Attacking from Sea

[MDPhillips]

What units are able to attack from a transport?

I am considering launching an attack on a city in the middle of rival territory (see previous thread - in order to destroy a spaceship). Can my tanks attack directly from a transport without having to unload first? I'm afraid that if I have to unload, they will pour units into the capital via railroads and I won't be able to take the city.

 

[Spartan117]

you can attack coastal city without having to wait a turn to unload but attacking from transport or sea will reduce your tanks strength by like 50% or 25% i am not sure

 

[naterator]

i believe artillary actually get a bonus from attacking from the sea, not sure. give your units the amphibious promotion if you can.

 

[DarkFyre99]

Any unit can make an attack from a transport, regardless of whether they have the amphibious assault promotion. The promotion just eliminates the -50% attack penalty when doing so.

The best unit to take a city from the sea remains the marines: that -50% penalty really takes it toll on other units, including tanks. If you do have to make an amphibious landing with tanks, I recommend bringing a few artillary with you: the damage they inflict upon the entrenched defenders as they suicide may make the difference in the end.

I usually bring enough marines to eliminate most of the defenders, and land my tanks and infantry to defend the city afterwards.

Another tactic is to use helicopters for the assault. They don't pay a penalty for landing on the shore, and from there, they can assault the city safely from the land.

 

[Bushface]

If you have a transport-load of Artillery, can they bombard from the transport without landing first ? Haven't tried to do this, but it's an idea.

 

[Thrar]

As others pointed out before, any unit can attack directly from a transport. What's not quite correct, though, is that you get a -50% penalty on your attack. In fact, it's the defender who gets a +50% bonus, although stated otherwise in the manual.

Bombarding from a transport isn't possible. You have to use your navy for that.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

well ALL penalties and bonuses are given to the defender in a battle

 

[Thrar]

Also not quite right...
situational bonuses, that are not applicable in any combat, are applied to the defender. As far as I know the only other bonus - that counts at any time - are the combat promotions, but nevertheless, those are applied to the attacker's strength.

 

[naterator]

i believe artillary actually get a bonus from attacking from the sea,

nope, i was lying... i usually try to go straight for flight instead of artillary.

edit--and artillary can NOT bombard from sea.. to answer that.

 

[Ace4nyC]

bring couple of aircraft carriers with you and unload the jetfighter/fighter (for collateral damage) and if you have a navy have them bombard city defenses if not way few extra turns while your fighters do there job payload onto the city. Then send in the bullet shields i mean marines in to weaken up the defenses and proceed with tank.

BRING 2 MECH UNITS to guard! Enemie Counter attack usualy will be quick and painful.

 

[naterator]

(see previous thread - in order to destroy a spaceship).

wait... i thought that thread concluded that you can't destroy a spaceship w/o destroying a civ. if you just want to slow their production, gunships are pilliage machines, no need to attack anything, just pilliage all improvements. i try to give my suicide pilliagers march to prolong their lives a bit.

 

[IPEX-731BA5DD06]

2 Mech inf to Defend???

I think 2 Transports worth of Mech inf is more like it....and some tanks and Artilliary to counter-counter attack the Initial AI counter attack...ie clean up the Surviving Artilliary they use and take out what ever else is around....

P.S. If you've got Mech inf, you'd more than likely have Jet/Stealth fighters/Bombers...they are SURPREME-0 in Recon of lands about city, POUNDING enemy units with in range, and keeping enemy fighters/bombers off you back...Oh they can BOMB the only Aluminium MIne they have, or that Uranium mine they have a defender on, they'll blow it up and no damage to the troops.....So Civil

they relocate and are available next move...so Take that city via marine assult, defend with Mech inf, tanks for counter counter, and bomber and fighters to look about, bomb those mines and soften up other units gathering to attack in nearby cities....

P.S. Seen my key's to the Plane....I left them about here somewhere....

 

[Older than Dirt]

About the easiest way to destroy a civ is to take 6 6o 9 (one medic promoted in each stack) promoted marines and a four bombarding naval units or aircraft (depending on what you and the target civ have). Bombard the port to zero (or near zero) defense. Attack with marines. (This is much easier with airpower on carriers to get defenders down to half strength.) Do not kill the last defender and move into the city. Wait several turns until you have destroyed all of the enemy's reserves. Then land. Or, even better go to the next port city and do the same until the enemy is really depleted of defenders and take several cities at once. The AI will not even counter attack and you can garrison these cities with warriors. (This tactic won't work too well if the enemy has naval superiority, mech infantry, or lots of airpower.) It points out another reason to build cities on hills/plains on the coast, if you are playing human opponents. This raiding tactic can be useful to gain eperience points to promote your marines before they take on the more difficult mission on capturing the city.