In my experience you only need two units per port to avoid AI suicide invasions. I use 3xGAR and 2xMIL+1xMP. But it's still is a lot of IC to counter an error.
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Generally, two divisions (composition really doesn't matter) are enough to make the AI hesitate. I've seen it invade a defended port if it has no other options, but it's an extremely rare thing. Having the ports garrisoned and a Corps with one ARM division and 3 or 4 INF divisions as a reaction force should be enough to cover all of France, at least against the AI.
I've gone with smaller stacks, but I still get annoyed by the Allies sometimes. I consider the 4 division MIL stacks to be an immunization of the Western Front (with a small armored reaction force sitting near Paris for anything I've either missed or if northern Italy gets attacked).
Do keep in mind that the IC costs are practically negligible, as is the leadership cost. Those MIL divisions build very quickly. It ties up significant manpower, but if I can't put 1200 manpower into real divisions within the next two months anyway, I might as well put that manpower to good use in some other way. And if I choose to upgrade them, the IC isn't even lost.
When disbanding units, you reclaim the leadership and manpower, so I use these MIL formations as a kind of checking account. I deposit my manpower in them and pay a small IC fee. In turn, the "bank" (occupied France and Benelux) secures my coast from Allied attack and prevents the AI from making blunders. If I need to, I can withdraw the manpower by upgrading the units or disbanding them.
I find it much easier to take out the UK as opposed to trying to build airbases and air units to defend Germany AND garrison France after the fall. Unless of course your going straight historical.
Eh, I don't always feel like running Sea Lion.
But I'd be building the planes anyway. I always get carried away with planes for some reason.
"What's that? Another 30 TACs? Sure, Goering. If I yank your drug habit, that aught to pay for them. Oh, and add another 20 INTs, because I have a spending problem and can't control myself."
I tend to overbuild aircraft too! Another thing is if i build a good amount of IC as germany (which i dont always do) I wont even bother trying to stop the UK bombers (by upping my airfields or AA) until the very least France falls and im closer.
