James G
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Post by James G on Oct 21, 2020 17:38:46 GMT
Should the Germans not get as lucky as they did, and Allied forces weren't so incompetent, and Crete is held in 1941, how does this affect the course of World War Two?
Does it bring about any big changes?
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Oct 21, 2020 17:43:05 GMT
Should the Germans not get as lucky as they did, and Allied forces weren't so incompetent, and Crete is held in 1941, how does this affect the course of World War Two? Does it bring about any big changes? As always, i first share this: What if: Germans do not invaded Crete in 1941, And going back to the topic, if Crete is held, the oil refineries at Ploiesti in Romania will burn a lot more than OTL. |
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gillan1220
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Post by gillan1220 on Oct 22, 2020 7:18:39 GMT
The British have a fort in the Med capable of denying access to the KM.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Oct 22, 2020 9:58:47 GMT
The British have a fort in the Med capable of denying access to the KM.
Other than subs the KM has no presence in the Med. However if it can be supplied and a strong air presence built up on the island it would restrict Italian activity and be a support base for an attempt to liberate Greece and possibly other parts of the Balkans - assuming Britain can persuade the US to support such an action.
There might be problems with this however. Supplying the island would be difficult, especially if the Germans keep FK-10 in the region which is trained in anti-shipping activities. Plus I have read that the only real port is on the north shore of the island so this could make supply distinctly risky for an already strained RN. I doubt, unless/until a very strong position can be built up that its likely to be a base for strategic bombers, especially since I don't think there's a lot of flat land on Crete. However it could be used for air cover for a/c operating from say Egypt plus a possible landing place for damaged bombers who can't make it back to Egypt.
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gillan1220
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Post by gillan1220 on Oct 22, 2020 11:46:53 GMT
The British have a fort in the Med capable of denying access to the KM.
Other than subs the KM has no presence in the Med. However if it can be supplied and a strong air presence built up on the island it would restrict Italian activity and be a support base for an attempt to liberate Greece and possibly other parts of the Balkans - assuming Britain can persuade the US to support such an action.
There might be problems with this however. Supplying the island would be difficult, especially if the Germans keep FK-10 in the region which is trained in anti-shipping activities. Plus I have read that the only real port is on the north shore of the island so this could make supply distinctly risky for an already strained RN. I doubt, unless/until a very strong position can be built up that its likely to be a base for strategic bombers, especially since I don't think there's a lot of flat land on Crete. However it could be used for air cover for a/c operating from say Egypt plus a possible landing place for damaged bombers who can't make it back to Egypt.
It would also allow the British to supply partisan movements in the Balkans. |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Oct 22, 2020 14:39:39 GMT
Other than subs the KM has no presence in the Med. However if it can be supplied and a strong air presence built up on the island it would restrict Italian activity and be a support base for an attempt to liberate Greece and possibly other parts of the Balkans - assuming Britain can persuade the US to support such an action. There might be problems with this however. Supplying the island would be difficult, especially if the Germans keep FK-10 in the region which is trained in anti-shipping activities. Plus I have read that the only real port is on the north shore of the island so this could make supply distinctly risky for an already strained RN. I doubt, unless/until a very strong position can be built up that its likely to be a base for strategic bombers, especially since I don't think there's a lot of flat land on Crete. However it could be used for air cover for a/c operating from say Egypt plus a possible landing place for damaged bombers who can't make it back to Egypt.
It would also allow the British to supply partisan movements in the Balkans. That means flying over German occupied Greece. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Oct 23, 2020 10:40:25 GMT
It would also allow the British to supply partisan movements in the Balkans. That means flying over German occupied Greece.
Well Britain supplied the partisans in Yugoslavia with Italy hostile and Crete occupied. Also a lot of the supplies to the Greek resistance was by sea, which is likely to be even more common here with Crete providing a substantial base for such options.
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Post by simon darkshade on Oct 25, 2020 5:45:28 GMT
Crete can't be built into a strategic bomber base, as there simply isn't the infrastructure or POL.
The only location that can really be built into a viable strategic bomber base is Mandatory Palestine, as oil supplies can come directly from Iraq and Haifa can be built into an expanded deep sea port; the proximity airfield complex in the Egyptian delta and the Suez Canal is a bonus.
However, with Crete in Allied hands, it can be utilised as a fighter base and forward airfield. It will be subject to considerable Axis attention for up to 2 years, but then can be employed as an offensive asset.
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