Operation Sealion a Possibility with AA1940 Europe?

Probably added this to the end of the wrong thread:

LOL, now you’re wanting to go attack England now instead of Russia (before or after finishing off France?).  There was some other thread about dividing up England during Sealion since it will be two territories now:

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=16471.0

I still think Sealion is an utter waste of time most games, but if you can catch unexperienced Allied players off guard it can be successful (i.e., this only works ONCE on the beginning players, I’m sure an exp. UK player can see it coming a mile away).  Perhaps if Russia is prevented from invading Germany till Round 3, (with a reduced income rule like the US as a neutral before entering the war) could this be possible, and it would still be incredibly risky so early in the game.  You would probably only get one shot at it by building all trans and a carrier in the Baltic round 1, with the invasion on round 2 before England can really build enough land units to make it completely improbable (also before the US enters the war/has reinforcements in range).  I’m guessing 3 loaded transports, with 4 planes and a bomber as air cover would be all Germany would be capable of Round 2, IF Britain hasn’t already damaged/sunk the Baltic fleet and/or blocked the Channel with a sizeable navy stack.  Even if Britain went 100% ground defense instead (4-5 inf, 3 arm, 1 fig build on round 1), I’m sure the defending army will be at least equal in number to the invading units Germany has, with odds AND AA gun hits in its favor.

Bah, forget it, you will see the same dillema the OKW came to when Sealion became a possibility after the Fall of France, its just not worth risking all the war material when there are easier fish to fry in Europe.  Better to isolate and destroy British holdings elsewhere to weaken it to a surrender-able level.

Plus, by not spending your round 1 ipcs on navy, you’d be reinforcing your armies for eventually invading Russia and defending the continent from the UK.

Also, if we’re not playing with take-capital-take-all-IPCs rules, its definitely not worth the risk.  It may not even be worth the risk if you’re going to seize it for only one round’s worth of IPCs, and lose multiple fighters in the process.  The surviving UK navy will just take it back with land units from Canada on UK’s turn.

Hmm, actually now that its confirmed that the US isn’t a split income (and will have crazy unbalanced mounds of IPCs to throw at either front), a turn 2 Sealion KO attempt with Germany doesn’t seem that bad of an option at all.  Looks like this might be the ONLY viable strategy if the US turns out to be a 100+ IPC juggernaut with NOs.

How in the hell can Japan even provide a counterweight against a combined income US like this???  It would take 3-4 turns of Japan navy builds to even ATTEMPT to invade W. USA, out of which 100 IPCs going into ground forces can stop at the drop of a hat.

Guess WOTC wants a new name for the global game of AA1940:  TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE!  “TEAM AMERICA!!! *%^@ YEAH!!!”

Yeah, 10 fighters one round, anyone else think that could possibly unbalance the game?  Oh well, I think IPC counts are increased overall anyways in 1940.

Though Brain Damaged has a great point, if UK is the country with split income, then Sealion looks even more tempting after all.

@Gwlachmai:

I would think that a combined US income might provide a bit of incentive to keep Japan from making a J1 attack in the Pacific. Especially in light of potentially giving the US a 60-70 IPC income boost. I can’t wait to try the combined game. The only real debate with my gaming group is do we play Europe alone a few times first or just jump right in.

Hell, I would like to see just how they balance the Global game more than anything.  Or unbalance it.  Who would want to play Europe by itself anyway?

Europe and Pacific by themselves just seem like the Axis powers have objectives spread out at the extreme corners of the map, and lack any real reason to concentrate their forces at any particular area for long.  Since the Allied powers don’t have attacks coming from the opposite sides of the map, any moves they make are somewhat scripted and lack any real decision making (compared to Global).  In the Pacific campaign, Britain HAS to attack Burma and French Indochina with land units.  Britain doesn’t have to worry about Italian or German units coming through Persia or the Suez as a second front.  Not much room for different builds.

The most fun part of Axis and Allies is seeing Japanese and German troops meet up in the Causcasus and hold off Russian counterattacks.  Or Italian carriers, German planes, and what’s left of the Japanese fleet come through the Suez to stop the Allied fleet off Italy.  Teamwork.  If you start rolling crappy as Germany in AAE40, you can’t expect Japan to come through India and save the day for you.  With only one (or two, if you think Italy is a power) Axis sides in Europe and Pacific the game is not going to be as fun.

Shameless bump.

Ok, so the split income in AAE40 will be the UK, now a Sealion looks better than ever before if the European UK only starts with 25-30 IPCs and the rest go to India’s IC (Commonwealth player?).

Guess we’ll see how viable it is with the position of the British fleet at game start and how the SZs are placed/organized.

Mostly I hope the devs put in enough balance where Axis fleet builds in the Baltic can give Italy sufficient time to take over the Med and be a significant thorn in UK’s side, if nothing else.  Should prevent all naval builds by the UK and force them to build some land units, just in case.

A combined 1-2 punch with Germany and Italy against the UK on Round 2 should be an interesting play.  If the Axis can get or maintain naval superiority in the Atlantic before the US enters the war…