Mare Nostrum - an Italian naval intensive AAR

[G. Costantini]

Mare Nostrum - an Italian crusade not aiming to world domination.

1936, Italy is in war with an african country of little or none importance, but has great plans for the future...

The capaign for Ethiopia, despite some minor nuisances that will teach the italian high command some lessons, is happily concluded by annexation the 26th of Febraury. All the expedition corp except the militia units and a single mountain division are immediately recalled home and deployed in North Italy and on the Adriatic Coast. Yugoslavian government must realize something is up as an increasing build up of troops on the border can clearly be noticed. Some divisions and an HQ are deployed in North Africa, you never know... And in fact a limited build up of British forces is soon to be spotted both on the Libian and the Ethiopian borders. The fleet undergoes major re-organization in agile task forces and redeployed in all the various naval bases. 4 modern battleships projects are initiated (2*2).

In the meanwhile, Italy jumps on the world market, securing a myriad of contracts that sustain its economy. Research is slow but steady in the industrial technologies, naval bombers and infantry units, but production is low, while the process of upgrading old Great War units to modern standards proceeds.

Germany starts its aggressive behaviour in Arpil 1936 by the occupationof teh Rhineland with UK and Freance "gearing up for war". It could have maybe led to an escalation, but in july 1936 civil war erupts in Spain, turning the world's attention away. Italy, Germany and Soviet Union send their aids, UK and France decide to bail out. The war looks fierce and bloody, but it basically stalls and turns into a trench war after the first 3 months. Italy government considers for a moment a direct intervention but, considering the other plans already on their way, it's decided that every division counts and the operation Numantia is turned down in a dark night of early september.

In October 1936 the US elect London as president and a few days later in Cuba a militaristic coupe d'etat happens, with US denying any involvement.

1937 begins with the signing of the anti-comintern pact between Germany, Italy and Japan. The money starting to flow in Italian treasury from the intensive commerce allows Italy to develope a strong foreign policy towards Hungary, Bulgaria and Austria, while Romania and Greece rejects Italian overtures.

Yugoslavia feels more and more isolated, and rightly so: while Italian industrial capacity gets slowly upgraded together with the Air Fleet, more divisions are in fact shifted to the eastern border.

In June 1937 war breaks out in the far east between Japan and teh whole China. After some initial advances, again the war turns in a trench war on a huge frontline. WWI didn't teach anything to anyone, it seems. SU decides to send support to China, which will have a pretty interesting outcome later on. US intervenes on China's side as well with the Pitman act.

In november, a government meeting in Rome decides for the invasion of the Yugoslavia, codename operation Illirica, possibly after having tied at least one between Austria, Hungary or Bulgaria in an alliance. All attempts in that regard, anyway, fails, with Hungary declining an alliance on teh 31st of December, 1937.

 

[G. Costantini]

Mare Nostrum - 1938: Operation Illirica and the First Italo-Turkish War

1938 starts with intensive political changes as ministers resigns or dies in UK, Germany (Bormann becomes prime minister) and France and, more importantly for italy, Austria has a sudden change of government which effectively have it fading out of Italian grand plan. Yet, more diplomatic efforts to forge an alliance before the deadline for operation Illirica are attempted, always meeting with failure.

On March the 1st, at 6 am, the Italian ambassador is recieved by Yugoslavian prime minister. The Italian requests about the italian provinces of the Adriatic are turned down. An Ultimatum is issued giving 7 days to Yugoslavia to reconsider. A week later, at 6am, teh Italian Ambassador recieves the same reply, at 8 am Mussolini announces at the Radio that it's time for Italy to conclude teh work that did cost the life of hundred of thousands of Italians in the WWI and liberate the italians still under foreign oppression. It's war, and 1 hour later the Italian troops cross the border, covered by the largest air fleet untill then used in a conflict (7 between interceptors and fighters, 3 tactical bombers, all upgraded new models).

Operational Plans for Operation Illirica

The main army group, in the north, counting 19 divisions, punch the Yugoslavian lines hard, with the mobile forces (3 cavalry divisions), acting as armored divisions in pushing forward. Resistence is light in Rijeka and Lubljiana while the italian overpowering air and naval fleet annhilate their puny Yugoslavian counterparts in a matter of 2 weeks.

