Edits in RED
Frame starts 2030hrs EST, Sunday, 19 January 2025
Fictional Allied intervention during the Battle of Rhodes, 9-11 Sep 1943.
The weakening of Italian resolve after the Allied invasion of southern Italy created a strategic opportunity for the Allies to seize the Dodecanese Islands of Rhodes and Scarpanto. During the summer of 1943 the British made numerous plans to invade Rhodes in the event of an Italian surrender, but these were never acted on as the strategic focus remained on Italy.
The Armistice of Cassibile, signed on 3 Sep 1943 as British and Canadian troops crossed the Straits of Messina, and not made public until the Salerno landing on 8 Sep 1943, took the leaders of the Italian garrison on Rhodes by surprise. Italian forces on the island totaled some 40,000 men while the much smaller German garrison of ~7,000 men was well armed and highly motivated. Tension between the two garrisons rose rapidly and fighting commenced on 9 Sep. Although Italian forces were initially successful at containing the Germans, the Italian leadership, lacking Allied support and facing LW air attacks, surrendered on 11 Sep 1943. Italian troops were still full of fight and felt betrayed by their leadership.
The game:
At the direction of Prime Minister Churchill, the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and escorts have been ordered to support the Italian forces on Rhodes by destroying the LW airfield at Scarpanto.
Elements of IV/JG27 and St.G 3 are operating from Scarpanto to bomb and strafe Italian forces advancing against German positions just northeast of the 8,10 cross on southern Rhodes.
Tobruk Terrain
Link to inflight map.
RN (GREEN)
Seafire Mk IIC
Martlet V (FM-2 stand in)
Fairey Barracuda (SBD-5 Dauntless stand in) with 2 AI wingmen
1 x CV6, 1 x DEST1, 8 x DEST2
LW (GOLD)
Bf 109G-2
Ju 87D-5 with 2 AI wingmen
Unlimited lives. Recommend Ju 87/Barracuda use bomber/GV login.
Initial Side assignments Frame 1
All players are welcome, will balance sides as required!
LW - 352nd, okdoc (because he said he wanted to sink a carrier)
RN - RCAF, 23rd, WB
Objectives:
RN - close the Scarpanto airfield (F-4) and destroy the command centre in the adjacent village (large grey roofed building at F96). Prevent attacks on Italian troops. Don't let the LW sink the Illustrious.
(OTs destruction required for F-4 closure: 3 x Hangar (revetments), 3 x Huts, 3 x FuelDmps, 1 x 88mm, 1 x 40mm, 2 x MG)
LW - destroy Italian ground forces advancing on German positions just northeast of the 8,10 cross on southern tip of Rhodes, stop RN from closing Scarpanto.
(16 x trucks, 8 x M16)
Weather: Clear
Flak: Max alt 25,000
Radar: RN 60 miles, LW 120 miles (LW radar is located at Heraklion), min alt 200 ft
Icons - S3 standard
Questions/comments to the undersigned.
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