The Sealion Opening

By  Edi Birsan

Introduction The basis of any good opening is a set diplomatic workings that support a dynamic thrust to control the flow of the game and to dominate a neighbor. Standing alone as a tctical exercise all openings fall short, it is the diplomatic framework that the players must achieve that make the opening work. This is even more so in the case of the Sealion Opening names after the German invasion plans of England in World War II. Diplomatic Framework The German player must be confident that Russians are absorbed in the South and ideally having a major blowout with the Turks ovr the Black Sea. The German player also ahs to be focused on a quick take down of England and the demilitarization of the lowlands so that he can turn quickly east after the strike. The French Player wants to see the Italians going on a long slow road to the East, hopfully a Lepanto type opening. he also wants to see the English go down like a rock and is willling to take the lead in this and the initial risks. Tactics Spring 1901 France: F Brest to the English Channel A Paris to Picardy (or Burgundy depending on the Germans) A Marseilles to Spain Germany: F Kiel to Denmark A Munich to Ruhr A Berlin to Kiel Fall 1901 France: F English support German F Denmark to North Sea A Picardy to Beligium A Spain to Portugal Germany: F Denmark to the North Sea A Ruhr to Holland A Kiel to Denmark Winter 1901 Germany can build an Army and a Fleet, France can build a Fleet and an Army but all the forces they need are already in play for the next move. Spring 1902 Germany: A Holland to Yorkshire, convoyed via F North Sea France: A Beligum to Wales, convoyed via F English Channel At this point the game for the English is over. If the English use their fleets to dislodge the Germans they can still retreat to threaten the English center and the French crush first London and then walk up the Island. If the English go after the French then the Germans walk around the Island. Either way, England is crippled quickly, the Lowlands are demilitarized and the French-Germans have three units each to pursue their next targets. The opening is clean, quick, and deadly with a little imaginative diplomacy on the western side.

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