I would be tempted to say they'd got as many as the Germans given the numbers they had for Brevity, but I've no idea if this is the case.
Yeah, me neither. Tiger convoy unloaded in Alexandria on the 12th. Brevity took place on the 15th. Wether or not any of the 200 tanks unloaded on the 12th were driven to the border I have no idea. Furthermore, IDK how many other tanks the British held in reserve. At the same time, we don't know how many more tanks Rommel had in his other sectors.
There's also the fact that Brevity took place in mid May, whilst our hypothetical fall of Tobruk takes place in mid April.
That's why I'm saying that it would be great if we got some source on actual numbers.
Given the capability of any side to land paratroopers where you want them to, I have my doubts of how effective they'd be even if the Germans were stupid enough to try it.
Just to make it clearer - it wouldn't be so much as landing paras outside of Alexandria against enemy resistance, but more something like transporting infantry via plane in order to support the panzers. But, again, this thing with the infantry is secondary, the main point is that the Ju-52s and other transport aircraft deliver fuel to get the panzers and their support groups to Alexandria, and, should they actually reach it, ferry in troops to try and help them take/surround the city.
The Greek ones were pre-Dreadnoughts with exactly zero deck armour, while the Marat had 0.5-2 inches, which would have offered only limited protection, as indeed did the 3 inch deck of HMS Illustrious did (the damage could have been quite a bit worse), but against the Nelsons or KGVs I have my doubts.
1000kg bombs can still do significant damage to the suprastructure without sinking the ship. Plus, it's not like the British would risk it and see how good their armor holds up - had they been so inclined, they would have acted differently during the Norwegian campaign.
but the whole point is mostly moot because...
Cyprus-Alexandria is ~490 km, too far for a Stuka to get there and back if they're carrying any bombs, so any attack costs you your whole bomber force too.
1. only the Ju-87D would have the range, and this model only got off the production lines in May 1941
2. if Rommel advances past the border and reaches Mersa Matruh, the LW can just as well stage their Stukas from there. Supplying them will be a bitch though
As covered
in another thread AGS was delayed from starting on time in OTL because of Operation Merkur (not rains.) Operation Barbarossa started and AGS still did not begin their attack until days later, because of rest and refitting.
In fact, rest and refitting was the main issue why the attack was delayed past the flooding of the rivers, which essentially ceased by June 10th.
And I don't really see how this relates in any way to Op. Merkur. I read through the thread but didn't find any evidence as to why landing the paras on Crete increased rest and refit time for AGS.
The British are forced to move their fleet from Alexandria to Syria (if the British then occupy it) or send them out of the Mediterranean. Then they scrape the cupboard clean to reinforce Egypt. The British would have to take forces from the Middle East, whoever they were going to send to Crete, and perhaps from British garrisons in places like Singapore and India, and send the men over to Egypt.
To move to Syria, they would first have to conquer Syria, which only occured in June-July and without them loosing 5-6 brigades beforehand.
Of course, the Germans have such a narrow window here that, if I were to place a bet, my money would be on the British