Minefields

[mroyer]

Is it possible to build a naval minefield during a game or are they only positioned at the start?
-Mark R.

[AlvaroSousa]

Minefields were important in WW2 but adding them to a game only creates what I call an absolute decision. You have to build them and your opponent has to minesweep. So they are considered areas where you can't enter or invade due to historical large minefields considering the back and forth of minelaying and minesweeping

[mroyer]

10-4, understood.
I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. I'm concerned about an Allied invasion into the Adriatic which isn't protected by mines. I'll need to use more Italian corps to garrison the Adriatic ports.

-Mark R.

[AlvaroSousa]

I'll research that. I never did research Italian minefields. The lack of air power there should be enough of a deterrent.

[mroyer]

ORIGINAL: Alvaro Sousa

I'll research that. I never did research Italian minefields. The lack of air power there should be enough of a deterrent.

Since there were no major naval engagements or activity in the Adriatic, it is difficult to research. Most readily available on-line sources tend to focus on battles and active regions so it probably means digging into older/primary sources. A quick search finds this on Wikipedia:

Adriatic_campaign_of_World_War_II - 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.[12][13] Four Royal Navy submarines were lost in the Adriatic, most likely to mines.[14] British surface ships re-entered the Adriatic after the September 1943 armistice, when the much weaker Kriegsmarine forces remained the only opponent.

It suggests there were indeed minefields in the Adriatic, but no way to tell if there were any where near enough to represent in Warplan game terms. I've gotten curious - so I'll probably keep searching for a while to see if I can come up with anything else.

-Mark R.