Operation Sealion

[Blitz]

I apologize if this has been discussed before but what are the exact purchases/steps for a German Operation Sealion. I know its an unorthodox move that can most of the time end up hurting Germany more then helping it but if you were going to give it a shot what would be your plan of attack?

[Subotai]

Either trans bid to Baltic + 5 trans bought G1, or BB+trans to sz 13 combined with most ftrs landed in France. Or, with tech, use all money G1 on long range aircraft, it's about 50% for sealion success 

[Cmdr Jennifer]

Note:

A method to conceal your attempt for Sea Lion would be to follow the guidelines for Canadian Shield put forth by C-Sub.  Going that route could convince the allies you are attempting to do Canadian Shield which may make England a softer target for you.

[LT04]

I have seen Germany start to play out the Geman Turtle buying mostly INF for the first 2 rounds stowing a little income away from those rounds then buying an overwhelming number of transports (5+).

In this method the Luft Waffe was put in W Europe again like you would in the German Turtle method.  They assisted in the land invasion.

If I was going to go that route I would consider massing the med. fleet with the Baltic fleet first.  If you are buying mostly INF it would be a wile before any one could get a foot hold any way.

LT

[Sherman Tank]

Germany needs air support in order to move fleet into England. LT04 has a very good idea and I would add fighters to increase air protection.

[LT04]

I like having the FTR's there for several reasons.  They can still attack E Europe and return if they need to. They make the US player think twice before sending a weaker navy to assist the UK player.

Down fall is that they could start a Cuban Missile Crisis counter plan.

LT

[Croggyl]

I have seen Germany start to play out the Geman Turtle buying mostly INF for the first 2 rounds stowing a little income away from those rounds then buying an overwhelming number of transports (5+).

In this method the Luft Waffe was put in W Europe again like you would in the German Turtle method.  They assisted in the land invasion.

If I was going to go that route I would consider massing the med. fleet with the Baltic fleet first.  If you are buying mostly INF it would be a wile before any one could get a foot hold any way.

LT

How would you protect these 5+ transports after build? I think against a competent allies player the german start fleet is no longer above water at turn three, foremost you move the baltic fleet out and try to merge with the med one.
The only chance to survive with the baltic fleet until turn three is a CV at first turn, I think. Then it may be possible to merge fleets at sz 7 and move back to baltic at turn three to protect those trannys, but then a combined uk/us fleet may stay at sz 6. You perhaps can sink these fleet, yes, but you can't sink these fleet and land at uk at the same turn. That allied fleet will be rebuilt, and you can't sink it twice.
The german fleet at baltic may live some time longer, yes, but with the med fleet moved toward england you should not get a feet on ground in africa. And that carrier at first turn and the heavy transport build will bring you to some INF shortage at the eastern front.

In my opinion operation sealion can be done against an inattentive uk player only, and must be done quickly. After turn four the us pacific fleet can stand in the north sea, from this moment on at the latest a landing at uk is no longer possible.

[Funcioneta]

Sea Lion buying 5 trannies can only work against a uncared UK playing KJF.

[LT04]

You are probably right.  I was playing with a bunch of noobs.  Just seeing a bunch of new ships was a big deterent to keep the allies from attacking.

LT

[dakgoalie38]

The allies can easily counter this by keeping their forces in the UK.  The only thing this can help with is keeping allied reinforcements out of Africa since they will need their navy to defend the UK, but Africa isn't worth an entire turn worth of German IPCs.

[eumaies]

I wouldn't think of Operation Sealion being your whole strategy.  There's no way to take UK for sure if the UK and US choose to defend it hard enough.

However, there are good ways to put pressure on UK and threaten this so as to damage your opponent...  The following is an approach I posted on another site that I find effective:

First off, some general thoughts regarding naval builds on turn 1:

1) Building an extra ship (like a destroyer) in the northern baltic fleet is not a bad idea, as it makes it much tougher for the uk to take it out on turn 1 or until they build up a mass of UK or US fighters
2) I'm not a big fan of building a carrier. They cost more, and they require fighters to land on them, which reduces the number of fighters you can land on your own territories to keep them safe. It's like having to defend an extra territory, in certain respects.
3) Transport builds can be powerful, but since you have a limited number of targets, there's not good reason to ever have too many in the baltic.

