How can I conquer (mountain) isles?

[unmerged(137389)]

The isles in question: Gran Canaria (mountain, 2 connecting islands) and Malta

The US have 19 and 10 divisions stationed there. For GC I tried 48 infantry units (24 from both sides) with FM and HQ present, 3 paratroopers, shore bombardment and 16 tactical bombers to soften them up. However, they kicked me back to the beach in no time.

My units are all superior in regards to technology.

I am currently playing with the Armageddon Add-On.

Any ideas besides editing the save?

 

[nuclearbob]

If you throw too many units at an island you begin to receive a penalty - so much so that the extra units SUBTRACT from your combat effectiveness. IIRC, the optimum number of units is 6 or 7 (7 is slightly better as damage is spread across more units).

Try using subs to starve out the defenders first, soften them out with tactical bombers, then attack.

 

[unmerged(136038)]

You could nuke them.

The only real way to do it is to starve them out.

 

[Pal]

Also, when using the Armageddon add-on, please post in the Doomsday axpansion forum, as there is much more activity there. This forum here is only for the standard HoI2, not for the expansions

 

[Delta107]

There is a pennalty if I remember correctly 3 div max for amphibious assault. But you can try more paratroops.

 

[Kernest]

The Amphibious cap is 4, it can be increased to 6 and later to 8 trough naval doctrines (should be in the middle "tree" which USA has), paratroopers got cap of 4 too, but can't be improved.. If there are more than 6 divisions protecting a coastal province with mountains or not, i suggest you forget about it. If it's a mountain, your only chance is to bomb the hell out of them, but if it is like Canaries are: starve them to death.

 

[ForzaA]

thread moved

Malta should be "easy" in that the mediterranean can be sealed off to outside convoys. Though that may not always be possible.

Canary isles need a good "siege" (convoy hunting) or just plain old ignoring

 

[unmerged(132146)]

am i right in thinking it's worth logistic bombing the infrastructure to zero, as this slows the units org time to almost nothing, so the units you are inderdiction bombing don't just recover as you bomb them.

 

[jeraal]

Yes. You could also stagger your attacks using 6 or so troops at a time instead of all at once. Each attack weakens them, even if only a little. With convoy raiding/bombing,logistical strikes and repeated assaults they will eventually fall. Marines would be a nice touch as well.

 

[Iwo Jima]

Why don't you just cut them off from supplies?

They will die by themselves.

 

[unmerged(25131)]

I recommend forgetting about them until you some day seal the Med off. Sinking their convoys will not work very well I´m afraid:

As France, I finally managed to starve massive Japanese hordes on the Malacca peninsula out, but it took ages. They starved when their convoys had reached zero... Japan has a lot of convoys... I used 20+ subs, bombers and three battlefleets to do the job, and especially the latter sank massive amounts of shipping weekly. But still, it was a loooong campaign.

So, against a nation with not that many convoys it can be done in reasonable time, but not against naval big-players.

 

[Thracian]

dont forget to attack from different sea zones at a time
if you right click to the island and click "amphibious assault", transports go to a fixed sea zone but if you send your transport manually to different sea zones and click "unload" and then "attack", you can attack with more troops without stacking penalty

 

[TheDave]

dont forget to attack from different sea zones at a time
if you right click to the island and click "amphibious assault", transports go to a fixed sea zone but if you send your transport manually to different sea zones and click "unload" and then "attack", you can attack with more troops without stacking penalty

I don't think that works in latest Arma patch, you have to use amphibious assault you can't just unload troops and attack that way.

If the Island doesn't have any VP points I tend to ignore it if invading it is too much hassle.

 

[DarthJF]

Use multiple waves of 6 or 7 division size assaults with continuos logistical and interdiction bombing missions. That should do the trick after few tries, even without taking the long route of starving them out of supplies.

 

[Black_Shade]

Use multiple waves of 6 or 7 division size assaults with continuos logistical and interdiction bombing missions. That should do the trick after few tries, even without taking the long route of starving them out of supplies.

This.

Have your tacs logistical strike the island. Once its down to single digits, switch them over to interdiction. Keep a couple on logistical strike just to keep the infastructure low. This makes the enemy reorg very slow.

Then just do wave after wave of 6-7 men. The more times you can do it the better, but even if you fail with only 2-3 waves you can reorg your troops while the AI is stuck there with a 0% infastructure province. Rinse and repeat. Since you have so many units you should be able to get it on the first go.

 

[unmerged(49004)]

This.

Have your tacs logistical strike the island. Once its down to single digits, switch them over to interdiction. Keep a couple on logistical strike just to keep the infastructure low. This makes the enemy reorg very slow.

Then just do wave after wave of 6-7 men. The more times you can do it the better, but even if you fail with only 2-3 waves you can reorg your troops while the AI is stuck there with a 0% infastructure province. Rinse and repeat. Since you have so many units you should be able to get it on the first go.

Two good posts here, also make sure you use shore bombardment as well as marines with artillery.

 

[Iwo Jima]

You also could read this article and see the movie "Letters from Iwo Jima".

So, you'll understand much better, how islands were conquered in real life.

 

[unmerged(41649)]

30 divisions attacking in 6 division waves should be enough to take any island. It is nice to send the non-attacking divisions to some 100 org island or coastal province to reorg and attack again later if nevessary.