I'm not a history guy but I've recently started playing

>>33919180
They shelled i for a few hours, and also had destroyers running close to shore to offer pinpoint naval gunfire support. But the fact of the matter is, sometimes you need infantry to take positions.
>deploy more tanks
Most broke down or sank before they got to shore
>mounted machine guns on the boats
They did, but they were immediately targeted.

File: imperial_guardsmen_by_jamstar501st.jpg (109KB, 750x600px) Image search: [Google]

109KB, 750x600px

>>33919263
I guess that answers my question though it looks like a very bitter victory for the allies. I wonder what the soldiers were thinking when they were being picked up one by one as soon as they were deployed. It was close to being a fubar scenario.

>>33919390
one by one....

Actually, D-Day went very well. Yes, Omaha beach ran into difficulties, but on every beach the landing forces made it off. The DD tanks worked to a degree on every beach except Omaha, and subsequent waves did bring tanks.

The reason for the relatively short air and sea bombardment, is because from the moment the invasion force committed, the clock started ticking on German reinforcements. The deception for the "real invasion" at Calais was keeping some of the German's best troops in reserve. The coordinated forward dropping of paratroopers, French resistance sabotage, and air strikes against transport infrastructure was all to buy extra time for the break out of the landing area.

Squandering even half a day for heavier bombardment of defences would have cost even more lives as German reinforcements were brought to Normandy. Mistakes were made, especially with Omaha and the later break out, but the landings themselves were a success.

>>33919180
>why not use the ships near the coast to destroy the german's defenses
There was a massive bombardment by both naval guns and bombers, both were ineffective at Omaha. German bunkers didn't face out to sea but pointed down the coast and the larger ones were constructed to withstand cruiser fire.

>some sort of mounted machine guns on the boats
Only a few craft landed within machine gun range of the Germans, those unlucky enough to be directly in front of defense nests on a beach five miles wide.

>Anything would have been better than sending 1000 or so men to a suicide mission.
Even with the horrific losses among the first few waves, total casualties were lower than anticipated.

>>33919180
add me

nekropoopsecks

been playing that shit 1000 hours and i haven't played other games for like 3 years

>>33919180
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQaartthWME

>>33919509
>Omaha Beach ran into difficulties
Bit of an understatement there.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1960/11/first-wave-at-omaha-beach/303365/

>>33919390
They simply got their own taste of WW2.
After hearing stories from the Eastern Front, it must have been pretty much their worst nightmares coming true.

>>33919878

Sure, but they still won the day.

When D-day is judged by the brutality of the war in the East, and even the senseless waste of life against the defensive positions on the Italian front (like Monte Cassino, Anzio, and the Gothic Line), all the dead to gain a foot-hold in France in June 1944 was pocket-change.