Diplomatically, things start to roll down as Greeks canceals the non aggression pact they had with Italy 24 hours after the outbreak of hostilities followed, 2 days, later by France and Turkey.

The 10th of march, seizing the moment, Hitler declares the Anschluss, France and UK gear up for war even more, which troubles Italian givernment quite a bit given it is soon followed by a number of divisions appearing on the now lightly defended French border.

In any case, operation Illirica proceeds as planned and the 12th of March the (barely) succesfull landing of 3 divisions in Dubrovnik creates the panic in the Yugoslavian army that ceases any attempt at a counteroffensive and clears most of the north of the country. Maribor, Split and Zagreb are attacked by the now divided italian forces, only in the latter meeting any real resistance soon broken by intensive bombing. Despite the need for rest and reorganization, it's decided to seize the moment and push forward, which turns out to be an unwise choice.

The unexpected happens the 19th of March: Turkey decides that the Balkans are still a place where they can have a weight and declares war on Italy. Folly.

To prevent even the mere possibility of Turkey intervening for real, the bulk of the Italian fleet, inactive since the seizing of the Yugoslavian ports and teh consequent sinking of all the Yugoslavian navy, is immediatly dispatched to blockade the turkish ports. In two major naval battles in front of Costantinoples fought the 22 and the 25 of march the gathering Turkish fleet is soundly beaten, losing a BC, two CLs, a DD and a TP flottilla, and runs to safety towards the Black Sea, not to be seen again. With 2 divisions of the fleet patrolling the turkish waters, the rest of the navy can get back to bases, sure that Turkey will not play any role in the war.

In the meanwhile, operation in Yugoslavia have stalled, as lack of organization claims its toll. As the Italian troops enter Bosnia, they meet the bulk of the Yugoslavian Army, entrenched and with higher organization. The offensive is stalled and even pushed slightly back as Zenica gets back in yugoslavian hands. Consequently, the operations comes to a complete stop by the end of march, whith continuous bombings forces teh Yugoslavian army to stay put, for a period of rest. All north yugoslavia is firmly in Italian hands by now and partisans start to become something more than a nuisance. Garrison divisions are being organized.

Reorganizing - the bulk of the Yugoslavian Army is in Belgrade

In April, anouther coup the teatre: the 10th, Germany declares war on Turkey, followed by the declaration of war of Yugoslavia against Germany and , the 24th of April, the entering of Soviet Union on the battleground with a unexpected declaration of war against Germany that has all the world hold its breath.

All the world but Italy, as in the meanwhile, operations have started again the 15th of April and Yugoslavian defences are overrun by the refreshed Italian forces. Half of Yugoslavian army is encircled and destroyed in Zenica the 1st of may,leaving the gate open for Belgrade. The day after, the 2nd of May, Pristina falls and Hungary finally decides to enter the war at the side of Italy to claim the undefended Hungarian regions in the north, which they quickly occupy. It's the last major event of the war as the shattered Yugoslavian Army has ended being a fighting force with the fall of Zenica.

The 16th of May Italian forces occupy Belgrade, 2 days later the last stand of the Yugislavian Army in Skopje is overrun and Yugoslavia capitulates.

There is still Turkey to deal with, tho, as the offer of a white peace for a pointless conflict is stiffly turned down. After a moment of reorganization, 4 divisions are embarked in Podgorica and succesfully land in Instambul the 19th of July, while other 3 minor landings in undefended turkish costal provinces convince Ankara that it's better to back off. Peace is signed the 4th of August, not before an uboot squadron sinking the only vessel that had been able to escape the Italian blockade. It follows the withdrawal of all italian forces from the Turkish teathre, but the outcome of the war must have been too much for Kemal Ataturk's heart, as he dies a month later, on November the 11th.

The Italian forces at the end of the Italo-Turkish war, with 10 garrisons divisions soon to arrive

On the north, the Germany-SU war is a cold war, with Poland acting as a buffer state in the middle dividing teh two contendants, except at sea, where basically anything with a red flag that was able to float is sunk by the German fleet.

the 1938 ends with a general redeployement and reorganization of the army, as garrisons are shifted to the occupied former Yugoslavia to deal with partisans and the army is redeployed of the French border and in Africa, where french and English build up is becoming troublesome. Fortifications are started in and around Tobruk and Bengazi.

