Ok, so in options 1 & 2 you’re abandoning London to the sealion.
In option 1, you could put your fleet in 91 on UK2 to try to counter attack the sealion, but if the German fleet didn’t lose any ships clearing you out, then he’ll have plenty of fodder to hold you off (with a couple more builds in the channel and maybe an airbase on Normandy/Holland).
In option 2, you’re not doing Taranto, so what’s to prevent Italy from crippling your combined fleet in 92 or smashing any portion of it if it’s not combined? Italy has a little more luxury to use up its fleet if UK isn’t producing.
In option 3, Holland would not be left undefended, since most planes going to 109 on the G1 attack and your fig escort have to land there. I suppose if UK scrambled there, there’s a chance, but the French fig would likely be killed in that scramble.So what do you get from having a sizable fleet if you’re not using it? By the time it’s beefed up with American navy, Germany needs to give up the fight on the Atlantic and focus on the east anyway. But that’s really more a criticism of sealion in general and not one of a G1 SBR.
I don’t feat the Sea Lion. Any time I’ve seen it done the result has been a monster Russia. Moreover, I don’t see how moving the 110 fleet, a group of ships normally killed on G1 anyway, results in an easier Sea Lion
Italy cannot attack the fleet in SZ92 because I will have placed a DD blocker in 94, meaning Germany would have to send the air force (probably not an option, since 4 German planes will be in Holland Belgium and therefore unable to reach 92, in addition to the 2 planes likely lost in the mutual annihilation battle of 111). More than likely, UK will start its second turn with the SZ 92 fleet in tact and have the option to hang around in the Med and harass Italy, or meet up in SZ 109 with a freshly purchased group of ships, and suddenly UK has a monster fleet.
As I’ve been talking about this, it’s become more of a sealion strategy. I know lots of people don’t like the sealion in the first place, but that’s a moot point. If you want to try it, I think this is a viable strategy. Moreover, because London is producing on avg 3 units, 7 defense less (if my math above is right) than a traditional sealion, then you’ll have quite a few more troops to shuttle over to the Russian front. (I’m guessing a few more than 3 extra, since in fights that close, a minor disparity in strength creates a major discrepancy in outcome, especially if the fight is 3 or more rounds.)
However, if you’re not sealioning, I agree with you that letting him have his fleet in 110 is a bad idea since as you’ve pointed out he can have an intimidating fleet in 109 by the end of round 2. It allows him to start building transports a turn or two earlier, and definitely not worth the extra SBR. Combining fleets in 92 is pretty clever; I’ve never seen that before, and didn’t account for it. It’s a risk taking out Italy’s destroyer without any fodder, but well worth it. Though in the case of a sealion, that move is only good for helping America liberate London a couple turns down the road; Germany can block that fleet from a counter attack on the transports.
You’re right, moving the 110 fleet doesn’t make for an easier sealion. I was thinking if they’re still in 110 on G3, then Germany would have to spend a lot more aircraft on 110 at the expense of the actual fight. But if you left them in range at the end of UK1, they’d be sunk on G2. And if you moved them to 91 or 92 with a view of moving them back to 110 by the time of the invasion, Germany could block them from making it back.
There’s only a mutual annihilation battle in 111 if you see it through. Otherwise, if the odds are straight, you should be able to retreat with both planes and a hit BB.