Red Flood

[King Kurt]

I would go for A2 - Rommel's head long dash has left us in a dangerious position. Let us fall back a little, dig in and wait for the counter-attack - that puts us at an advantage to hit them when they are worn down. Also Hoth needs to exhert his authority.

Our supply problems - more Italian naval support, bigger, better supported convoys and use all those Italian submarines to support our convoys. Finally what about bringing some German submariners to man the Italian boats - use the german commanded boats - with their more aggresssive tactics and better skill - to mount an aggressive submarine cordon around Alexandria.

Crete - is it worth the potenial casualties? Malta has shown our ability, so we do not need the Crete operation to prove our worth - let's wait for a better target. The only advantage that Crete will bring is the potential of inflicting casualties on the Royal Navy if they have to evacuate English troops - and we have to win for that to happen. Malta showed the strengths and weaknesses - we should not waste our valuable weapon of the airbourne arm.

[Stig]

Just leave Crete. Once we have Tobruk we will have a short supply route. Then with the FJ we can make a dash for Alexandria. We should convince the German high command that we need more troops in Africa, and since we're only here to help the Italians we should ask them as well for obvious reason (they might be insulted if we take over again).

Plus I think it might be well to send U-boats into the Med to support our convoys ... as I said before.

[Franconicus]

There are already two other German tank divisions on the way, the 3. and the 4.. Both are excelelent units. And you will get an extra pioneer regiment. I think your problem is not how to get more divisions, but how to ship them and how to supply them.

We already asked Dönitz about subs. He said he could not send some before fall.

[Stig]

Then visit Hitler himself, convince him that Africa is important for more then 1 reason.
1. Oil.
2. Palestine.
3. Possible new route into Russia.
4. Possibly Muslim allies once we get there.
5. Very possibly a route into India.

[King Kurt]

Getting U-boats to the med is difficult due to Gibraltar - strong currents as well as the British - that is why I suggested german crews for Italian subs - they have loads of boats, but they never performed well, so may be an injection of german skill - either as complete crews or cadres in boats - would be interesting.

[Stig]

The Italians won't accept that unless we buy the Italian subs.

[JimBob]

A3

Can we use Crete? A smaller scale Operation Fortitude. If we plan an invasion of Crete, and 'prepare' for it we could use it if conditions are right, or at least tie troops down on Crete so they aren't in Africa.

[AggonyDuck]

A What is the right strategy at Africa?

2) Hoth thinks that the situation is alarming. He wants to retreat the divisions to Gazala. This is the right place to wait for more planes and the promised pioneer regiment. Here they should be able to repel a Britsh invasion and then assault Tobruk.

The situation is alarming and I'd rather do a organised withdrawal than suffer a severe reverse. Additionally we shouldn't be caught up in costly sieges, we should stick to mobile battles and try to defeat the Brits in the open. But for now we need to pull back and reinforce our units, and secure our position for the next dash.



B) What about the British activities against the supply for Africa? Make proposals!

Get the Italian frogmen to concentrate their operations against British naval forces in Crete and Alexandria. If we can incapacitate some of the British ships in their ports, perhaps the Italians might build up the confidence to assign heavier escorts to the convoys.

As to the British desert raids. It would be useful to move supplies in large heavily escorted convoys. Maybe requesting an additional Panzer Reconnaisance battalion or two, who have the task of stopping outflanking maneuvers by British patrols, might be wise. Additionally it might be good to get a company or two of Brandenburgers to operate against British supplies.

But as it is, we might have to make do with what we have and come up with ways to utilise them properly. We have to come up with a way to counter British naval power with light naval forces and airpower.


C) What about Crete?

Start the planning for an eventual assault. It would be a good way to both damage British naval power and to acquire a decent base to strike against the RN. But that said, if we can seize Alexandria and the Suez, Crete will not be needed.

[Franconicus]

If I calculate right, we have 3 votes for a retreat and four votes for staying where we are. Is that correct?

[Franconicus]

Chapter 46 – Calm Before The Storm
28th April - Mai 12th 1941

After a long discussion with Ramcke, Paulus decides to stop any offensive operations. All units receive the order to stop any advance and to defend their positions. At the same time, the Germans and their Italian allies are trying to get reinforcements as soon as possible and to improve the supply situation.

Ramcke contacts the Italian navy command to ask for better escorts of the convoys. The Italian admirals promise to send a cruiser with every convoy. This would reduce the threat from English destroyers. However, the Italian command is not able to do anything to protect the supply route against British battleships. Ramcke also gets the promise that the Italians will use small motorboats to ship supply. These small boats can discharge at the harbour of Benghazi.

