Amphibious Assault Ship

[PresidentMike]

Another contribution from a naval buff. I could really have used one of these babies in a recent game.

I'd like to see an amphibious assault ship (AAS), which would function as one part aircraft carrier, one part troop transport.

The AAS would carry helicopters as well as infantry units, allowing troops to be airlifted inland. *Perhaps* paratroopers could make combat jumps off an AAS. The ship could carry any type of ground unit, just like a regular transport. It would be forbidden to carry standard air units (fighters & bombers), but if VSTOL aircraft were added to the game (i.e. Harriers) they would be allowed to base off an aas.

In my above mentioned game, there was an enemy inland city that, for various reasons, I could not reach by landing troops and moving inland, but which was also absolutley necessary to capture. I had no airbases in the region to mount a patatroop/helicopter assault. With an AAS however, my navy could have seized the city from the coast and solved all my problems.

[Dis]

yeah I mentioned this in another thread.

I really want a LHA or LHD type ship.

They should be able to carry 1 marine unit and carry helicopters. They should be able to carry harriers as well- but there is no unit for that.

[Dis]

I just wanted to include a picture so people can understand the size of these things thus the importance.

[PresidentMike]

Yeah, I've got an LHD in mind too.

I'd like it to carry a maximum of 8 units (a mix of helicopters, land units and Harriers), have a movement of 5, an attack of 1, and a defense of 8. You could build it as soon as you discovered advanced flight (helicopters being necessary to the whole concept).

BTW, on the subject of Harriers: they should become available when you discover rocketry, be able to perform all missions (except precision bombing), have a range of 4, an attack of 4, defense of 4, and bombardment of 6. In other words, they would be strong ground attack units, but only average dogfighters, just like real life Harriers.

[Dis]

agreed. although the attack should be 0. We wouldn't want the ai to use it like a galley and attack a battleship with it...and win

[Jaybe]

Remember, the naval unit represents "several ships." All you need is to have a naval unit capable of carrying helicopters, ground forces AND air units -- An all-round assault force.

Makes it a generalized unit. More than the specific unit types depicted usually, but more like what we have to abstract them to be (e.g., 'modern' spearman = militia).

Doh! I haven't built choppers yet, and just built my 1st carrier. Choppers and carriers don't mix?