A flourishing Italian economy at the end of 1938

 

[Spricar]

hm...what will you do next? Ally with Germany or attack them? They'll probably be stupid enough to attack poland and then France and with their forces spreaded thin you'll have a chance...

 

[G. Costantini]

1939 - The Spanish Crusade aka "Operation Reconquista"

1939 is a time of relative peace for Italy. Slow but steady build up and modernization of the Army, Research and intense diplomatic action occupy more than half of the year.

The Army is starting to be reorganized with the most modern techniques (Inf 39) by June, even if lacking materials (only about 40% have a brigade attached). The air fleet sees the introduction of state of the art naval bombers, but the number of squadrons is stable. the Navy doesn't se any significant change.

Diplomacy pays off tho. While Romania, which suffers a coup, is impermeable to our proposals, way more success is gained with Bulgaria, which enters in the Alliance in July. With the Balkan sector totally secured, Italy can now turns its eyes to the west.

The 20th of July Mussolini has a speech in which he states that "It's the duty of Italy, as the craddle of fascism, to salute, welcome and aid any nation fighting against communism" and that "The idea of communism is even more unbearable when imposed on nations that are close to us by heritage, blood and language". The reference to Spain is clear. In July 1939, the spanish civil war is still dragging along with almost nothing having changed since the 4th month from its beginning, 3 years before.

In an effort to secure a strategical ally in case of war against the British Empire, on the 27th of August Italy declares war against Republican Spain. On the 1st of September an expeditionary force consisting of 12 infantry divisions, 3 cavalry divisions (all veterans of the War against Yugoslavia) lands in Valencia to start the "Operation Reconquista", on the back of republican lines. When 9 days later Franco unveils to the world the formal alliance with Italy, the expeditionary corp can also gain the cover of half the italian Air Fleet, based in the Balearic Islands and Barcelona.

Operational Reconquista - the first Italian divisions land in Valencia, on the back of republican lines.

The struggle, tho, reveals itself to be harder than expected with hard fights in Guadalajara and Madrid, both passing from one to the other of teh contendants at least 3 times. In the menwhile, the only major naval engagemend happens near Maiorca, resulting with the sinking of the republican BB Jamie I, the CL Libertad and two flottillas of DD, effectively ending the presence of republican navy in teh Mediteranean sea (the Italian squadron, composed of 4 CAs, 4 CLs and 6 DDs suffers the heavy damagement of the CA Trento and Zara).

Operational Reconquista - After month from the first landing, the full italian force is almost all deployed. Stiff resistence is met in Guadalajara.

In November, Madrid is definitely secured while republican forces are partly encircled in Guadaljara and partly pushed back to the north. The world, preoccupied more about the germany-SU war, ignores what is going on in Spain except UK which send over 3 divisions to garrison Gibraltar.

The republican resistence is strenuous, but eventually is broken. Guadalajara falls at the beginning of deceber (6th), Valladolid and Almeira shortly after and the war is over the 22th december 1939. In Madrid, a huge mass is officed to celebrate the victory of Franco, who recieves the bless of the bishops of Spain.

The 30th of December, 2 medium armored divisions are deployed. they will play an important role later on.

The Italian alliance , end of December 1939

 

[G. Costantini]

1940 - The lull before the storm

(Note: As the early beginning of the germany-SU war basically froze all the events of the game, basically allowing me to do everything I wanted without any reaction by the other superpowers, crippling the enjoability of the capaign, at this point I edited the save game and had those two made peace. That resulted in the historical events starting to be triggered again and the campaign moving along).

The whole 1940 is, like it had been most of 1939, a year of peace, reorganization and diplomatic tricks.

To start with, Mussolini surprised the world granting independance to (read, turning puppets) Ethopia and Somalia even if the italian troops stationed there were to stay "to keep order" and they were put under the direct command of the Ethipian and Somalian Supreme Commands (read, sent as expeditionary forces).

