Operation Nostalgia: Plans made and orders issued.

Allied forces have been assembled and ships, now fully embarked, set sail for their allotted destinations. 

The naval force from Egypt is lead by the Cruiser Norfolk and contains the escort carrier Avenger.  Soon after leaving port 2 Seafires fly from Avenger's deck and perform a Combat Air Patrol.

As the fleet nears Karpathos it will split with the US Army units detaching to capture Karpathos. The 8th Army units will rendezvous with the 1st Army fleet lead by Exeter with the combined force tasked with capturing Rhodes. 

A force of Royal Marine Commandos will race ahead in MTB's and MGB's to make a landing on the small island of Kasos. Their orders are to eliminate any resistance and monitor any traffic moving through the channel between Crete and Karpathos. 

Continued -

Having discretely set sail several days earlier, the Royal Navy submarine Triton enters its designated patrol area. It is to take every opportunity of disrupting any Axis forces that may interfere with the invasion fleets.

The above is Triton's patrol area. It would be appropriate to explain here how I am handling vessels with 'Patrol' orders.

Any ships whose orders are to sail to a particular area will maintain that course on the map. This will clearly apply to all vessels in the first map. For those on patrol, once in their designated area a D6 is thrown each move. The result will determine it's direction through the hex. 

i.e. 1 = north, 2 = north east, 3 = south east, 4 = south, 5 = south west, 6 = north west.

The ship or ships will continue in that direction for a full move. If they pass within 2 hexes of an enemy force then they dice to see if that force is sighted (likewise the opposing force also performs a dice roll). If unsighted they continue. If they reach the boundary of their patrol area another D6 is rolled to determine its new direction.

As I am playing this solo it provides an element of AI. 

Axis command receives intelligence of large numbers of ships setting sail from Cyprus and Egypt with the Greek islands in the Aegean being their target. 

All forces are put on immediate alert. They have not been equipped with radar so rely on intelligence, radio intercepts, and both air and sea patrols to locate any enemy forces.

Two naval squadrons lead by cruisers put to sea -

The German squadron lead by the cruiser Koln is to concentrate on the area to the east and south east of Karpathos. The Italian squadron lead by the cruiser Raimondo Montecuccoli is to patrol the area to the east of Rhodes.

Both German submarines immediately sail into their patrol areas.

Almost all smaller naval units put to sea with the aim of patrolling the coastal areas. They are on the particular lookout for any special forces or small scale landings. 

I have split these into 2 maps for clarity. Many patrol areas overlap to maximise coverage and for flotillas to support each other where possible.

Orders are given to the 3 Arado float-planes to patrol areas assigned to them. They are able to cover their patrol area for 1 move (4 hours) before returning to refuel. Their flight times are staggered enabling one to be always in the air at any given time (only during daylight and in good weather).

All other aircraft are on standby and ready to fly at short notice from their airfields.

There are 3 methods of locating an enemy force:

1. Intelligence/radio intercept. At the start of each move a D6 is thrown. Fine weather/daylight - 4,5,6; night - 5,6; storm/mist - 6. If successful one force is revealed. A dice roll determines which one.
2. Aerial reconnaissance. Each aircraft patrol rolls a D6. A 6 reveals one force within its patrol area.
3. Contact up to 2 hexes away. This includes any forces moving within 2 hexes of a coastline. A D6 is rolled and depending on whether day or night and the weather conditions will determine the likelihood of success.

In the next update I will post dispositions leading up to first contact.