So what is the problem for the allies with a tranny fleet off Spain? In order for it to be much of a threat, Germany has to stage forces in Western, or bleed off forces in Norway. Either way, it severely weakens their position against Russia. It also weakens Germany’s position for moving troops into Africa.
So UK hits that fleet with 2 figs and a bmb. They score 2 hits. The subs can;t fire back, the BB hits one, the tranny’s may or may not hit one. The bmb fires again and sinks a 3rd unit, and is lost on the counter. Let’s say Germany took 2 of the 3 losses as subs, so they maintain air-defense. Then the US flies over with 2 figs and a bmb, killing 2 hits on the first pass, taking 1 or 2 hits in response. They hit 1 more on the 2nd round, and lose another one. Let’s say that was the end of their planes. So the total is 6 Allied hits on Germany, 6 Germany hits on the Allies. No planes in UK or US, right? And Germany has a navy of ONE Battleship, period.
Germany also would have lost 2-3 planes against the UK navy on G1, planes that Germany can;t afford to replace.
So at the end of Round 1…
Germany has no fleet, has lost half of its Air Force, has delivered either no forces to Africa, or stripped forces from Norway and Western to send forces to Algeria. So either Russia is going to take a weakened Norway, or Germany will not have forces in Africa and will lose a LOT of IPC’s from an India counter-attack un Africa. The US built aircraft, and probably a sub or 2, on US 1. UK probably built a few INF as a precaution, and a couple of figs.
In G2, Germany is stranded in Europe, has either lost Norway, or is going to lose Africa in UK2, has a Navy that can;t do anything except move into the UK Sea Zone for a last-ditch battle against the new RAF; or suicide into 1 or 2 US subs (if it doesn’t die attacking the subs, it will die when those new US figs take off in US 2). With the lack of extra IPC’s either from lack of gains in Africa and/or from the loss of Norway, Germany is now barely building at a rate above Russia. And unless that Battleship somehow managed to HOLD the UK Sea Zone, UK has a fleet re-built in UK2, defended by US figs in US2, and does not have enough air-force left to combat it in G3. Even if they saved their BB and moved it to Gibraltar in G2 to use with the AF for a G3 attack, 1 BB and 2-3 figs plus a bmb against a carrier, 2 figs, 1-2 subs, and 1-2 tranny’s is a suicide mission for the Germans.
A far better use for a 2-tranny bid-buy with Russia RR would be Souther Europe placement to be more flexible and allow for a significant air/land/amphib strike on Caucuses, or strikes in Africa and Middle East. You can still take out the UK Navy using subs and air-power, consolidate for your Karelia push in G2, while potentially creating a significant second-strike prong in Caucuses that Russia has to consider/counter rather than simply “building in Karelia”. If you take Caucuses in force, Russia has to sacrifice SOMETHING, and it will probably be Karelia (since they won;t want it to be Russia).
