Untested Sealion counter

@simon33:

Why don’t you just build a third fighter in Calcutta to defend against sbr? It is well spent.

Because I am worrying about a quick J3 Indian Crunch.  I am preparing for the following Japanese movement:
J1 move 1(2) inf from Kiangsi to Borneo, move 3 inf, 1 art from Japan/Korea/Manchuria to Philippines; J1 build 3 transports
J2 move 3 inf, 2 art, 1 tank from Japan/Korea/Manchuria to sz36; J2 build naval base in FIC; concentrate all carrier groups in sz36 (each with 1 tact, 1 fighter), bombers in Siam, block sz38 with some fleet
J3 attack India with 6-8 inf, 3 art, 1 tank, 3 tact, 3 fighters, 2 bombers (can have offshore bombardments)

According to the build & movement below (no Russian fighter to India), I will have
16 inf, 1 art, 3 AA, 1 fighter in India for defense.
This should just be enough to defend India.  If I build a UK fighter in India, then I don’t have enough infantry to defend India.

Middle East-Indian Wall strategy
[[to counter J1 attack, no matter Germany goes for sealion or barbarossa]]
Turn 1
C1: take Yunnan with minimal force, build 4 inf in Szechwan

UK1:
India 1 tack+fighter to Middle East (Middle Earth strategy)
Sz39 transport 1 inf to Persia
India 5 inf, 1 art=> Burma
Burma fighter=> India
Malaya 3 inf => Shan state
India build 5 inf

ANZAC1: Malaya inf => Shan state

Turn 2
C2: take Yunnan with minimal force, build 5 inf in Szechwan

UK2: (consider the case J1 take Borneo, build 3 transports; J2 build MIC and NB in FIC; move 3 transports to sz36)
Burma 7 inf, 1 art => India
Shan state 3 inf => Burma
India build 4 inf
(if no Sealion, build Persia factory)

ANZAC2: Shan state inf => Burma

Turn 3:
China: aim at taking Yunnan

@simon33:

I haven’t had much success with strategies like the one proposed except when Germany spends some of its money on fleet. That gives ussr a bit ight breathing room to do something.

But I agree with you, in case Germany goes for barbarossa, Russia should focus on wars in Eastern Front.  Again Yunnan and India worries me.  The above implies that China should defend J3 take and hold Yunnan by itself…

Attacking 106 is pretty important too, it gets the UK two land units. If UK doesn’t do Taranto, their fleet can link in 92 as well with the Malta stuff carried in.

Sea Lion is always an opportunistic play. The resulting German fleet has other uses.

The key map is number 4 where you see the German tanks make it back to Germany/Norway. Taking the transports out with planes to prevent this is the obvious solution but it may be more difficult if Italy has a navy. If you lose Gib on round 1 and Italy has a navy then you may not be able to defend seazone 102. Remember if the carriers take hits the planes sink. If USA Builds bombers instead then you make sure they cant land by taking Eire and consolidate the navy with the German navy.

There is obviously mistakes by both sides in this game but I’m just using it as an example. The best way to defeat Sealion is to avoid it all together by defending London and Gib on round 1.

FAQ (Bottom of page 2, top of 3) is pretty clear on this http://www.wizards.com/AvalonHill/rules/AAEurope1940_2ndEdition_FAQ.pdf

i would also rather fight on his turf where i get income generating for as long as possible. once you have to back down that’s when you are basically saying, “I lose moscow sooner or later.”

I won a game as allies when UK fell.  I ended up taking back africa as America and convoy raided Europe for 12ipcs.  America was making around 100 ipcs, enough to contain Japan and recapture Africa and halt the Italians.  This left Russia to take on Germany alone, which they were able to do with judicious purchases.

well, italy runnign wild is EASILY made up by the fact that germany made 70+ ipcs worth of transports that will hardly do anything to help him vs russia besides threatening Novgorod.
With US entering the war soon, italy will be beaten, you would just need to conserve your afircan forces and try to slow down or contain italian advances.  You dont need to hold egypt, you just need to prevent him from getting too much more.  Usually of germany tries to sealion, Japan does not bother you on J2 to prvent US from entering earlier.  The extra money you wil collect from controling your stuff in the pacific can be used to make stuff than can reinforce persia.  Eventually when germany is going full bore on russia, you can just leave a strong garrison on uk and start wearing italy down and investing your money into africa/persia from the europe side.

I’ve seen Sea lion work and not work,  it depends on a lot of things like your opening round rolls.
  I’ve also seen where it works,  and Barbarossa works too in the same game
  Opening round rolls made a big difference in the second game yesterday, The Axis got hurt early and couldn’t recover.
  In every game It’s important for Germany to eliminate the royal Navy. Stay strong with their Navy and air force to thwart off any threat of an Allied invasion, and hurt Russia and push on to their capital and get as much money as possible