My preferred "SeaLion" opening moves & builds:
1) Battleship + sub + transport + at least 4 planes take out gibalter battleship and land 1 infantry on gibralter. You want overwhelming force here.
2) Build 4 tanks (to keep russia honest), and 1 destroyer and 1 transport in baltic (the fleet stays there).
3) attack russia in an appropriately threatening manner (I like to transport and mass troops in karelia, for example.
4) leave norway empty (if uk is silly he will take it, exposing his ships to attack).
5) Mass all african troops in libya ready for next turn
6) mass all fighters and the bomber in western europe with about 3 ground forces. send the rest to the front.

This is a costly move. You spend $20 and you don't take egypt and you don't kill the british fighter in egypt. However, you get lots in return too:

1) you threaten england potentially with 3 transports and 1 battleship and 6-7 planes, so he has to react. They can block the southern fleet, but it then makes them leave ships out vulnerable to your planes. He can't block the northern fleet except by sacrificing his fleet, so he has to build ground forces or risk US transports to land more in england.
2) You make your baltic fleet totally invulnerable on turn 1. 6 ships is nothing to mess with, so while it cost you $20, you save all the money you might have lost when that fleet eventually got pounded in an unfair fight.
3) Your over-the-top fleet battle at gibralter should kill the uk battleship without losing you your sub, so you save an $8 ship that way.
4) your taking gibralter and building up in the baltic leaves the UK planes nothing to attack on turn 1, which is convenient.
5) You threaten to be able to combine your fleets into 1 super fleet (9 ships will last a LONG time with air support and keep your coast safe) and to stop you they have to throw ships in your way to die. If this is ever possible, do it.
6) You can now, with your strong navy, afford to leave fewer troops on your west coast and keep the opponents at bay much longer in the atlantic if you proceed carefully. This leaves you a free hand to beat on russia.
7) You can threaten brazil with the southern navy, or return focus to africa just 1 turn delayed.

Of course, this leaves the UK able to move in to the mediterranean. But in most cases this is not a bad thing. The easier time japan has, the faster they'll come to the rescue. And your atlantic navy should keep you safe for several turns which is all you really need. All for $20.

[Funcioneta]

Only 4 armors against soviets can lead to a Godzilla USSR. And you left so many guys free to fight for the east. I'd say:

Kill z59 trannie with z35 dd

all allied fleet to z8, ferry USA pals to England

ecan arm to eng

1 inf per to ind
arm, fig egy to ind
fig z35 to ind
(now you have 7 guys at India, enough to defend it)

dd Chipre to z33
ac, tra z35 to z33 (yummy free trannie and dd)

z40 tra fery inf nzel to aus

IC to India (If z59 tra manages survive, change this to saf)
5 guys to England

(you can change some small things here and there)

Put IC at sin (if IC goes to ind), reinforce with soviet pals, fleet at z55 and give a world of pain to Japan

[eumaies]

Not a bad response.  the 4 tanks against USSR weakness is offset by the fewer troops you need to leave at home in german lands to defend against atlantic attack for several turns.   


The all allied fleet in Z8 can be hit by battleship, transpot, sub, and 6 german planes from western europe.  Slightly expensive, but very favorable battle for germany (99% chance of win, average IPC loss of 27 vs 76).  Then 6 baltic german ships can go wherever they want and on the allied moves there are not enough british or us planes to mount an effective turn 2 attack on them either.

So by making britain build 5 infantry (instead of fleet) and US move guys to england (or something similar) the operation sealion threat has some useful side effects.

[Funcioneta]

I didn't notice those 6 figs on weu. Even a block with soviet sub is not enough then. Well, I guess then I would cancel the IC and build some fleet

[Rhineland]

I think that the tatic is good to change the pace of the game and make the great britian player take notice. Otherwise you are playing directly into the allied hands.