This is a great topic. I myself have yet to really figure this out, but it’s still fun to speculate!
I guess it really comes down to what you plan to do in Africa: that is more or less commitment. What I mean is, do you attempt to build another TR T1, or just go w/ what you’ve got on the board & hope for the best?
If you build a TR T1, IMO it is too valuable to risk its useless destruction. Therefore your options are limited. You ought to hole up your fleet in Central Med SZ to protect the new build & thenceforth start funneling troops to Africa as long as you can keep the fleet alive. Trading Caucases is a good way to do this but it’s not always possible, and of course you don’t own Gibraltar either! That’s the problem–building any new fleet units for Germany–EVER–is a big risk 'cuz its a lot of IPCs for maybe NO EFFECT! This I believe is a flaw in the original game, since therefore Germany hardly ever has a SUB fleet to speak of…
So what if you go w/ what’s on the board? Well the TR is still very important because it will be the only one you get. To use it as cannon-fodder would be folly, but there is the advantage that you don’t have to guard the Central Med SZ to protect a new TR build on G1. One tactic I’ve tried is hit Gibraltar w/ 1 SUB, 1 FTR & 1 BB, w/ the TR loading an ARM in reserve. Hit the beaches w/ the ARM when the BB is destroyed & take Gibraltar. Here’s the kicker–lose the FTR to the BB counterattack! I know Germany should never lose FTRs, but without CVs, FTRs can’t dfend SZs & the idea is to keep a small fleet alive for later use. Without Gibraltar, the only air units that can hit your fleet is the BMR from UK (+1 BMR from USA too if you failed to take & keep French West Africa, Central Africa, or to keep Libya). Provided you destroyed the SUB at Suez Canal, the UK may–MAY–think twice about hitting your little fleet T1, giving you a chance to escape. The disadvantage of this is the loss of 1 precious FTR, the weakening of your North Sea attack , & the risk to your fleet. The advantages are a slightly larger fleet (add one SUB you would’ve lost), & Gibraltar–a strategic territory. Keep in mind that should you lose the battle vs the UK SUB, or if the UK BMR attacks anyway, you also risk losing an ARM stuck in Gibraltar w/ no hope of escape exept thru Spain!
You could also launch an attack on the UK SUB w/ an amphibious engagement in Egypt. This is too great a risk IMO unless you play w/ 2-hit-BBs in which case it becomes an attractive option. Don’t build a new TR T1 in this case.
There are I’m sure more options but these are the ones that occur to me. I intend to post a topic directed at experts concerning just this particular area. Interested to see the results.
That is all. Return to your posts.
Ozone27