Sealion Alpha#2 how/when and is it worth it?

  • Customizer

    I like the CV because I can do fighter swaps out at sea in later turns.  That counts for alot.


  • Well I am discussing alpha+2. Are you implying planes to attack barges alone?

    plus, I usually “like” it when the allies use their planes to attack the ships as they tend to loose a couple, therefore weakening their London defences.

    My call is G1: 2 strategic and 1 tank.
    G2: 8 barges+ tactical (if I managed to take Bordeaux, France, Finland and Yugoslavia, in G1).

    Which allow me to send the following (assuming a few fighters are lost sinking the fleet, which I do over 2 turns):
    9 tanks
    9 infantries
    3 strategic bombers
    2 fighters

    which gives me, if the Enlgish player has 20 infantries and 5 fighters, about 90% chance of winning.

  • Customizer

    London can have a minimum of 24 infantry, 1 tank and 5 fht.  More if I can bring the inf and art from Que, and more still if I pull planes from the Med.  Your chances with what you bought against the minimum London defense is less than 2%.

  • '20 '18 '16 '13 '12

    I, personally, have been finding lately that sealion is a waste of resources for Germany with the new Alpha 2 plus rules.

    I’m sure you’ve expressed this elsewhere already but in the interest of informing this thread: Do you believe Sealion is still a viable option Jim?

  • Customizer

    Not if defended against properly.  If you can survive with most planes and all tanks, I’d do it, but UK would have to be half-assed defended.


  • If england recalls all available air craft, infantry, and warships from the african and atlantic theaters than italy will flourish and germany will focus on russia. In my opinion, a properly done sea lion will not give the axis the Victory cities they require on a good time table that has the americans in mind. That being said, if one wishes to sea-lion, they will need to be prepared for a war of attrition on the western coast of europe. And defending europe and executing a russian attack is not possible with the German economy. Thus leading to my assumption that the axis’ only plausible choice is a russian attack on turn two. Turn one consisting of destruction of the english navy, conquest of france, and movement of troops to eastern front.


  • Yeah Jim010, I came to a similiar conclusion my self, yes sealion is worth it IF:
    A) London is not properly defended
    B) You didnt loose to much G1 and G2 (navy, air and land)

    However, is it still worth to attempt a Sealion, if nothing else thne just for appearence sake?
    I mean, a UK player that knows he can defend London, and a german player not even attempting, sounds like a n early, strong and offensive UK player…
    I dont think 10+ transports are the best way to attack russia, but certainly 3-6 transports + naval superiority cant hurt in a Barbarossa campaign…

    maybe forgo the carrier in G1 for 1 additional transporter+ 1 destroyer in order to scare UK, since SZ112 does have scrambling inorder to protect the navy…

    Comments any1?


  • That is a good point. I have made plans of a fake sea-lion, for example build the regular transports and carrier (naval what-not), than move troops into germany and towards the east. Than next turn load up your transports, and amphibious assault leningrad. Than attack the russian provinces adjacent to the german eastern front, and you have a completely surprised russian force that will be forced to spend their resources on retaking leningrad, than having to face an amassed force in central russia that is ready to thrust in and knock out moscow. Than stalin/lenin grad would be easy pickings. The only thing that italy has to do is take cairo turn 1/2 and the axis should be able to have the allies before its too late.


  • I got hit last week by a sea lion on G2. And lost…famously in fact.
    On G1 I lost all of my fleet with exception of my med cruiser and atlantic units, which are needed to block the Eastern Gibraltar lane (preventing the Eye-Ties to go for Gibraltar which I would do as Italian player till the US-Cavalry comes storming in…)
    G1 my opponent bought like 4 or 5 transports and some artillery, and as i decided to put a minor force in scotland (dunno why i thought it important at that time (scared for a threat to Iceland and Canada I think to delay my GI´s and Cavalry) but whatever, my 9 INF which i placed in Britain were not enough to repel the coastal bombardment with 8 land units and the combined strengt of the German Luftwaffe. Those airplanes are doing a lot of damage to ur units and the Germans just have more of them than the Brits. So next time I see the German player build an invasion fleet, I will throw 9 INF and everything I can get into London. Which may or may not be enough. Just doing the math, it is touch and go if the German player is dedicated, and if u throw lousy the German player may even break-even on the IPC´s, sail back on G3 to Russia and attack there on G4 (England-invasion troups in the Baltics and the troops that swept through the Balkans going for the southern INvasion route)

    I think that if the German player wants to go sea-lion, he must do so on turn 2.
    Imho, these games are still somewhat based on a 6month/turn timetable, which would put G2 for Sea Lion, or G3-4 for Barbarossa and amazingly, US 4-5 for Marocco, Tunisia and threatening to take southern France in the near future. And amazingly, that is just how the game can be played  :-D

    Secondly, I think that if u want to win as axis, u must strike fast and decisively. The Germans have an enormous advantage in army strength at the beginning which will only get smaller as the game goes due to the Russian and American build-up. So u want to throw all u have in play on ur first 3 turns.
    Which brings me to the last point… why would a german player want to buy a carrier on turn 1…? cant find a reason. built the thing with some tin cans after taking England ^^


  • @Errjee:

    I got hit last week by a sea lion on G2. And lost…famously in fact.
    On G1 I lost all of my fleet with exception of my med cruiser and atlantic units, which are needed to block the Eastern Gibraltar lane (preventing the Eye-Ties to go for Gibraltar which I would do as Italian player till the US-Cavalry comes storming in…)
    G1 my opponent bought like 4 or 5 transports and some artillery, and as i decided to put a minor force in scotland (dunno why i thought it important at that time (scared for a threat to Iceland and Canada I think to delay my GI´s and Cavalry) but whatever, my 9 INF which i placed in Britain were not enough to repel the coastal bombardment with 8 land units and the combined strengt of the German Luftwaffe. Those airplanes are doing a lot of damage to ur units and the Germans just have more of them than the Brits. So next time I see the German player build an invasion fleet, I will throw 9 INF and everything I can get into London. Which may or may not be enough. Just doing the math, it is touch and go if the German player is dedicated, and if u throw lousy the German player may even break-even on the IPC´s, sail back on G3 to Russia and attack there on G4 (England-invasion troups in the Baltics and the troops that swept through the Balkans going for the southern INvasion route)

    Which brings me to the last point… why would a german player want to buy a carrier on turn 1…? cant find a reason. built the thing with some tin cans after taking England ^^

    The carrier is for sufficient protection for the transport fleet, especially OOB (no scrambling). Without it, UK can come and take out all the transporters, and be safe for Sealions.
    It can also make a difference, serving for a landing place for 2 planes, giving more options for Sealion.
    About Canada… you didn’t need to worry about that, really. It is annoying, but it shouldn’t distract you from the main goal: keeping London.
    USA will (and must) take care of this. If London still falls, those Canadian territories will become American. If London doesn’t fall, those are German units that have not been fighting against London or Russia. Also fleet that goes to Canada won’t be back soon.

    The only problem could be if Japan joins with a lot of air force in order to hit the USA. But since this is Europe… :D

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