@ItIsILeClerc:
@Whitshadw (hope I spelled the name correctly ;-)):
With the ‘bring the boys home’ approach, the UK should even survive on its own, with 0-15 units surviving (depending on the number of GE TRS). So without the need of being liberated (according to LowLuck, that is). At best it is a cripling victory for Germany if we forget about lucky dice rolls. Yes this leaves Egypt vulnerable but not a walkover (Italy still needs serious effort to take it).
UK1 kills the IT ‘fleet’ in SZ96 and blocks SZ94. Together with the French in SZ93, Gibraltar is blocked off. The rock cannot be taken round 1, so no Italian blockers in the atlantic round 2. UK can even bring into SZ92 a total of 1CV+2FTR+2CA+1DD. Probably minus 1CA/DD as cannon fodder for taking out German ships/subs still around Britain.
Furthermore, I guess you are correct about Japan threatening the US west coast. I said so myself that this might be the only thing stopping the US from liberating the UK (if it needs to be) with ease.
However, speaking about situational, for Japan this means India, China and ANZAC are getting rich and this is bad news for Tokyo.
The way I see it, the US has 2 valid options if Japan puts a priority on SF while GEIT are trying to get into London:
1. Prepare the liberation of London whether that is needed or not. Japan cannot be offensive the first 2 rounds because that will bring the US in the war too early and will ruin any SL attempt.
As long as the US realises it must return spending 100% (or a bit less, depending on how serious the threat on the west coast is) in the pacific from turn 3 and on. Russia can perfectly fight GEIT while London Recovers for the killing of GEIT. The US keeps on near 100% in the Pac and will be a perfect match for Japan together with ANZAC/China/India.
2. Forfeit liberating London and go straight into KJF with ANZAC/China/UK (Russia btw can keep its 18 Siberians in the east to close in on Japan as well). The USA can take its time in the PAC, overpowering Japan without the urge to return to Europe fast because Russia is in danger. Russia can fight GEIT almost indefinately in this situation. That is what SL does to Russia:Germany.
Don’t take this as a direct attack on you Whitshadw, but I agree with what ItIsILeClerc said, and have posted very similar issues, and counters showing that your SL plan isn’t as cut and dry as you might think. Especially the aftermath threatening North America? Sounds more like some chest pounding because the Germans normally attempt to save their SL fleet by retreating, or adding an AB to the Chanel after the assault on London (not heading to the America’s LOL). With that said, your orig thoughts on SL are very viable if the UK player doesn’t take the threat seriously, and react accordingly. Given what we have listed would be a max def for London approach by the UK (not all UK players would do these things). I will add UK is my favorite allied power to play, and I would defiantly smell a Sea Lion threat with the purchases and moves that Germany made in the opening post giving the Germans a pretty damn good North Sea fleet (buying carrier/bmr, plus hit & run with Ger BB surviving). I realize that it could be a bait and switch (threaten UK, hit Russia), but I personally would prepare for max def of London (like I said, UK is my fav, and I won’t lose it because of lack of effort), again granted others might not see/do these things.
This would include buying units for London, using my surviving transports to bring troops home, keeping the RAF in London (no Taranto run), and bringing the Med fleet over to sz92 (as pointed out by ItIsILeClerc and myself earlier). The UK can block out the Italians from hitting the English Med fleet in sz92 and the Rock at the same time by clearing sz96, and leaving a dd in sz 94 (if the French fleet is still alive in sz93). I like to call this “Castling” (like in chess you are protecting the king early in the game, and the king is London).
Maybe your group hasn’t seen this in the past, but it really is a very viable UK strat especially if there is a SL threat. A lot of UK players don’t like to sacrifice the Med fleet to kill the Italian fleet (figure they’ll get it later when it leaves port). This allows the UK to keep the Med fleet (or trade it for German air), block out Gib, and deny Italy from all it’s NO’s for at least one turn. I realize the axis can work together, and kill the Med fleet (Italy clears a landing spot for the Luftwaffe, and the Germans air strike it). If this is the case then SL is off the table (Luftwaffe took at hit, and/or is out of position), plus you have weakened the Italian econ. If the axis don’t hit the Med fleet in sz92, then you have an Atlantic starter fleet if SL is aborted or can interfere with SL making it more of a gambit (with the UK Indian fleet heading to the Med).
So we have either called your bluff, and force you to abort SL, or if you go through with SL, the cost is too extreme. You either won’t have the ground units left to protect your conquest (not a given that London will fall), or the Luftwaffe/navy has taken a hit because of the RN/RAF lurking on or around England. With the UK Med navy coming up, you would either have to fight through/kill it, or avoid it (the later leaves it as part of a 1-2 punch w/US on your SL fleet before/afterwords).
Plus the US (stationed in sz102) very well could be in a great position to also strike your SL fleet off the coast of England, or liberate London (given the later could be difficult depending on how the attack on the Island Nation went).
So to answer the question of the topic “Sea lion? Is there a perfect set up?” I guess my answer would be no, because there are some tricks up the allies sleeve if they are prepared for it (very situational). It very well could work though, if the allies don’t take it seriously. The real question is was it worth it in the long run due to the cost, and can Germany recover?