Amphibious Assault Proposal

[Tank50us]

So, while at work today, I was thinking about a way for Amphibious Assaults to be built into DCS. What I came up with, is mostly based on some bits I've seen in Discord Discussions, and here in the forums, with a bit of my own thoughts. So... here it goes:

1. In the Mission Editor, an Assault Ship can be given a Waypoint Action or Delayed Action of "Deploy Amphibious Assault"
2. Each Amphibious Assault Ship has a supply, similar to the carriers and bases, but in this they have an extra tab: "Marine Units". In this you can select how many units are available to deploy, including tanks, troops, and landing craft. Helicopters can also be used, but are still in the Aviation tab.
3. Once you've selected this, you'll get a window where you can select what unit is deployed, and by what method the units are deployed (basically either landing craft or helicopter). Keep in mind, these units would have to be available at the time, so if the selected unit to deploy isn't available, or the method of transport isn't available, that'll be the end of it.
   1. For example, let's say you want to deploy a platoon of M1 Abrams tanks from a Tarawa. You would choose the Abrams in the "Unit" drop-down, and for the transport you'd select either the LCU or LCAC. Given that the most either unit can carry is two M1s (and even that's a stretch), you will have to adjust the number of transports until the number goes from red to white (red meaning not enough transports to deploy the group).
   2. If you were wanting to deploy a single squad of troops (USMC squad is 12 I believe), a single Huey, Seahawk, Stallion, or Chinook would suffice. More troops would require additional transports, and the total number of troops to be deployed will be divided amongst the available transports. For example if a 20-man team were to be deployed, and four Huey's were selected to deploy them, then each Huey would carry five men.
4. When you have chosen the unit you wish to deploy, and the method by which it's deployed, a zone will appear where the landing craft or helicopter will go in order to deploy the units. This zone *must* be placed on an accessible beach or area that the unit in question can actually get to. For example, while a Huey won't care about a sheer cliff, an LCAC might have some issues.
5. Once you've selected where the LZ is, you can then select where the units move to once they're deployed. For example, if you're deploying some troops via AI Huey's, once the Huey's drop their troops off, the troops will move from the LZ where they appeared, in the specified direction, for the specified distance from the LZ. Alternatively, once they appear, someone with CA can give them further instructions.

Now, how about amphibious units like the AAV, LAV-25, or PT76? Well, if the unit you select is amphibious, "Self" would appear in the drop-down for the transport (these units can, irl, still be deployed by other transports such as LCAC). These units can also be selected as a mode of transport if the unit in question can fit inside them. In these instances when Amphibious Vehicles are deployed, when they get within a couple hundred meters of their LZ, they'll fire smoke rounds at the LZ, and also deploy into a Line-Abreast formation automatically. If they're carrying troops, they'll stop, let the troops out, and stay with them as they advance off the beach.

Finally, in the waypoint action in question, once one set of troops is sent out, the next will be cycled. However, if there are no available transports (say you only brought four LCACs, and three of your eight AAG deployments require all four), the next will cycle, and the cycle will continue until the transport in question is available again (which will happen once the unit returns to the assault ship, embarks, and 'refuels').

What do you guys think? Do you think this would create a more realistic looking Amphibious Assault? Do you have ideas on how to improve this? Comment below.

[upyr1]

I've posted on this as well 

On 1/11/2023 at 11:10 PM, Tank50us said:

1. In the Mission Editor, an Assault Ship can be given a Waypoint Action or Delayed Action of "Deploy Amphibious Assault"

I think it would be better give landing craft a spawn waypoint similar to the take off waypoint for aircraft 

 

On 1/11/2023 at 11:10 PM, Tank50us said:

2. Each Amphibious Assault Ship has a supply, similar to the carriers and bases, but in this they have an extra tab: "Marine Units". In this you can select how many units are available to deploy, including tanks, troops, and landing craft. Helicopters can also be used, but are still in the Aviation tab.

Logical 

 

On 1/11/2023 at 11:10 PM, Tank50us said:

Once you've selected this, you'll get a window where you can select what unit is deployed, and by what method the units are deployed (basically either landing craft or helicopter). Keep in mind, these units would have to be available at the time, so if the selected unit to deploy isn't available, or the method of transport isn't available, that'll be the end of it.

1. For example, let's say you want to deploy a platoon of M1 Abrams tanks from a Tarawa. You would choose the Abrams in the "Unit" drop-down, and for the transport you'd select either the LCU or LCAC. Given that the most either unit can carry is two M1s (and even that's a stretch), you will have to adjust the number of transports until the number goes from red to white (red meaning not enough transports to deploy the group).
2. If you were wanting to deploy a single squad of troops (USMC squad is 12 I believe), a single Huey, Seahawk, Stallion, or Chinook would suffice. More troops would require additional transports, and the total number of troops to be deployed will be divided amongst the available transports. For example if a 20-man team were to be deployed, and four Huey's were selected to deploy them, then each Huey would carry five men.

 

This might be good for combined Arms or an LHA module but I think for a mission editor a payload editor might work. You would have the option to load indivdiual vehicles or soldiers or units if there are enough spaces. For example if a Huey holds a squad and 4 squads are a platoon then when you are loading a Huey you would have a squad template for one huey and in  flight of 4 you could load a platoon. 

[Huilque151]

+1 we need more amphibius assault capabilities regardss

[upyr1]

21 hours ago, Huilque151 said:

+1 we need more amphibius assault capabilities regardss

Between the Marianas and the Normandy maps it would be awesome 

[Sierra99]

I think what you are describing could be probably managed using a ships warehouse functions once they are fleshed out...

Remove Tank A from the inventory of a ship...
Return Tank A to inventory when mission is complete OR if Tank A is destroyed leave its slot un-filled until the ship returns to an appropriate port where M-1A1s are available. Same process for combat troops and assets. 

Removing Combat Troop / Squad / Unit from Warehouse...Leave positions unfilled until ship returns to port. (Here's another wrinkle...loose enough troops and equipment and you become "Combat ineffective" meaning you are unable to perform another assault until you put into port and replenish...

Etc

[SharpeXB]

Amphibious assault was the war winning doctrine of WWII. No question. In modern war it would be suicidal since all those landing craft would be such easy targets You could make a modern day Normandy invasion scenario where the defenders get Apaches with FCR and Lima Hellfires that would easily target all the Higgins boats for push-button destruction. And satellite reconnaissance would have spotted the invasion fleet so you can forget about any element of deception. Big fun

[upyr1]

1 hour ago, SharpeXB said:

Amphibious assault was the war winning doctrine of WWII. No question. In modern war it would be suicidal since all those landing craft would be such easy targets You could make a modern day Normandy invasion scenario where the defenders get Apaches with FCR and Lima Hellfires that would easily target all the Higgins boats for push-button destruction. And satellite reconnaissance would have spotted the invasion fleet so you can forget about any element of deception. Big fun

I'd love to have a 1980s / 90s scenario with the UH-1, AV-8, A-7,  A-6, and one or 2 Iowa-class battleships