Quote:
Originally Posted by Legbreaker
The USS Tarawa was definately involved - an Osprey is shown in the Nautical & Aviation colour plates as being from it and in Poland/Baltic in the summer of 2000.
There is no other reference anywhere of warships in the region.
I have made the assumption that the Tarawa was sunk (loosing all those supplies) and the rest of the Division travelled on fishing boats and other small craft. Might be a few LCT type vessels though.
I haven't created a map of the movements and frankly don't think I have the skill to do it justice. I'd be very happy if somebody took on that task.
There's also very little information on German movements during the offensive. My presumption was (as written) they were engaged by Pact forces before they could get very far.
Part of the reason I had the 2nd Marines withdraw was that they were described in Going Home as having grown as a direct result of the offensive - picked up more troops and tanks. This to me says they swept up stragglers as the rest of XI Corps withdrew westward as their supply lines were threatened and news of the 5th's destruction came through.
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The Nautical/aviation book says in the color plate notes on page 57 "attached to the Atlantic fleet in 2000" it says nothing about summer 2000 or Poland. with the general lack of fuel in the world, I'd have to say its sitting on the US east cost out of fuel
if you assume it was off the cost of Poland and carrying the 2nd mardiv. then you can't sink it until it offloads on the beach. if you do you've just sunk half the divisions men and all of its tanks, AFV's and other heavy equipment. Tarawa class LHA's carry 1700 troops, 100 tanks and 160 trucks. I can't see what other ships would be left that could carry the men, tanks, AFV's, trucks and heavy equipment. A much better ship to sink imo would be a Charleston class amphibious cargo ship. carrying only 360 troops but 10,000 tones of fuel and supply's.
after digging out my T2K books and looking through them I can see no ships off the cost of Poland. if I was using "cannon " only I'd not have them move massively by sea, I'd have them leap frog down the cost using the 30-40 amtracks they have along with a few LCU-2000's and fishing boats, maybe add in a German cargo ship. that would also be the best way for them to pick up the tanks and equipment from 7 countries talked about in Going Home.
just my 2 cents
