Taking Malta in GS

[vakarr]

Hi, I notice that I am only allowed to attack about two times with aircraft against targets like Malta or places in the UK.

How do I take Malta when I can't even amphibiously assault it?

At first I thought the restrictions on German amphibious invasions plus the realistic weather plus the aircraft attack limit made taking the UK impossible, but I think I have worked out how to do it in 1941, with nearly all the British fleet sunk. This is a challenging game, it took forever to conquer Yugoslavia without tanks and only a few aircraft! In the unmodded version it was easy for Germany to swan through Europe until the oil ran out, but even that wasn't much of a restriction. Do the British get some penalty for losing Egypt in this version? It had no effect in the original game!

[richardsd]

so to take Malta is very easy, just a little planning

2 German TAC's for the GAR
2 German FTR's for the FTR
plus German commander
Italian BB's and DD's in support for bombardment

usually 3 or 4 turns and done (can be done in two with good combat results)

with lucj it can be done with just the Italians, but I would never try that in a game

[schwerpunkt]

so to take Malta is very easy, just a little planning

2 German TAC's for the GAR
2 German FTR's for the FTR
plus German commander
Italian BB's and DD's in support for bombardment

usually 3 or 4 turns and done (can be done in two with good combat results)

with lucj it can be done with just the Italians, but I would never try that in a game

3FTRs and 3 TACs is preferable so that you always have 10 strength units attacking and give the defenders no respite....

I've taken Malta quite a few times this way when I havent had anything else planned to do between Oct 40 and Jan 41. A nice way of keeping the pressure up on the british and building up the experience of your planes....

[Rasputitsa]

so to take Malta is very easy, just a little planning

2 German TAC's for the GAR
2 German FTR's for the FTR
plus German commander
Italian BB's and DD's in support for bombardment

usually 3 or 4 turns and done (can be done in two with good combat results)

with lucj it can be done with just the Italians, but I would never try that in a game

3FTRs and 3 TACs is preferable so that you always have 10 strength units attacking and give the defenders no respite....

I've taken Malta quite a few times this way when I havent had anything else planned to do between Oct 40 and Jan 41. A nice way of keeping the pressure up on the british and building up the experience of your planes....

Playing Axis v AI with GS 2.0 and been battering away at Malta for several turns, have 4 German TAC, 2 German FTR, 3 Italian BB fleets, 2 German INF Korps landing forces, even had FJR unit standing by, with Kesselring as leader. Can never get the UK FTR below Strength 4, saw the ground unit Fortification level drop to 1 and the effectiveness fall to 0 several times, but unable make a landing. Axis have the Suez canal, UK CV in the MED destroyed some time ago, apart from a UK SUB unit in Cyprus, there doesn't seem to be any other RN units in the MED, I have visibility over the sea as far as Gibraltar with an air unit in Sardinia and SUB unit in the Western MED.

Having to give up and move units to Russia, but what more can I do.

[metolius]

I totally agree that this is not historical at all. If the Germans had wanted to take Malta in 1941, they could have done it, assuming that they had devoted a reasonable airborne force, along with good fighter cover, and maybe some token naval forces and some seaborne assault troops, just to throw the Brits off. It would have taken days, not weeks, because Malta is tiny.

[Rasputitsa]

I totally agree that this is not historical at all. If the Germans had wanted to take Malta in 1941, they could have done it, assuming that they had devoted a reasonable airborne force, along with good fighter cover, and maybe some token naval forces and some seaborne assault troops, just to throw the Brits off. It would have taken days, not weeks, because Malta is tiny.

The British land unit on Malta was reduced to 0 effectiveness several times, assuming the data in the unit info box is correct (FOW ?), although it has strength points left, that should mean that there is nobody left, organised, or equipped, to fight. I am not so much concerned that the landing attempts failed, that's war, but having made sustainable preparations, I wondered what more could have been done, especially as there doesn't seem to be any RN ships around.

[Cybvep]

I totally agree that this is not historical at all. If the Germans had wanted to take Malta in 1941, they could have done it, assuming that they had devoted a reasonable airborne force, along with good fighter cover, and maybe some token naval forces and some seaborne assault troops, just to throw the Brits off. It would have taken days, not weeks, because Malta is tiny.

I don't know about that. It's easy to say, but the Axis was trying to bomb Malta into submission for a long time and still they didn't succeed. The battle of Crete also proved that airborne operations could be extremely costly.

The survival of Malta depended on the Allied convoys. Unfortunately, this is not represented in CEAW.

[Rasputitsa]

I totally agree that this is not historical at all. If the Germans had wanted to take Malta in 1941, they could have done it, assuming that they had devoted a reasonable airborne force, along with good fighter cover, and maybe some token naval forces and some seaborne assault troops, just to throw the Brits off. It would have taken days, not weeks, because Malta is tiny.

