[WarInEur] Operation Sealion in CWiE II

[Ian Raine]

Sealion -

only achieved with axis favouring option mix-

air superiority, air landing troops (5-5 mtn), and a couple of the other pro axis fantasy things.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jean-Marc Charbin 
  To: warineur at mailman.halisp.net 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 6:37 AM
  Subject: [WarInEur] Operation Sealion in CWiE II


  Hello,
        Operation Sealion in CWiE II is a very difficult undertaking. The plans for Sealion were not really made until July 16th of 1940. There was no pre-war planning for Sealion by the Germans. This means in game terms that the Axis player does not plan, build, prepare or even start thinking about Sealion until July 16th of 1940. Historically the Germans only had 3x 2-5 para's, 1x 4-5 glider, 4x SURF's and 6x NTP's available in September 1940 which was the planned date of the invasion. The Germans had planned on using a large collection of small ships and barges to ferry the troops across the channel. To make a Sealion attempt possible I have added 9x amphibs to arrive as German reinforcements on the 9/0/40 cycle. The German amphibs have a range of only 6 hexes and cannot be reused or recycled. They can however be used as amphibious beachheads for supply and transport purposes. These 9x amphibs are only available for use during the 9 & 10 cycle of 1940. On the 11/1/40 turn these German amphib ships can no longer be used and are removed from play.
        Even adding the 9x amphibs, Sealion is still risky. The main problem is that you do not have much time as the Germans to cause a UK surrender. The naval attrition rules even when using option #17 eventually results in the elimination of the Germans capacity to continue to supply his forces in the U.K. in just a few turns. Interestingly enough the Sealion planners expected the entire operation to be over within one month. (4x turns)
  Example; The German will need to keep two surfs and two NTP's for Axis high seas supply. The reason you need two is that in case you lose one to attrition you will still have the other one in reserve since you need a minimum of one to continue to use Axis High Seas supply. This now leaves you with 2 surfs and 4 trans for use after the initial landings. If the Allied player were to roll a three each turn on his Allied High Seas Naval interdiction die roll then the German fleet would only survive 2 extra turns. Which means by the 9/4/40 turn the Axis will have no way of reinforcing the invasion. This translates into the fact the Germans must defeat the UK with the forces that they can land on the first turn of the invasion. This should be 9x 6-5's, 1x 4-5 glider, 3x 2-5 para and 1x 5-5 mtn for a total of 12 divisions. You can risk it for one turn and try to reinforce the invasion group with some armor on the second turn. Sadly though this means that you will have to capture a port. The few Surfs and NTPs the Germans have should really only be used to ensure Axis High Seas Supply after turn two. 
        Basically what I am trying to say here is that under the current rules it takes a very skillful and extremely lucky Axis player that is against an inexperienced UK player for Sealion to even to stand a remote chance. I have playtested Sealion many times and the result is usually the same. The Germans simply do not have enough time, nor can they land enough forces to capture London, Liverpool and Glascow before running out of ships to reinforce and re-supply the invasion. As the UK player I would know this and realize that even if the Germans try Sealion that if I can just hold out a few turns his entire invasion army will be OOS and unable to evacuate.
        For those of you that have actually attempted Sealion in CWiE, I would be very curious to know how many of you actually obtained a British Surrender? If yes, please explain.  J.M.


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