The German Mediterranean fleet (allied view point)

It is generally agreed that Germany needs to ocupy Africa in order to be able to drain UK resources and increase its own income to further gains in Europe, and pose a real threat to Russia.

This being the case, it is clear for the Allies that a German fleet in the Med provides a constant flow of troops to Africa and thus allows Germany to hold a number of IPCs that are essential for the holding and progressing in Europe. Hence if Germany’s Med fleet is destroyed on UK1 or UK2, Germany, in turn, will be denied those essential IPCs, with the logical consequences for UK’s economy.

Lets state the obvious, Africa ammounts, in its totality, 12 IPCs (including Madagascar), 2 IPCs are German, the rest, British. So in reality Germany has 10 IPCs to win, ussually 9 as Madagascar is quite out of reach.

Assuming, as Allies, we pose no resistance in Africa, it will take Germany 2-3 turns to take the whole of the African continent.

And here comes the idea. What if we do not destroy the German fleet?

The following aproach assumes a Germany First Strategy.

If the UK destroys the German fleet on UK1, it will most probably be risking a precious Bomber (from UK), a fighter (from india, provided the German fleet moved to the Syria-Irak SZ) and the Gibraltar Battleship. The outcome will most certainly be victory, the german fleet sunk, troops in Africa with no hope of being reinforced and germany pinned down in Europe. Germany will no doubt maintain a presence in Africa, most probably with 3 inf and 1 tank, that will run arround like a headless chicken trying to take as many IPCs as possible, hoping for Japan to make a landing and help out. This scenario makes Africa a non-top priority for the Allies, but still provides Germany with some extra IPCs for some turns. Once in this possition, Germany tends to “entrench” creating silly amounts of infantry and waiting for Japan to get Monster Big.

The point is that Germany should be induced to invest more money in Africa than it is making, make the German player get obsesed with taking Africa, make him think that it is possible to conquer and hold the continent.

If the German fleet is Allowed to survive, we can realocate UK units to more profitable possitionts, ie a Battleship to protect the Home fleet, a Fighter from india to help defend Singkiang and a Bomber to threaten other objectives. Furthermore, on G1, Germany will most probably have taken AES, FWA and FEA, that is 4 IPCs gain for the Axis, and will probably decide on G2 to ship another 2 inf to Africa to help hold it for a fear of loosing the fleet.

It is now that Maths begin to work. Gain = 4 IPCs, investment 2 inf = 6 IPCs. (this is assuming Germany did not buy another transport which would be excelent as this makes a total of 14 IPCs invested in Africa for a meagre gain).

It is now the US who has to do the dirty work. Buying 1 Carrier, making sure that the 2 US fighters are available to land on the carrier on US2, holding the initial transport in position and purchasing a further 2 Transports (save 2). Move infantry from WUS to EUS and you have an amphibious force capable of landing 4 inf and 1 Tank in Algeria on US2 (the threat of Japanese invasion must be considered before this move).

This will most probably grab Germany’s Attention and make Germany devote more men to the African Theatre. So, on G3 you can expect either an attack by the Luftwaffe on the American fleet, which will certainly be more harmful to Germany than to the US (as Germany will have a tough time rebuilding an Airforce) or the movement of the luftwaffe to Africa in order to defend those territories.

US2 Purchases should be guided towards the constant shipping of at least 4 inf a turn to Africa (6 is better).

The Aim is to induce Germany to buy transports, and ship more and more troops to Africa. German investment in Africa will simply cost more than it is making and will open up a 3rd front while the European mainland gets increasingly weaker.

At some point, the American fleet off Spain will have the chance to hit SE, WE, or EE, and the USSR will have an easyer Job taking care of Japan.

By US3, the US should be able to start devoting a sizeable ammount of IPCs to the war in the Pacific.

By the way, every strategy has flaws, and thi one is by no means perfect, but … who knows, try it and see … :wink:

That is exactly my point.

Regardless of bids, the idea is to keep inducing Germany to ship troops to Africa, and support them with aircraft. The Allied pressence there has to be enough to hold, but not to the extent of making the German player think Africa is lost (ie 4 - 6 US infantry a turn). The Germans have to think every turn, that Africa is retakable, so that they keep on investing in an African Campaign.

After all, the whole idea of the Western Allies is taking preassure off Russia, and this approach manages, in my view, to achieve this end. Fighting the Germans in Africa is cheaper than trying to open a whole in a Frotress Europe, that gets steadily stronger untill Japan is a real menace.

I will add that this strategy is by no means infexible, it allows for redeployment of US troops anywhere in Europe when and if an opportunity arrises.