I don't know about that. It's easy to say, but the Axis was trying to bomb Malta into submission for a long time and still they didn't succeed. The battle of Crete also proved that airborne operations could be extremely costly.

The survival of Malta depended on the Allied convoys. Unfortunately, this is not represented in CEAW.

I wasn't trying to bomb Malta in submission, but weaken it enough to make a seaborne landing in Korps strength (questionable whether the Germans and Italians could have landed such a large force), but having got the defender's effectiveness down to 0, with considerable air and sea bombardment, I thought I would have had more success. There is no RN presence in MED except for a sub unit, which although it could bring in some supply could not bring in replacement aircraft.

This is not a complaint, I tried and failed, so be it, I was just wondering what more I could have done, having deployed considerable forces. Although I had 2 FTR units and 4 TAC, you can only make 1 air attack each turn on the Malta FTR unit, which was not enough to neutralise the defending FTR and permit an air landing on the airfield.

Two points, surely low effectiveness (like zero) should have more effect on a unit's ability to defend and TAC should also be able to attack airfields. If you are able and prepared to mass large air-forces there should be some reward, I realise the balance issue, but the defender should not be able to shrug off such odds so easily.

[Diplomaticus]

I see your point, but after all, the game does seem to reflect the Malta situation pretty accurately--it's possible to take, but it's certainly not done regularly or easily. That seems about right to me.

[Schnurri]

you need to make 2 attacks per turn on the FTR - attack the GAR or port first with a TAC and the FTR will intercept (attack 1) and next attack the FTR with your FTR (attack 2) - then hit the GAR with another TAC. If the Brit has a carrier in port you'll need more FTR to neutralize them. With good German FTRs and a nearby leader you should be able to wipe out the Brit FTR in a few turns and then land an airborne unit. You can't amphibious land against a fortress I believe - have to reduce the GAR to non-existence, then land.

[Rasputitsa]

you need to make 2 attacks per turn on the FTR - attack the GAR or port first with a TAC and the FTR will intercept (attack 1) and next attack the FTR with your FTR (attack 2) - then hit the GAR with another TAC. If the Brit has a carrier in port you'll need more FTR to neutralize them. With good German FTRs and a nearby leader you should be able to wipe out the Brit FTR in a few turns and then land an airborne unit. You can't amphibious land against a fortress I believe - have to reduce the GAR to non-existence, then land.

OK, thanks that explains it, I was attacking the Malta FTR first, so I missed inflicting the intercept losses on it, I had already destroyed the RN BB and CV in the MED, which is why I thought it should be easy to take the Island. I had a FJR unit ready and, if I could have got rid of the British FTR, the GAR unit should have been to beat, as I was able to push the effectiveness right down.

Thanks again for the info.

[colberki]

Playing against the AI in GS 2.0, I have destroyed the FTR and DD at Malta but the GAR remains and it has now 4-star experience. What am I doing wrong? Timeline is now April 1941. AI keeps reinforcing the GAR every turn. I can seem to hit it hard enough.

[Schnurri]

Airborne assault on airfield and attack GAR, all the Italian Navy and German TACs. Once the fortress is reduced he won't be able to repair it all the way.

[colberki]

Thanks - German paratroopers are now sightseeing in Malta before their next assignment!

[bensand88]

Ok, so I read the comments and decided to give taking Malta a try. Found it easy to defeat the attack by 2 German ftrs, 2 Tac, 1 BB, 1 Italian Tac and 1 fighter with 2 BBs and the Destroyer all attacking the British ftr, the fort and the naval base, simply by putting the fighter to sleep every turn and then repairing the damage it suffers! With it asleep you can only get 1 air attack per turn. Unless I am missing a trick! And the ships don't do enough damage to keep the British fighter from being repaired back to 10 every turn. Started the attack in July 40, it's now Dec 40 and nothing has changed! GAR and Fighter at 10 strength. The GAR has -0- effectiveness but the fighter still has effectiveness rating of 47!

Someone have a plan to defeat a sleeping British fighter?!

[amcdonel]

Ok, so I read the comments and decided to give taking Malta a try. Found it easy to defeat the attack by 2 German ftrs, 2 Tac, 1 BB, 1 Italian Tac and 1 fighter with 2 BBs and the Destroyer all attacking the British ftr, the fort and the naval base, simply by putting the fighter to sleep every turn and then repairing the damage it suffers! With it asleep you can only get 1 air attack per turn. Unless I am missing a trick! And the ships don't do enough damage to keep the British fighter from being repaired back to 10 every turn. Started the attack in July 40, it's now Dec 40 and nothing has changed! GAR and Fighter at 10 strength. The GAR has -0- effectiveness but the fighter still has effectiveness rating of 47!

Someone have a plan to defeat a sleeping British fighter?!

One additional action helps, I believe. Use a STR or 2, if you have a second one, to attack the port facility.