Sealion or Budapest

[Peever]

I have dabbled in both games but not played too much of either in terms of the large scenarios.  Budapest has a good number of scenarios and one with a large Soviet attempt on Budapest in the fall of 1944 and the main focus being on the German Konrad campaign of 1945 so this gives you a lot of winter scenarios but with a few non-winter too.  Since it's the end of the war you get all the toys to play with too.

Sealion has a couple variants of the operation with most of the focus being on the September invasion plans, but it does have a July scenario that gives the German player some options on landing beaches which gives it nice variety.  I find it starts off a little slow because the Germans first waves are mostly infantry and it takes a while for the tanks to show up. The British army is quite the motley collection of forces of regular army, reserves, Home Guard, and the like.  

Like you I love "What If" scenarios and all the alternatives that the course of the war could have taken, but so far I've not had luck in sticking with any of my Sealion attempts.  Part of it is has to do with the early war tech and the nature of the unique OOBs of the armies for this operation.  I've started a few Sealion games but something just hasn't clicked for me yet and I end up quitting and moving onto another game in the series.  I love the concept, but something about the execution is missing for me.

If your making a choice that has to last you a long while I would recommend Budapest at this time. There is a bit more scenario variety and if you enjoy the late war stuff more then you should go with that one.