In Europe, after months of negotiations, which had started as back as the beginning of 1939, Mussolini welcomed in the family of the fascist countries Serbia and Bosnia. That solved a load of issues Italy had with "communist" Yugoslavian insurgency, solved many logistical problems the italian army had been facing and freed up forces to be sent to more important teathres.

In fact, by june 1940 UK has at least two full armies on the Italian borders of Libia and Ethiopia (the latter almost disappearing once Ethipia becomes independant) and France has shipped at least 8 divisions to North Africa. The diplomatic move, tho, lowers the tension and in March, after 2 years of belligerance and 18 months without a shot being fired, Germany and Soviet Union agrees for a truce, to be turned in a formal peace a couple of months later.

The English forces in North Africa, March 1939. The number will continue raising until June 1940, when the Independece of Ethipia, Somalia, Serbia and Bosnia is nnounced ot teh world.


The dream of peace soon vanishes, tho, as Hungary claims his regions under Romanian rule (The Vienna diktat), backed up by Germany. In front of the huge power behind Hungarian requests, Romania folds.

In the meanwhile, italy more or less secretely ships to North Africa the bulk of its army consisting in 15 mixed divisions, all reinforced with artillery or armored car brigades, included the I armoured corp, consisting of the two italian armoured divisions Ariete and Centauro.

October 1940 also sees the maiden cruise of the twin, modern (IV) battleships "Littorio" and "Vittorio Veneto". The two new ships, and two more coming ("Roma" and "Impero"), are a clear sign that Italy is intentioned to play the leading role in the Mediterranean basin in the coming years.

The Italian alliance military forces in 1941

A diplomatic incident in mid december sets the opening ground for a catastophic chain of events. Italy, as a consequence of the indipendence of Serbia and Bosnia, moved part of the occupation forces in Bulgaria to be shipped back to Italy by sea. As the transport fleet apprached the Dardanelli, Turkey, as a revenge act for the 1936 war, refused to grant passage to the Italian Navy. The insult was not going to be taken without an opportune reply.

At the end of december (27th), the leaders of Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary and the rapresentatives of Spain met for the Conference of Belgrade to decide the future of the Balkans. Two days later, as a clear sign of wht was going to happen, the italian naval squadrons based in Cagliari and Genoa redeployed to Rodhes and the Dodecanese.

The participants to the Conference of Belgrade, December 1939

 

[Alexandru H.]

Excellent short AAR so far... and especially for the naval victory against Turkey, glad to see naval battles in HoI2 manage to capture the imagination in this way...

 

[unmerged(9046)]

I was worried that Republican Spain might hold, but nothing can stop you.

Nicely done!

 

[CatKnight]

*blink*

Wow, the diplomatic AI is completely messed up from what you're describing.

So...the early SU/Germany war STOPPED all the scripted events!??

Owie. But good luck against Turkey! (Round 2? )

 

[G. Costantini]

1941 - The second Italo-Turkish War, operation Metellus and the raise of a new empire

The conference of Belgrade, it was latter known, went way beyond than planning the retailation upon Turkey, but set the partition of the whole balkan peninsula. While Hungary, Spain, Serbia and Bosnia would had been mere witnesses of the events, Bulgaria would had been granted whatever territory taken from Turkey as a reward for its full army being committed to the fry. Once Turkey had been properly subdued, the balkan matter would had been settled once and for all: Italy would had gained Albania and all all the isands of the Mediterranean sea, Bulgaria would had recieved all the continental territories of Greece.

The Central Mediterranean area, 2nd January 1939. The english forces have started to slowly withdraw from Egypt, but still keep the bulk of the italian army in and around a fortified Tobruk sector

The second Italo-Turkish war

At midnight and one minute of the 3rd january, Italian troops moving from North Africa and Italy (newly deployed), knowing very well Turkey had no navy left, calmly disembarked on all the undefended shores they could find of asiatic Turkey. Turkish reaction was almost unexistant as its main army was, at that very moment, fighting the Bulgarians at the gates of Instambul. Izmir became the main staging area for operations and the only surprise Turkey had left, a brand new raiding light cruiser that got my unscreened transports by surprised, was quickly tracked and sunk.

