Gibraltar

[Winterhawk]

I've noticed that I can't sail the Italian Fleet past Gibraltar into the open waters of the Atlantic. Surely the intention isn't that that sole UK Corp is preventing travel through there? :eek:

[Wolfpack]

Originally posted by Winterhawk:

I've noticed that I can't sail the Italian Fleet past Gibraltar into the open waters of the Atlantic. Surely the intention isn't that that sole UK Corp is preventing travel through there? :eek:

No actually it's the port defenses...knock it down to 0 and try again.

[Otto]

That's exactly it, but as Wolfpack said, you can pass through if you reduce the port.

I have a few things that might solve your gibraltar issue.

The basics:

Gibraltar is only about 5 square miles total, but it is all one massive rock. Assaulting this would be extremely difficult. The British have held it now for over 650 years, (I looked it up), and no one has ever come close to capturing it desite many attempts to do so.

The strait is only about 15 kilometers wide, and very shallow, so ships cannot maneuver much at all in the strait, and getting even tiny vessels through is difficult. On even bad days, you can see across the strait, and ships passign through are easy to see, even at night because light on either side of the strait will silouette the vessel. Radar would make detection much easier. BTW, any WW2 era vessel could easily fire shells 20 kilometers. If a vessel were cruising down the center of the strait, it would be only 7.5km from the shore battery,... suicide.

The port of Gibralter was always full of destroyers and torpedo boats, and often had heavier vessels, ready to attack any hostile traffic. Not to mention the small airfield where a few aircraft, performed both recon and anti-shipping functions.

In short, no force would ever make it through Gibraltar, it's too narrow, too shallow and too well defended to do so. And bringing a large force to attack it is impossible due to the layout of the naval base. Take a look:

http://history.acusd.edu/cdr2/WW2Pics2/81834.jpg

You have to get your ships partially throught the strait to attack it, not bloody likely.

It was only realistic to capture it from the rear, by a land assault. That's what happens when you use Axis and Allies as your a source on military history. A little joke, I love A&A and I play it often.

[ July 21, 2002, 09:14 PM: Message edited by: Otto ]

[Norse]

If you launch operation Sea Lion, then Spain will join you in a few (unless you're not doing too good that is). Then you have open access to Gibraltar and can hit it, or better yet, conquer UK, and Gibralar and Malta is yours (not an easy task against a good human player)

Gibraltar is of a huge strategical value indeed.

[Captain Vegas]

FYI, Gibraltar's only been British for about 300 years; it was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, and has endured a number of nasty sieges by the vengeful Spanish since, particularly during the War of the American Revolution from 1779-1783.

[Guest Mike]

Nice pic - I see the island of the week actually features on it too!!

[Winterhawk]

Interesting. I never thought about the port. I actually declared war on Spain for the sole purpose of using her soil to land 3 Italian armies in the south, which then assaulted Gibraltar from the rear. I guess the Spaniards won't be joining me in my attack on Britain now, will they?

[mavraam]

Just to put into perspective how small the straights of Gibralter are, there are actually serious plans to build a bridge accross it!

I kid you not. I saw a documentary about it, I believe it would consist of 2 massive towers supporting 3 two-mile spans. Their biggest fear is how to protect the towers so some lost oil barge doesn't run into it and bring the whole thing down.