UK in the Indian Ocean

[AdmiralNagano]

Hi,

I’ve been toying with this idea, and saw someone else mentioned it in another thread.

UK1 - Two fighters, probably the bomber too head to Africa
Build an IC in SA, some fleet (cruiser + 2 DDs ?), rally the surviving fleet with it off UK
USA1 - builds troops / transports in the Atlantic

UK2 - Build 1CA, 1 other ship, off SA, land the fighters, bring Oz or India fleet that survived to meet up. Fleet off UK moves to Algerian coast
USA2 - big landing in Algeria. Continues to focus on troops to Africa, but also starts spending in the Pacific with the aim of tying down Japanese ships.

This gives lots of options. That CV can position so its fighters can hit the Italians on UK4. It can also launch a push on India or Australia. The existence of this fleet should at least stop the Japanese just rushing headlong into Africa or the Med on J3 / 4. AS long as the Americans can do their job, Africa is safe, Italy is threatened with invasion, and the Japs are completely tied down fighting a two-front naval war.

It occurs to me that there are 3 Japanese routes West. Siberia is a long road. Through  China takes you to the gates of Moscow quickly, but nowhere else. The Indian Ocean route allows you to threaten the Caucusus (IC in India pumping out tanks anyone?), help the Italians, and invade Africa. The Indian Ocean is as much a central front of the war as Russia is, in AA50.

[Woodstock]

A japanese player should never let the Indian fleet survive after J1.
Sending your aussie fleet West will be dead aswell (there should always be at least 2 fighters in range).

Taking the Aussie fleet East, and have them sail Soutf of America to SA will take 'em 3 turns, but you’ll be guaranteed to have them survive, and give a tiny boost to the British forces departing from SA.

But for the rest…yes, I am toying with this approach aswell. Have USA spend a lot of stuff in the Pacific, sparing just enough to have a decent shuck heading to Algeria.
The British IPC that you can’t spend in SA can be used in many ways (Scandinavia, threaten the Atlantik Wall, or Algeria aswell. Or juist build, build, build till turn 4 or so, and unleash hell on Germany at once)

[axis_roll]

Not so sure that an A/C best serves the allies in SAF on UK2.
What do you hope to achieve by spending $14 IPCs to float two ftrs in sz28?

Perhaps on UK3 I could see that being good as the original tpt and dd from australia can have sailed around the south pole to meet up with your newly added A/C.

In that case, UK2 buy for SAF could be two tanks.