@Lmtdconv:
I would say because Germany is massing a navy, even if the transports are used for fodder, they could still easily take out you UK Navy so you have to sure it up with a car and 2 fig.
But if you move all your navy in range of the Baltic fleet to block them, as I believe switch is advocating, and the build a carrier and put your fighters on it, your fleet (and your fighters) will be slaughtered.
Heck even if you build a destroyer to further augment that fleet you will be destroyed. The German AF is almost entirely in range. Even if the Bomber is in Libya, he can still make it. Maybe if there is a fighter in Libya you will be down one, but maybe there won’t be. That still leaves the Germans in really good shape.
They can bring.
5 Fighters
1 Bomber
1 Destroyer
2 Subs
3 Trans
With a combined attack of 26. Count of 12.
The UK fleet consist of.
1 Battleship
1 Destroyer
2 Trans
1 Carrier
2 Fighters
For a defense value of 20, and a count of 8.
The Germans attack, killing on average 4 guys with a 33% chance to kill another one. That means the Btl takes a hit, the trans are out, and the destroyer is dead as well. Leaving a wounded battleship, a carrier, and two fighters.
The UK player responds, on average killing 3 with a 33% chance to kill another. The German player can choose between destroying subs or transports depending on how they feel. Say they take out the transports. Germany attacks again, and the UK fleet and fighters are now gone. UK returns fire, they shoot down the remainder of your navy. The UK just lost their entire fleet, the majority of their airforce, and their entire first turn’s worth of income. Even if the battle swings badly Germany shouldn’t drop more than one fighter. I’d easily drop a German fighter to hold off the brits that long though. For the cost of 24 IPCs you just shot down 88 IPCs worth of UK gear, and slowed down British invasion for 2-3 rounds. IMO that’s worth the cost.
And that was the whole battle with just 5 ftrs, if you bring in all 6 Germany easily can come off with two transports still alive.
There’s no need for a carrier UK1. The Germans are entirely out of range of your fleet. It’s a pointless waste of IPCs for the first round. Build some transports maybe, maybe a couple planes if you want, some more troops. Then next turn you can move in and plop down a carrier if necessary, and you might get Norway in the bargain, and you didn’t just let the Germans trade their fleet for your fleet + AF.