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- Mar 9, 2007
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Thanks Foxbat, that was an interesting read.
It did seem to be missing a few key things though. From what I read it looks as though the Germans launched the invasion on the assumption that they may have gained air superiority, which just wouldn't happen. It would also have become very clear when RAF began strafing the invading ships and sending them to the bottom of the Channel. It also suggests that much of the British fleet would be in port some distance away, even though (in this wargame) the Germans have been building their invasion force for several months. The whole point of the RN, and the main reason that Germany hadn't already invaded, was the threat of the RN sinking their troop transports. There would have been no hiding the German invasion fleet; the British would have known it was there. And whilst they may not know exactly when or where the invasion would come, they would have been close enough to intercept it when it set off.
Realistically with 90,000 German troops already landed, capturing town and ports and establishing beach heads, there is little chance that Hitler would give up on them. By far the hardest part of the job (creating a beach head) had been done, and victory would almost be in their grasp. Hitler kept reinforcing Stalingrad with close to a million troops, and this was when things were going badly, so it's unlikely that he would have called off the invasion at this late stage. I also find it difficult to believe that the Luftwaffe would continue attacking London rather than reinforcing and protecting the troops on the ground.
For me, operation Sea Lion was all about gaining air superiority. Without it, the Germans wouldn't even attempt a seaborne invasion, hence the Battle of Britain. If they had attempted it without air superiority, the RN would have sunk a considerable percentage of the invasion force in the Channel, the beach fortifications along the Southern coast would have made it a bloody affair for any who did land, thousands of camouflaged pillboxes and artillery posts would have severely hampered those who made it inland, and (very likely) Churchill would have ordered the carpet bombing of South East England as a final response.
It did seem to be missing a few key things though. From what I read it looks as though the Germans launched the invasion on the assumption that they may have gained air superiority, which just wouldn't happen. It would also have become very clear when RAF began strafing the invading ships and sending them to the bottom of the Channel. It also suggests that much of the British fleet would be in port some distance away, even though (in this wargame) the Germans have been building their invasion force for several months. The whole point of the RN, and the main reason that Germany hadn't already invaded, was the threat of the RN sinking their troop transports. There would have been no hiding the German invasion fleet; the British would have known it was there. And whilst they may not know exactly when or where the invasion would come, they would have been close enough to intercept it when it set off.
Realistically with 90,000 German troops already landed, capturing town and ports and establishing beach heads, there is little chance that Hitler would give up on them. By far the hardest part of the job (creating a beach head) had been done, and victory would almost be in their grasp. Hitler kept reinforcing Stalingrad with close to a million troops, and this was when things were going badly, so it's unlikely that he would have called off the invasion at this late stage. I also find it difficult to believe that the Luftwaffe would continue attacking London rather than reinforcing and protecting the troops on the ground.
For me, operation Sea Lion was all about gaining air superiority. Without it, the Germans wouldn't even attempt a seaborne invasion, hence the Battle of Britain. If they had attempted it without air superiority, the RN would have sunk a considerable percentage of the invasion force in the Channel, the beach fortifications along the Southern coast would have made it a bloody affair for any who did land, thousands of camouflaged pillboxes and artillery posts would have severely hampered those who made it inland, and (very likely) Churchill would have ordered the carpet bombing of South East England as a final response.