Instambul falls only the 15th of january and promptly given back its rightful name of Constantinoples, but the Bulgarian (which, incidentally, had been given blueprints for free since they had joined the alliance and apparently had made good use of them) by then have already taken all the provinces on both sides of the Dardanelli straits. Italian advance towards Ankara meets only light resistance by scattered divisions armed with 1918 equipment.

Yet, it's not italian will to crush Turkey entirely. With probably two thirds of its army destroyed and half it's territory occupied, the Italian troops in front of Ankara, the much less nice bulgarians marching towards Ankara as well, Turkey desperately sues for peace.

It's the 27th of January, and the second italo-turkish war is over in little more than 3 weeks, with all the seized territory being given to Bulgaria and the italian troops moved back to north Africa, where UK has already started to redeploy. It's time to prepare for the second stage of the Balkan operation which, in the plans, wouldn't require so much italian troops anyway.

In the meanwhile, the unexpected happens on April the 1st: Soviet Union suddently declares war against Japan. The great bear being involved in a conflict in the far east opens new perspectives for Europe.

It's time to act again.

The outcome of the seond Italo-Turkish war, mid April 1939.

Operation Metellus - The war on Greece

On May the 4th, war is declared simultaneously against Albania and Greece.

The operative plans, codename "Operation Metellus" by the name of the roman consul that subdued Greece, call for Italian troops seizing the greek islands and its fleet producing a blockade and shore bombardnments when needed in support of bulgarian operations on the mainland. The problem, overlooked by Italy, is that Bulgaria is way behind in preparation with most of its army being still in mainland Turkey.

Albania capitulates a week after the beginning of hostility, and by then Kefalonia is already in Italian hands, soon to be followed by the Cyclades (19th of January) . The Greeks are at this point advancing towards Sofia and the Bulgarian Army is still scattered. Sofia falls and it's only thanks to three serbian divisions preventing the fall of the Bulgarian new capital in Varna and a diversive assault on the fortifications of Ioannina by the first italian divisions Italy managed to redeploy in Albania that a disaster is avoided. Yet, Italy has not enough troops in the sector (a meager 3 divisions) nor the will to commit itself fully to immediatly push back the Greek army.

Crete falls the 1st of June while all the italian Air fleet is deployed to Albania and Bulgaria to assist Bulgaria itself, that finally manages to gather enough troops to slightly push back Greek divisions that in the meanwhile have advanced well into Serbia (3 infantry divisions, however valiant, can't put up for long against 7 greek ones). The bold advancing army, anyway, is doomed as Bulgaria manages to seize back a lightly guarded south Bulgaria and advances in Edessa, cutting roughly half the greek army off.

After having lost Sofia the 17th of June, the Northern Greek Army is eventually (but not without bloody fighting) finished by a coordinated assault by the troops of Italy, Serbia and Bulgaria in Stip the same day the Dardanelles islands (!?) are seized, the 22nd of June.

In the meanwhile, all that is left of the Greek army in the south manages to push back the Italian troops from Ioannina, a strategical retreat actually, as Ioannina ends in Bulgarian hands 6 days later as planned. It's the end of June and from then on, Italy withdraws entirely from the conflict on land, committing only his air and naval forces to the conflict.

And it's a bloody conflict the one that Bulgarians and Serbians keep fighting on their own. Yet, after an initial stall, the advance is slow, but steady: the 19th Septembr, after a number of assaults going on thro all July and August, Solonika falls. Larissa's and Agrinio's defences collapse shortly after on the 20th and the 22th September and from there, Bulgaria launches the assault on the almost undefended Athens the 24th, occupying the city 4 days later and annexing the country the 30th of September.

The 1st of October sees a restored Western Roman Empire as Bulgaria rules mainland Greece, Tracia and half Anatolic Peninsula, while Italy has total control of the Aegean sea, with the islands being held with the garrison divisions creates initially for Yugoslavia, and, with Crete, has a solid naval and air operational base for Eastern Mediterranean sea.

The Central Mediterranean area, end of November 1941. The redeployement of italian forces announces what is soon to come.

