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warspite1 -> RE: Desert War: Why Didn't You Buy? (7/19/2018 5:54:55 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bcgames
More significantly, a Campaign for North Africa that does not include a substantial naval component kinda misses the whole historical boat for a joint (air, land, sea) campaign about the control of the Mediterranean. How should we reconcile this requirement?
warspite1
+ 4billion.
The War in the Mediterranean needs to be gamed, and if it’s going to be gamed then it needs to be gamed properly. The War in the Mediterranean without the naval aspect is just a pale imitation of something that could be (and should be) wonderful. The theatre has the lot (only carrier vs carrier warfare is missing) and is begging to have the land, sea and air wars modelled properly. I’ve read some across these forums suggesting that naval warfare was not a feature of the Mediterranean theatre……but I think those who understand anything about the ETO know that to be total nonsense.
Control of the Med was not, of itself, absolutely vital for the British (although of course it would’ve made life a lot easier if they didn't need to have used precious shipping and time sending supplies round the Cape). Arguably though it was important as British abandonment of the Med would perhaps have only served to convince Franco that the British really were finished and that joining the Axis was the sensible thing to do. Who knows what effect it would have had on Vichy too? Secondly, its importance really came to the fore once WSC decided that Malta needed to be kept in the game. The amount of men, ships, aircraft and material generally that was expended in keeping the island in the war was huge.
For Italy (and then Germany) control of the Mediterranean was absolutely vital. It was needed first and foremost to supply and reinforce Axis troops in North Africa. Having done that it was hoped that Gibraltar, Malta and Suez would fall to the Axis and the sea would truly be Mare Nostrum and from which Italian hopes and aspirations would no longer be shackled by British control of the outlets at either end. After that was the oil of the near east.
How to reconcile the requirement? Make War in the Mediterranean in the mould (but with many differences) of War in the Pacific – AE. Obviously the land game would need a very different treatment from WITP-AE and there would hopefully be a massive cut down on the logistical chrome, but individual ships would be a basic requirement.
The War in the Mediterranean 1940-1943 done properly would complement all other monster games – and possibly surpass them given that this really is a scenario that could go either way…….
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