Battle of the Mediterranean

Discussions on WW2 in Africa & the Mediterranean. Hosted by Andy H
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Bushbaby
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Battle of the Mediterranean

#1

Post by Bushbaby » 24 Feb 2015, 12:06

Hi everyone!

This is my first post. I am currently working on a ww2 board game called "1942" where I try to combine simlicity with historical correctness. I am pretty satisfied with my work so far, but there is one question I haven´t found a good answer to.

In every game, the allied player move into the Mediterranean with a naval force bigger than the Italian fleet and blocks the supply route to Libya. (They still make sure that the British Isles are secure and that Japan is kept at bay).

I am aware of the fact that is ahistorical, at least until operation Torch.

So my question is: why didn´t the allies move superior naval forces into the Med and strangled the supply routes to Libya? My assumption is the treat from axis bombers, but couldn´t they be countered by fighters based on Malta? I also suppose the allies needed their surface ships for the battle of the Atlantic and to protect the far East. But in my games the allies manages to complete these tasks and still take control of the Med. Is there something I have missed?

pugsville
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Re: Battle of the Mediterranean

#2

Post by pugsville » 24 Feb 2015, 12:21

Yes without air cover large naval forces would be very much at risk. Malta was too small, had a rather limited air capcity and resupply problems and could be very effectively suppressed from the air, as long as the Axis could commit large air force to the med they could alwats negate Malta and prevent large allied naval forces from operating,


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Kingfish
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Re: Battle of the Mediterranean

#3

Post by Kingfish » 24 Feb 2015, 17:14

Losing Crete certainly didn't help matters either.
The gods do not deduct from a man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.
~Babylonian Proverb

Bushbaby
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Re: Battle of the Mediterranean

#4

Post by Bushbaby » 24 Feb 2015, 17:39

Thank you. Do you know why the italian navy didn´t interfere during the landing on Sicily?

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sitalkes
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Re: Battle of the Mediterranean

#5

Post by sitalkes » 25 Feb 2015, 00:37

It didn't have enough fuel, and had inferior/non-existant radar. A good portion had been sunk or damaged. Its leadership wasn't very good (good captains but average to bad admirals too concerned with the "fleet in being" strategy). Also, by the time of the invasion of Sicily the Italians weren't committed to fighting the war and were more interested in peace. Regarding your first question, maybe you're not factoring in some Italian naval abilities such as the human torpedoes - it was thanks to them that the Italians had naval superiority for a while, though they didn't know it. Malta was only one island, whereas the Italians had their "unsinkable aircraft carrier" i.e. Italy plus Greece, Crete, and much of the North African coastline from which to base their torpedo bombers and reconnaisance aircraft. Lucky they didn't go for Cyprus and Malta or they would have had the whole Med covered. Also you say it's not historical until the Torch invasion well that's at least partly because it took a while to get the American forces mobilsed and in-theatre and they weren't able to even start doing that until Dec 7 1941. In 1940 a large portion of the British fleet also has to be kept in home waters to counter the possible Sealion threat.

aghart
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Re: Battle of the Mediterranean

#6

Post by aghart » 25 Feb 2015, 11:17

Most of the British "modern" capital units were under construction during 1940 and to a great extent 1941 as well, so during 1942 there still wasn't enough modern stuff to go around. As a very small and confined piece of water the Mediterranean puts naval units under very great air threat and surface units under real danger of suprise encounters with enemy surface units. This is the very reason the "Illustrious" class of Aircraft Carriers were built with armoured flight decks and had armoured sides (which limited it's aircraft carrying capacity.) To dominate the Med after the loss of the French Fleet the RN would have needed more carriers than it could spare and/or have a much stronger RAF element in support which until 1942 was not possible. With such confined waters the Anti submarine escort's would also have to be very strong. Again from 1942 onwards this became easier (due to the ending of any Invasion threat to the UK and after Bismark a reduced surface threat to the Atlantic supply line), but the war with Japan added a new problem for the UK. Also with the supply and transport route round Africa pretty secure, why put scarse and valuable heavy units in such danger. In your game, the Royal Navy can dominate the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and keep the Japanese at bay, In real history that was not possible.

Leutnant Von Historian
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Re: Battle of the Mediterranean

#7

Post by Leutnant Von Historian » 26 Feb 2015, 13:30

The British are still struggling defending convoys in the Atlantic at the time. However, the superiority of German air force in the area and the threat offered by the Italian Navy (Despite it rarely achieve something) and German U-Boats in the area should have forced the British to send more of its naval resource to protect the area.

Bushbaby
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Re: Battle of the Mediterranean

#8

Post by Bushbaby » 26 Feb 2015, 22:59

Thank you for your answers! They definitely have shed more light on the issue.

I think I´ll put more emphasis on the danger of air attacks in the Med. Giving bombers a bonus vs ships in this confined sea space.

I believe one reason the allies have an abundance of ships (in my game) is the german player´s tendency to focus his war production solely on the eastern front, and more or less abandoning the battle of the Atlantic.

I you are interested, this is a link to the game map:

http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/Johan ... s.jpg.html

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