Malta question

[Cameraeye]

So the German air-force along with an HQ (most likely Manstein) should be operated to Sicily even before the French surrender..correct? At that point it may still be some wait for bombers to reach level 2. Can Malta be taken when they are at level one?

[Goodmongo]

Yes. If this is against the AI then you can do it on the turn you take Paris. Rebuild the bombers. I found that 3 German Med + 1 Italian Med + 3 German TAC are enough to destroy the AA unit there in 2 turns. Sometimes it can happen in one turn but the entrenchment usually prevents this.

[Cameraeye]

Even when the AA on the island is at level 2 ?

[Taxman66]

Having a HQ for the bombers helps a lot.

It also helps if you use a BB or 2 to knock the supply down of the town and blockade the ports. This can drastically limit how much the AA can repair and has the secondary effect of reducing the restorable morale of the unit as well.

[Goodmongo]

After entrenchment is gone each medium bomber can do 1-2 damage and the tac's can do 2-3 damage. The most the AA can repair to is 8. You have 4 medium and 3 tac's on the second round of attacks. I don't have any problems totally destroying it on the second round of combat.

[Cameraeye]

Okay a few more questions on this:

1. Is only one ship/sub needed for a blockade? Does more increase the damage?
2. Can a land unit upgrade if an enemy ship is adjacent?

thanks

[Goodmongo]

I don't like to blockade Malta unless I want a big naval battle. You can coax the AI into sending out their entire Med fleet if you leave 1-2 ships touching Malta. Then if you get clear weather the next turn hit them with all your bombers. Of course this does delay the capture of Malta by a turn.

Instead what I do against the AI is take one of the Italian corps (one that hasn't been reinforced) and send it on a naval invasion operation. You can do this a few turns before Italy even joins the war. Then park it in port in Sicily. This way once the AA is destroyed you move it and capture the port with this unit.

BTW more ships only means less chance for recovery. And I don't think a single ship is enough. And yes land units can easily reinforce if enemy ships are adjacent. It comes down to supply levels.

[Sugar]

You may also drop a para, thereby avoiding all costs and risks.

Reinforcing the Malta defence unit isn't possible, if
- Malta itself has got supply 0
- ports are blocked by a single ship

You may use italian battleships to bring Malta to 0 supply, or a strat. bomber if available.

If ground attack 2 isn't available, use the med. bombers first to attack, to reduce entrenchement (tac. at lvl 1 won't).

[Cameraeye]

Ok thanks a lot guys

[sPzAbt653]

take one of the Italian corps (one that hasn't been reinforced) and send it on a naval invasion operation

This has the benefit that if the unit on Malta is only reduced to 1, you may be able to attack and destroy it amphibiously, as opposed to that unit possibly reinforcing and costing you another turn.

Maybe too late to help you out now, but there is this:
tm.asp?m=4218403&mpage=1&key=&#4218409

[Goodmongo]

The only reason I don't like using a para is because that unit will be stuck there for a few turn as Malta slowly gets supply and rebuild. Then you have still have to transport a unit there to hold it as that Para will be needed elsewhere. But yes a para can capture it once the enemy AA unit is destroyed.