This is a very situational play and all battles have to go in Germany’s favor for this to happen.
Also requires a J3 DOW on W. Allies.
This is analogous to a Knight Fork threat in Chess.
The object being blocking off Gibralter.
If done successfully, then US will have to spend beaucoup $$$ on Combat ships, planes…which means less Loaded TRs…or even a couple of turns delay in W. Allied invasion.
The German BB a.k.a Bismark, just tends to sit there or be sacrificed to take hits. In this gambit I prefer to use it as bait to either make Taranto weak, or maybe it may not happen at all.
Additionally G1 buy is either 7 Art or 6Inf+2Art in Germany, that can go toward Barbarossa on G2/3 or toward SeaLion if UK buys mIC and SouthAfrica.
Last , but not the least… On G2 and G3 , there exists a potent threat to the US Atlantic Navy….and should US not pay attention, thE USN could go down…!
Here are the details:
G1 BUY 6 Art+ 2 Inf in Germany
G1 attacks:
1 ) SZ 106 - 2 Subs
2) SZ 91 - 1 Sub (This is The critical battle. Bolder players may use 2 Subs)
3) SZ 110 - 1 Sub+2 SBR+2 TB+2 FTR
4) SZ 111 - 2 Subs+ 2FTR+2 TB
5) S. France - 2 Mech+Tank+Slovenian FTR
All else Paris.
No Normandy. Just land TB+FTR, move 3 AAA
Yugo, all except 1 inf Romania
Non combat
Take Bulgaria
Take Finland
CRU + TR DROPS 2 Inf in Norway…SZ 112??!! Gambit
BB to SZ 91 ?!!! Gambit
UK has too many options:
Kill CRU+TR… Or… Kill BB+Sub…or…kill Subs in SZ106… (they are convoying…and threatening US fleet)…or do Taranto…or do Tobruk…
The deal is Gib will fall on either I1 or G2…blocking off the Med.
Italy 1 takes Gib with CRU+DD for saving TR…the German BB could join it…on G2…
Germany now has option of joining up with Italian fleet on SZ93 or SZ92…wherever they plan to have it, maybe augment it with a CV buy…and these can go to W. Gib… joining with German CRU+TR+2Inf…
U boat on SZ97 on G2 can hit Malta UK DD …with Polish and Slovenian air. (N,S Italy)
Then US will have to face BB+CV+2CRUs+DD+Subs…maybe Airbase…with planes.
Since Germany has not lost much…in G1, it can afford to place this strategic strike force that will screw up US ,UK Atlantic Navy plans.
If US goes heavy in Atlantic on US1,2, then no Airbase. Axis Navy retreats to inside of Med on I2-G3…then to SZ95…the "Wooden Wall"defense, where Italy builds Airbase in N.Italy…or CV in SZ95.
Japan then gets to romp around…
Finally…there is this weird play for money, where I2 (If Italian TR survives with CRU+DD)…could go to W. Africa with Inf+Tank…followed by German TR with 2 Inf…and the combined Navy could hit SouthAfrica …and grab W. Africa, Madagascar etc…making it a money game…and a lively chase across the Cape !
Got this inspiration playing Napoleonic War game in Dragonflight @Bellevue, WA.
If you are playing “the player”, and know the general strategy of Allied player, this is one to throw him off…at least the first time.
Fire away mateys. !
- Ramdas Vaidyanathan aka MeinHerr