@Vance:
The point is that you need at least a transport, a destroyer, and 1 infantry, which adds up to 18 IPCs. If you manage to pull it off and take Ireland, will you make back that 18IPCs before the game ends? USSR could spend that $18 on 6 infantry instead.
I disagree.
1) I buy a destroyer for Russia anyway. I can more than recoup the cost by sinking a German submarine in SZ 125 which would net me 11 IPC. (5 IPC for the National Objective + 6 German IPCs for the Submarine I just sent to Davey Jones’ Locker.) That’s a 3 IPC benefit to me as Russia. Of course, Germany COULD attack it, but they have to plan for 2 Fighters and a Tactical Bomber scramble (even if I do not scramble, they have to plan for it, which means they are sending a LOT of planes to SZ 127 and not into ground combats elsewhere!)
2) The Russian infantry is not lost. It is now defending against Sea Lion and may even be reincorporated into the combined Allied armies at a later time.
3) The transport might be lost, it might not. Sure, in SZ 111 it is suseptible to German attack. Again, you can land 3 fighters in Scotland and make Germany assume you will scramble them and thus weaken their attacks elsewhere. Or they might fore go the attack or you can defend it with British ships.
4) Ireland is net gain all the way. Germany and Italy will NEVER get Ireland, so one may as well just assume 8+ rounds of +3 IPC for Russia each round. Sure, there are the off games where the Italians or Germans might be in position to recover Ireland, but it’s not SOP.