Redeployement and upgrading (from inf 39 to inf 41) take up much of the rest of the year and the last months of 1941 proceeds peaceful, with SU and Japans fighting their war prevalently in the Mongolian wastelands (for what I can tell, I'm not going to raise the fow).

1941 was a good year, but clounds are gathering on Europe for a storm that will leave nothing as it was before...

 

[Patrick Harte]

We want screenies!!! :rofl:

 

[G. Costantini]

You'll get them Well, you'll get them from 1942 on and I will see if I can get something interesting from the savegames for the past episodes and the next one, that I've played already

1941 turned out to be interesting actually, especially for the ones who like naval warfare.

G

 

[unmerged(32511)]

Don't keep us waiting for TOO long. =)

Looking forward to the next chapter and the screenies!

 

[unmerged(15561)]

My favourite country to play. Nicely written with enough detail to express the game so it captures the imagination. Keep it up and good luck with getting Il Mare Nostro

Ah the memories....!!!

 

[G. Costantini]

There, the few screenshots I was able to get from past 1936 -1941 savegames. The 1942 chapter is coming, and will show some surprises indeed...

G

 

[G. Costantini]

1 January - 30 July 1942 - The World at War

(Note: Here I have to admit that I intervened again in the course of history. To see if the European situation could had been forced to actually do something, I had the Sudeten event triggered. That, indeed, cused turmoil...).

January 1942 sees tension raising in Europe. Italy is sure the cause of it, as no one wants ot stand by a regional power who apparenly can do everythin without teh major superpowers intervening, if not with words.

By the beginning of spring, English forces are once again redeployed in Egypt while Italia fleet are often as see in redeployement operations. By march, 15 divisions, included the I Armoured Corp, are again in North Africa on the Egyptian border, while 18 are deployed in North Italy, facing an unknown number of French divisions.

The situation in North Africa and North Italy in late spring 1942.

The 16th april, 1942, the two state of the art battleships "Impero" and "Roma" are deployed, bringing the Italian fleet to 8 battlships, 4 of them being of the modern kind. Works are started on 6 light cruisers and a handful of destroyers of the new generation, to provide efficient escort. Plans are for a slow build up for the rest of the year, but plans will hve to be changed.

On May the 1st, Germany requests the Sudetendland, Checkoslovakia folds, but the day after France declares war on (relatively very peceful) Germany which, in turn, declares war on Poland. Soviet Union, busy with its own war in the far east, stay and watch.

Italy has now a decision to do. After a long cabinet meeting, the Italian forces are put on alert. English an French forces start to quickly disappear form the Libian borders.

On July the 6th, Germany Annexes Poland. Without waiting any longer, the day after, deciding to seize the moment and the occasions given by the relative weakness of the allies on the Mediterranean sector, Mussolini helds a speech:

"An hour, signed by destiny, is ticking on the skies of our country; an hour of irrevocable decisions. A declaration of war has been given to the ambassadors of France and Great Britain."

It's war, a war that sees Italy having to deal with 4 different fronts and quickly, while always paying attention to the currently superior combined navies of the allies.


War in Europe - Operation Marsilia

At the opening of the hostilities, a mere 6 divisios defend the French Border against overwhelming italian forces which are given a simple operative order "March on as much as you can".

With the French forces busy in the north (where, incidentally, Germany is respecting Belgian and Dutch neutrality and apparently occupied in a trench war along the Maginot line) and attacked by the Spanish army as well, the advance is quick and easy, but by the end of July France has already committed major forces to the southern front and Operation Marsilia is decreed a success and ended, while the Italian forces redeploy.

Troubling news come from Spain, tho, as a major expeditionary force lands in Gibraltair an starts to quickly push back the spanish Army towards Madrid.

Operation Marsilia, Late July 1942 - South France is overrun while Germany sits on the French border


War in North Africa - Operation Scipio and Operation Caesar

An hour later after the declaration of war, the superior talian forces on the Egyptian border move forward. While the infantries face one another, the I Armoured Corp outflanks the English forces, consisting of 7 mixed divisions, encircling and destroying them in Sollum in what is denominated "Operation Caesar". By the 24th of July, the campaign for Egypt is already practically concluded as the scattered remains of the English Army, despite being reinforced with the French forces stationed in Syria, are no match for the 16 Italin divisions rushing to Alexandria.