Ramcke calls the commander of the II. Air Corps to ask for a better air cover. Lörzer agrees to have more air patrols now that the operations at Greece are coming to an end. Ramcke also discusses the problems with raids against supply convoys at Libya. Lörzer promises to send more air patrols along the southern flank, but he also says that the air force is already overused.
Hoth has the idea to set up a task force for special operations deep in the desert and behind the enemy lines. Now that mobile warfare has come to a halt, this may become an important factor. There are already some targets identified: Kufra, Jarabub, Siwa and Fort Maddalena.

Good news from Naples. The fist units of Model’s 3. Panzerdivision arrive. Additionally, 2 units of heavy artillery are shipped to Tripoli.

At Tobruk, the war cools down. German planes keep on attacking the harbour facilities, while the British are trying to supply the town with night time transports. The front solidifies in a static warfare. Only at night raiding patrols from both sides are trying to do harm. Slowly, all units of the 15. Panzerdivision arrive; Panzer Rgt 8, Rifle Rgt 104, Rifle Rgt. 115, Motorcycle Bat. 15, Art. Rgt 33, AA 33, Pioneers, ATGs and supply troops.
The Panzer Rgt. has its full strength: 4 command tanks, 22 Panzer II, 22 Panzer III, and 15 Panzer IV, in total 63 tanks.

At the front of Solum Hoth forms a combat detachment with the 5th Light Division, Ariete and Brescia. The commander is Generalleutnant Streich. The 5th Light has only 20 % of its tanks ready for combat, Ariete about 35%. Both divisions receive repaired tanks. This eastern front is threatened by constant raiding patrols of the 7. Australian Infantry Division. Reconnaissance planes spot British concentrations at Sid Barrani and Rabia. There are probably one infantry divisions and one or two armoured brigades. The English get also more planes, including Bristol Beaufighters and Blenheim bombers.

The RAF dominates the sky east of Tobruk.

End of April, the war at Greece comes to an end. The British forces have to leave the country, the Greek defence collapses.

Ramcke writes a report to Keitel. He suggests to prepare an airborne operation against Crete, but to wait until the airborne divisions have reached their full combat strength again.

At the beginning of May the situation of the 41. Army Corps is improved. Supply situation is much better, most of the tanks are repaired and the soldiers could regenerate. The mechanics order sand filters to prevent further engine failures.

On the opposite side, the Australian 9. Infantry Division is still holding the fort, doing everything to fortify its positions.

The British try to run a convoy through the Mediterranean from Gibraltar to Egypt. There are five transports. On May 6 they pass Gibraltar and are joined by one battleship, a carrier from Force H and another battleship which. With these heavy units are four cruisers and seven destroyers. Six more destroyers join the convoy from Gibraltar. Cunningham takes the whole of the Mediterranean Fleet out in support with three battleships, his single carrier, three cruisers and 19 destroyers.

The Italian surface ships don’t try to intercept, the Italian submarines are not capable getting into a good position. The Italian and German air forces fly some interception missions, but most of the bombers and all divers have been transferred to Libya. Bad weather prevents the bombers from being successful.

On the way, Cunningham’s ships shell Benghazi and sink two ships. Once again the British demonstrate that they do not accept the dominance of the Germans in this area of the sea. On May 12, the convoy reaches Alexandria.
After the event, German intelligence is able to give more details about the operation. The transports were carrying 238 tanks; 21 Mark VIC light tanks, 82 cruiser tanks (including many of the new Crusaders) and 135 Matilda infantry tanks, and 43 Hawker Hurricane fighters.

It is obviously, that the British are planning an operation to liberate Tobruk. The commanders meet for another briefing. After a short discussion there are three opinions – again!

1) Rommel wants to use the 15. Panzerdivision for a preventive strike. He wants to transfer it to the Solum front and then attack with 5. Light, 15. PD and Ariete. Trieste could be the strategic reserve. The goal of this operation would be an advance to Mersa Matruh and the distraction of the British forces west of this place. He says that it is crucial to beat the British before reinforcements come to the front.

2) Cambara suggests to use the time before the British are ready to strike for the assault of Tobruk. This town is still the main target. With the new divisions – the 15. and Trieste – together with the old ones – Trento and Bologna, it is possible to take this town. Arite, Brescia and 5. Light can secure the eastern flank.

3) Hoth is more sceptical. He sees that the detachment Streich at Solum has a very unfortunate position that can be bypassed easily. The British have already tank forces there and they constantly receive more units. Therefore he suggests withdrawing the complete tank group to the Gazala position. There, it would be easier to supply the troops and to repel any British invasion. Afterwards, Egypt would be easier to invade. With the pioneer regiment and the heavy artillery another assault against Tobruk would be successful.