I was wondering if anyone has educated guesses for starting naval units in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. This stems from discussion on the possible French Fleet options or if they will even be present in the game.
I have been doing some reading and discovered the great deal of ship tonnage in the Mediterranean and I would like to hear opinions on what we might see. If the game is to be historically accurate, I would think there have to be French Naval units somewhere. Perhaps a battleship, a cruiser and a destroyer in the sea zone closest to Oran, and something similar in Alexandria. Their actual forces at Mers-el-Kabir were 2 Battleships, 2 Battlecruisers and 6 destroyers. The Alexandria based fleet consisted of 1 Battleship, 4 Cruisers and 3 Destroyers.
(As far as French naval units go, it is worthy to note that a sizable French force of 2 battleships, 4 cruisers and 8 destroyers turned themselves over in England, though this is not related to the Mediterranean.)
As for the Italians, I would think something similar to what was in Anniversary, if not more detailed: at least 1 BB (probably 2, though that is very unlikely), 2 CA, and 2-3 destroyers, plus some subs and assorted transports, most of which would be based in Taranto. The Italians did have a fleet, superior in numbers, to the British in the Mediterranean in 1940, so that should probably be shown somehow. After the French fleet’s removal, the Italians had 1 battleship, 15 cruisers, 35 destroyers and almost 100 submarines MORE than the British in the Mediterranean. This should be compensated for in some way so that it is not a push over for the Italians to take Egypt and the rest of Africa very easily. Italian ships were less well armored than their British counterparts.
The British should probably have Naval/Air bases on Malta and Gibraltar and at Alexandria. Gibraltar based Force H should be present in some respect as it was formidable; consisting of 2 battleships, the battlecruiser Hood, the carrier Ark Royal, plus 2 cruisers and 11 destroyers. Britain’s eastern Mediterranean force consisted of a couple old battleships and the old carrier Eagle, plus cruisers and auxilliaries.
As for the Russians… well, I do not know. I am quite sure they had some sort of Black Sea fleet at the time, but I am not certain of it’s complement.