Operation Caesar, Late July 1942 - The English forces have already been encircled and annhilated in Sollum, while scattered French forces tr to put up a resistance.

On the other side, a light Italian force of 3 Cavalry divisions face inititally 3 french infantry divisios, reinforced later on by another one plus two militia units. "Operation Scipio", wanting to proceeds on the tracks of Scipio against Cartagho, comes to an abrupt halt in Sfax and is soon pushed back towards Tripoli.

Operation Scipio, Late July 1942 - The Italan forces have already been pushed back, with the Italian Cavalry being totally disorganized and first reinforcements arriving from Italy in Tripoli


The naval warfare in the Mediterranean Sea

Minutes after Mussolini's speech, the whole Italian naval bomber forces take off from Crete in a daring raid against Alexandria. The plan turns out in a disaster, as a badly coordinated fighter escor arrives on Alexandria 6 hours late and one third of the italian forces are shut down (1 Nav division destroyed).

The outcome of the first operation in the Mediterranean and knowing that the combined English and French forces outnuber the Italian ones 3 to 1, bring Supermarina (The Italian Navy HQ) to follow a prudent line: the general order is to commit teh italian navy only when local superiority is secured. That policy results initially in a series of minor and inconcluded naval engagements where the Italian Navy emerges as victorious, but without claiming any prize. That state of things continues for 2 weeks, untill the detection of sizeable English forces in transit from gibraltar to Alexandria results in

The first Battle of the Gulf of Gabes
The 19th of July, a naval force consisiting of 2 BBs, 2 CAs, 4 CLs and 4 DDs meet a consistant English cruiser squadron off the coast of Tunisia. After hours of engagements, under the treath of fastly approaching superior enemies forces, the Italian Navy breaks off, but not without registering the sinking of English CAs Norfolk and York and a DD flottilla, while italian admiral ship, BB Roma, suffers critical damages (25/100) that will tak her off the conflict for a long while, together with CAs Trieste and Zara.

In the meanwhile, the surviving naval air forces are deployed in Crete and Sardinia to harrass all the hostile ships. That results in the greatest naval victory untill this point, when the just-out-of-the-dock French Carrier "Bearn" is attacked and sunk the 22nd of July.

To be noted that the while German army is doing a poor job, German Uboots are being impressively efficient: in a matter of months have managed to sink one BB, 2 CAs, 2 CLs and a number of TPs of teh Royal Navy, the French CA Algerie and a couple other CAs and CLs.


A look to East Africa

Considered a secondary front, East Africa is pretty much abandoned to itself. Somalian army composed of 3 Militia units is being quickly routed by a little, but highly moveable Anglo-french force composed by two motorized and two armoured divisions.

Ethiopia, on the other hand, with an army strong of 5 infantry, 1 mountain and 7 militia divisions guards its own borders, drawing away some precious forces from the allied efforts.

 

[billy bob]

Very good job. Suprised though you didnt split Continental Greece with Bulgaria with you getting the west and Bulgaria the east. Also yo should have taken southern anatolia! Other than that though pretty good job.

 

[Gabriel Anthony]

Hurrah for another Italian AAR.
As soon as I get the game I will try one myself.

You decided to declare war on France, Britian, and Germany? This should be more interesting than the usual Italian FAAre.

Hopefully there will be no Operation Quintilius Varus!!

 

[G. Costantini]

Actually, no. I'm at war with the Allies and conducting a real parallel war with Germany, with whom I'm not allied. The idea is to help Germany, but not risking to get under its rubbles should Soviet Union intervene.

G

 

[Gabriel Anthony]

I see,

you typed "A declaration of war has been given to France and Germany".
The indication was that you had gone to war with Germany.

I guess it is better for Mussolini's health that you haven't.

 

[G. Costantini]

Duh, apparently the translation of the quote is wrong (it's actually an excerpt from the real speech Mussolini had announcing the war) and I didn't even check it, as I never thought someone would had done such a mistake. And I took the translation from the History Channel's website, figure!

Thanx for pointing it out, going to edit an correct.

G