Best UK defense for Sealion 3 or 4 collaboration

I think everything checks out fine, except -

Italy must leave 1 Transport in 97 in order to be able to take Gibraltar on I2.
This prevents UK from wasting the German fleet as it sits in 111 after G3.
I don’t think UK would act any differently on UK2 because of thsi change.

So-
I would recommend that Italy not take Cyprus, but put 1 BB, 1 CA in SZ 99.
There, Italy only has 1 Fig, 1 Tac to fear.  This is a losing proposition for UK.

Leave 1 DD in SZ 95.

And leave 1 CA, 1 TT in 97.
Again, only 1 Fig, 1 Tac can fight this, and Italy can scramble here just in case.

Or-
Italy could forgo the Fighter purchase, and get 1 TT, and maybe 1 Inf if wanted.
This is a tough choice because the Italian air force is very helpful in the area around UK for Sealion.
On I2 Italy will have 16-19 IPCs to spend on air power.  Then Italy can have either 3 Fig, 1 Tac or 2 Fig, 2 Tac to help Germany, and still be able to take Gibraltar.

Thoughts?

I also agree that Italy should be concerned with taking Gib.  They cannot do so on I1 but should be set to take it I2 after clearing any blockers.  If UK is able to stack Egypt so Italy cannot attack there, then perhaps they could strike at Malta and reinforce the African army.  That’s something that would help their overall war effort but not leave them out of position.  Another option would be an Italian strike at Algeria and Tunis, I think we should actually consider this option because it leaves the Italian fleet in the West Med and serves to possibly kill some inf that could be used in the defense of London.

I assume Italy is taking out the French ships and the UK blocker?  I still like the ftr purchase, but if we go another route then I think Italy should save some ipcs so they can safely buy a lvl bmb I2, that would certainly help against the UK.

Actually Jim I like the first option - going for the middle east as well.
Realistically UK can’t do anything to any Italian fleet possessions on UK2, and if they stay in the Med Italy will wreck them.  Italy has more air and it can finally get to 92, and UK loses its air cover as it left.
Italy’s position seems just as strong as if its fleet were united.

Just remember that Italy no longer controls Cyprus.  Not that it matters much for our purposes here.

Have you run the numbers iwth 15 German transports for use on G3?
4 Round 1
10 Round 2
1 Starting

?

@jim010:

@Cmdr:

Have you run the numbers iwth 15 German transports for use on G3?
4 Round 1
10 Round 2
1 Starting

?

I recall you stated 13 max …

Yes, except Germany has 30 IPC on Round 1 which is 4 Transports + 2 Saved and if they get W. France and France (plus everything else they have odds of doing) they should have 70 the next round + 2 Saved = 72 IPC which is 10 Transports + 2 Saved.

So I was incorrect, the MAXIMUM number of transports England faces is 15, not 13.  Since Germany may elect not to purchase the aircraft carrier.

hmmm, I would think on average UK will lose an aircraft to AA fire over scotland, probably a ftr.  In your strafe on Scotland it looks like you left 3 armor remaining?  Thats a pretty good strafe.  What combat units does Germany have remaining on the mainland ready for transport?  Does Germany even have the troops to supply a second force?  From memory they should be sitting on a few arty guns and maybe a mech or 2.  I think we should finish this option before switching to either the 4 trn buy G1 or the Max trn buy G1 and G2 that Jen is suggesting.  Each of those options should end up with separate needs for UK’s defense.

I also don’t like how this scenario involves not killing the UK trn off Canada G1.  I do this every time, I’d rather leave a CA off Gib alive than a trn off Canada as the Germans.