problem cannot be really fixed, because it is very difficult to do a surprise landing in CEAW or GS. In the real war the Axis did not know when and where the Allies would strike. In GS an Axis air unit can easily spot an invasion army. In fact one German air unit in France is sufficient to spot any Allied landing fleets.

To change this the spotting range of air units on sea would have to be changed.