France Disaster

@Gargantua:

@Marshmallow:

but again my perspective on Sea Lion is that an early Sea Lion is a losing move under most circumstances.

Marsh

Im glad to see that your perspective has upgraded from �always a losing move� to �a losing move under most circumstances�. :)

I look forward to the day it evolves again to �under SOME circumstances� :)

:roll: :evil: :-D

The game in Seattle was very instructive.

@Argothair:

You’re correct, and I apologize for the error, but my basic question stands: Britain starts with two Atlantic transports. Is there a way to reliably kill them both, take Normandy, take France, kill at least one of Britain’s two main fleets, and not lose 8+ German planes in the attempt, all on G1?

No, is the short answer, or at least you shouldn’t try.

Letting the SZ110 fleet escape might allow you to accomplish that but you’d rather sink that than tie up 4+ planes on sinking two ships.

The best thing Italy can do is can-open, period.  The more mechs and men it has to do this, the better, and so a mixed 60/40 German/Italian front is fine.  Russia will find it impossible to back-stack its reserve armies because they cannot screen the Italians out and then the German Armor will run through the holes the Italians make.  Its devastating and its why the bid is pretty much required.

If Germany and Italy can both get StratBombers, even better because all of them can fly to China and start can-opening in waves, for Japan.

Italy often gets nerfed by Taranto, but in the case you get lucky or the player doesn’t do it, Going Italy + Bulgaria +SFrance + Paris + 19 IPC is awesome because you will have about 40-50 income on I4-5, and you’re like a baby Germany.

And, if they decided to KGF or KIF, you buy a bunch of fighters and men instead, projecting threat and preventing UK and US from coordinating their attacks.

Late reply… have been out of this forum for a while.

But… I won a game last summer with the French African and French UK + French FTR help.

This is how it went …

US3  - 2 US TR to Morocco picked up the 3 French Inf  &  an Empty US TR accompanied it

US4 - Empty US TR picked up 2 Frenchies in UK…  (Also US 4 took W. Germany , without French)

UK4 - Built big fleet in Liverpool ( W. UK Side)… and had total of 2 FTRs and 1 Tac Bomber, did not augment US in W. Germany…per plan…(Denmark was Axis … and empty)…

Italy 4 - Took W. Germany back… with 2 Inf remaining

France 4!! - Took Denmark with 2 Inf (1 TR)… and Took W.Germany with 1 Inf remaining  ( 2 Inf + FTR against 2 Italians)… This was the big gamble…!

Germany 5 - Took back W. Germany…

US5 - Hit Germany with everything - Kamikaze of US planes, to create space for UK planes next wave… Empty US CVs go and park next to Germany…

UK5!!! - Takes Germany… All planes from London airbase can land on US CVs…

Germany resigns

After staring this topic I has a bad roll later that evening. I emptied Western Germany into France minus the planes. I also sent 2 tanks from Holland. I decided to test the theory of eliminating a lot of the Royal Navy on G1 with the Luftwaffe. I also decided to send the remaining troops in Holland to Normandy. This was one without any losses. Back to the battle of France. I won, but was left with one tank to hold. I think I jinxed myself knowing we were playing that night after starting the topic, knowing it was my turn to be the Axis. :-D

I had one game where France almost survived 2 full rounds. On G1, Germany didn’t commit quite enough plus had bad dice so they didn’t take France. UK did send the RAF there to help out Paris and those extra planes caused Italy to fail to take Paris. On G2, Germany threw what they had left, although they were kind of short on land units due to purchasing navy on G1 and the bulk of their stuff was on the Russian border. Even though they had quite a few planes to throw at France, the British and French planes mauled them in defense and both sides wiped each other out. So Italy ended up taking Paris on round 2.
By the way, this game did end up as an Axis loss. The Euro Axis were pretty much pasted by UK and USSR with very little US help while Japan was pretty well handled by the bulk of US attentions.

As the Germans another fun little trick is use the transports you start with to land in lenningrad and take it very easily on G2 and maybe even G1.

Once, in twelve or fifteen games

About the same for me.

Ironically though, everytime I have seen a game where France didn’t fall, it’s ended up an Axis Victory anyways.  I wonder if it has to do with the allies overcompensating, and trying to actually hold on to france aswell…