Mined pass to the Adriatic Sea.

[CHINCHIN]

I don't know if the strait between Italy and Albania was historically mined, but the truth is that no allied surface ship passed through that strait while it was in the hands of the axis.

What do you think of this possibility for a next patch?

Adriatico.jpg (9.36 KiB) Viewed 429 times

[stjeand]

I am torn...for the Axis this would be huge and free up a few units that have to sit guarding ports...

For the Allies this does remove potential landing spots that the Axis have to guard.


But overall it makes sense. That area would be insanely dangerous due to the possibility of air attack...which is why the Allies never ventured to enter.

[AlvaroSousa]

It is something I have been debating. The reason why the Allies probably didnt go in there was no air bases or large enough ports to keep in supply and have air bases.

[MagicMissile]

It is not a big deal I think but it makes sense. And maybe they should be removed when either Tirane or Taranto fall into allied hands.

/MM

[CHINCHIN]

It is not a big deal I think but it makes sense. And maybe they should be removed when either Tirane or Taranto fall into allied hands.

/MM

That always happens, if you control the hex, you control the mined pass.

[stjeand]

As Chinchin said...since the mines "touch" land they will will change hands when invaded so that would work.

It would be nice for the Axis to not have to guard another 4 or 5 ports there.

[AlvaroSousa]

But they did in the real war. They had to.

[stjeand]

Agreed Al...but did they have 30K soldiers in every port?

I would doubt that.

In this game the Italians are stuck having to defend their ports with huge forces rather than a "naval" guard brigade or division as they would have.

I would have to dig because it is unlikely that there is much information stating that the Italians kept 30,000 soldiers in port X...or 5,000.



Perhaps you could have the mines could vanish when Tripoli falls?

Then the Italians have to more heavily guard their ports.

[governato]

here is some basic info from wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adriatic_ ... rld_War_II

and evidence of a WW2 German minelayer ship

https://gue.com/blog/searching-for-unde ... -adriatic/

there were some small ships and garrisons amounting to one German weak corps. No mention of air operations but some sub activity and axis convoys.


The Otranto strait is just 70km wide and it had been mined/blockaded by the Allies in WW1

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blocco_de ... %27Otranto

[Hellfirejet]

British submarine activity
After the fall of Greece and Yugoslavia, the complete Italian control of both coasts of the Adriatic, and the distance from British naval and air bases, meant the end of all British air and surface operations in the Adriatic Sea. From the spring of 1941 to September 1943, Royal Navy activity in the Adriatic was thus limited to submarine operations, mainly in the Southern Adriatic; Italian convoys across the Adriatic suffered negligible losses. Between June 1940 and September 1943, only 0,6 % of the personnel and 0,3 % of the supplies shipped from Italy to Albania and Greece were lost; two-thirds of these losses were caused by submarines, mostly British. Four Royal Navy submarines were lost in the Adriatic, most likely to mines. British surface ships re-entered the Adriatic after the September 1943 armistice, when the much weaker Kriegsmarine forces remained the only opponent.

So the answer to the thread question is that Italy did indeed mine the Adriatic.

[LeLiquid]

In my PBEM as Allies, i made a huge amphibious operation on Tarento from N and NE beach Hex. I took Tirane before (with a push from greece combined with a landing to have an air base to support the landing on Tarento, with the land mine, i couldnt go for the landings.

Would be a huge nerf of the periphery strategy (that i did). Don't think it's a good idea.