Good use of the SZ 98 UK Transport

[Suppressmeajumma]

Hi all, I wanted to hear what you guys usually like to do with the transport that begins the game in SZ 98 in the Europe . In my solo games, I have been having trouble with the Allies and am trying to improve my UK gameplay. I know the SZ 98 transport is not a game-breaker but I wanted to know what you guys do with it since UK will not have a 2nd transport that will be able to reach the Middle East and/or East Africa unlike in G40. It seems like these are possible uses with good odds:

• The Tobruk Raid
• Convincing Greece, Persia, or Yugoslavia to join the Allies
• Amphibious assault on Italian Somaliland

I haven’t played a game as UK where I attack I-Somaliland but I don’t like the odds on Ethiopia when I want to do the Taranto raid.

[ampdrive]

You can send it toward S.Africa so you can bring land units built there north quickly .

[Jscam74]

@suppressmeajumma I prefer to move my med fleet below the Suez to SZ 81 for safety from the Italian fleet/air units and wait to see how the Italians respond.

Here are the steps I take:
COMBAT PHASE

• Attack Italian D and T in SZ 96 with my Fighter and TB and land in Egypt (good chance both survive)

NON-COMBAT

• Move fleet to SZ 81 except Transport which goes to Malta and picks up Inf and AAA - joins fleet and drops off cargo in Egypt
• Move D from SZ 71 up with the fleet in SZ 81
• Move everyone out of Alexandria back to Egypt (Alexandria has no value so nothing lost if the Italians in Tobruk advance)
  *Move my lone Inf from AE Sudan to Egypt and advance both units from South Africa toward Ethiopia.
  *Build a Minor IC in Egypt

You’ll have a nicely consolidated force in Egypt with build capabilities and where you now have:
6 Inf
2 Ar
1 MI
1 Tank
1 fighter & 1 TB (hopefully both, but at least one)
1 AAA

You have a few options depending on how Italy plays turn 1.

If they transport troops from Italy to Alexandria and move Tobruk forces in as well, they can’t attack until turn 2 so you have time to get a build in (Would probably go with three Art so now five of your six infantry are attacking at 2.You’ll be well matched from a defensive position.

If they are focused on France, you can now blitz your tank and MI into Ethiopia along with the MI from South Africa, load 1 Inf and 1 Art on transport and land in Ethiopia. Send in whatever planes you have and send your cruiser for the amphibious assault strike. You will win pretty decisively. If The Italian player sends transports down on T2 to Tobruk still you have time to return to defend Egypt before they can attack.

Depending on what happened during G1 and if I have ships remaining, I may bring my U.K. fleet from The north down to SZ 91 to join my cruiser off of Gibraltar and bring my T and D with 1 Inf and 1 tank down from SZ 106. Now I have two fleets on both sides of the Med where I can squeeze the Italian fleet and put a lot of pressure on Italy itself. I like this approach because it quickly removes Italy from the African continent and allows me to either attack Italy or reinforce Russia as well.

The other thing that needs to be happening is building up a strong US landing force over the first three buys (usually 4 transports, some Inf, a carrier with two planes, a battleship to go along with the T and D I already have). I move the whole US fleet to SZ 91 on my first move and from there I can hit anywhere Italy to Norway On the next turn as long as there are no axis ships to impede my movement.

A lot to digest, but something I’ve found to be successful. As everyone always says though, the plan is great on paper and depends on how Th e enemy reacts.

[Iron_Stitch]

If you do go down to Italian Somaliland with that transport, you could bring the transport from India with two units to help. That and the bombardment is usually successful.

***I think this is maybe posted in the Europe 40 group and my comment would only apply to Global.