Chapter 260 Plan

So things seem to be back to square one: attack or recuperate.

But this doesn't seem surprising. Rommel always wanted to attack whenever he had the opportunity, just like Kesselring couldn't persuade Rommel before.

Rommel is a stubborn man. If he makes up his mind, even Hitler will not be able to change his mind. What's more, Rommel still has an attack plan that he considers to be perfect.

"General!" Qin Chuan asked, "You actually had a plan for a long time, right?"

General Strike and others also looked at Rommel.

"Yes!" Rommel replied.

After a pause, Rommel pointed to the map on the table and said: "I plan to have three Italian infantry divisions stationed on the coast of Crete and maintain security on Crete. The First Infantry Regiment will be stationed on the island of Crete. At Laque Airport, the two parachute regiments of the Italian "Lightning Division" are stationed at Malemai Airport and Rethymnon Airport respectively, and the 90th Light Division was transferred to North Africa and incorporated into the Afrika Korps!"

General Strike and others looked at each other. There seemed to be no problem with this arrangement. It was enough for one regiment to garrison one airport, and the combat effectiveness of the Italian "Lightning Division" was not weak.

"So..." Colonel Slain asked, "Is it just to exchange the 1st Infantry Regiment for the 90th Light Division?"

As a result, the only Germans on Crete were the 1st Infantry Regiment, which seemed a little less.

However, Qin Chuan knew that this was not the point. The point was that the people stationed at the airport were airborne troops, so this was not actually defense, but preparation for attack.

Sure enough, Rommel said to Qin Chuan: "Second Lieutenant, didn't you say that we can't break through the British defense line? If when our three armored divisions are attacking the British defense line with all their strength... suddenly a large number of paratroopers parachute to the British. What happens behind the lines?"

Then everyone understood that Rommel ostensibly arranged the First Infantry Regiment and the Italian "Lightning Division" to defend Crete, but in fact he was preparing them to airdrop again, and this time It was airdropped to the rear of the British defense lines.

"But we don't have enough range!" Colonel Slain said: "This plan looks difficult to implement!"

"We can!" General Strike said: "The range of the Italian transport plane is more than 1,300 kilometers, which can just go back and forth between Crete and Port Said!"

"I'm talking about fighter jets!" Colonel Slain said: "Italian transport planes are as slow as a snail. Without fighter jet escort, they will only be massacred!"

"Our fighter jets did not take off from Crete!" General Strike said: "They took off from Alexandria to escort the transport aircraft, so they happened to be able to perform their duties!"

Colonel Slain couldn't help but said "Oh" and then stopped talking.

This was indeed a good plan. Rommel had obviously calculated the flight route and distance accurately.

In this way, when the German army and the British army are fighting on the front line, a division and a regiment will suddenly be parachuted into Port Said. Once Port Said falls into the hands of the German army, the British army will lose everything. The source of supplies is to draw fuel from the bottom of the cauldron.

"What do you say, Second Lieutenant?" Rommel looked at Qin Chuan, with a smile on his lips, as if he was very satisfied that he could defeat Qin Chuan in strategy.

"This is a good plan, general!" Qin Chuan had to admit this first. If there was no other way, this plan was indeed worth a try.

"But..." Qin Chuan raised a question: "We have just captured Crete by airborne. Will the British be prepared for the airborne?"

"They may be prepared!" Rommel said: "But there are always risks in war, right?"

"You're right, General!" Qin Chuan said: "However, the risk for us to do this will be too great, because as we know, paratroopers carry mostly light equipment, and they need more favorable terrain cover. , but there is no such terrain in the desert, and they can easily collapse under the attack of the enemy's mechanized troops. What's more, it is very difficult to airdrop in desert areas, because the airdropped supplies must also come with drinking water. "

"Yes!" Colonel Slain agreed: "The combat effectiveness of the paratroopers in the desert will also be reduced exponentially. They can't even disperse because they have to find water sources, and the enemy can guard the water sources and wait for us! "

"In addition to this, the British also have air superiority!" General Strike said: "Although they have many fighter planes trapped on Malta Island, they will soon realize that Malta Island is meaningless, so they We will try to transfer the fighter plane to Port Said!”

"In this way!" Qin Chuan said: "The airdrop to Port Said or behind the British defense line will not be as easy as the airdrop to Crete... The British radar will detect our fleet and then take off to intercept it. Their warships will be waiting for us on the route. Even if we can fly over Port Said, we won’t have many troops left. Even before we can land, the enemy’s mechanized troops will be waiting for us on the ground!”

"This won't happen!" Rommel objected: "We will launch a fierce attack on the defense line to attract the attention of the British. They will put most of their attention and air power on us. On the attack!”

"Even so!" Qin Chuan said, "I believe the British have enough reaction time!"

"Yes, General!" General Strike said: "According to our intelligence department's understanding, the British Type 11 radar can detect high-altitude targets 90 kilometers away and low-altitude targets 40 kilometers away."

"We even captured a British air defense radar on Crete!" Colonel Slain said: "It was just because the British thought those were their own fighter planes that were diverting to Malta, so they did not issue a warning! "

"No, they don't even need radar!" Qin Chuan said, "Because their spies are everywhere on Crete. As soon as our transport plane sets off, the British will know about it!"

There is no doubt about this. The Greek National People's Liberation Army will actively provide intelligence to the British army.

"Our transport planes can't even avoid it!" Qin Chuan continued: "Because Crete is 610 kilometers away from Port Said, the Caproni transport plane's flight range is exactly one round trip, which means... once the fleet is discovered, it will have no choice but to wait for death. !”

"Okay, Second Lieutenant!" Rommel spread his hands and said, "Do you have any better suggestions? Or should you stick to your idea, give up the attack and wait for death?"

"Giving up the attack does not mean waiting for death!" Qin Chuan replied.