Train Attack In Pålsjö Skog

Yes, tell the Soviets that the Soujuskunta were mere speedbumps. Lokalförsvaret were sturdy troops on the defence, guys that knew the terrain and especially in western Sweden hated the Germans with good passion due to what they did to Norway.

There were no Suojeluskunta / Skyddskåret units in Second World War, the reservists of the volunteer defense organization were sent into normal reserve units to stiffen them up. What I meant were the Finnish emergency outfits from the last weeks of the Winter War. Despite military training and better equipment than that of Lokalförsvaret units of 1941 and worse opponents they proved mostly to be just speedbumps.

Artillery is the big weakness of the Swedish ww2 army yes, but considering how little effect artillery had during the winter war due to the impossibility of forward observing (the Finns and Americans solved that problem with pre-calculated terrain data by 1944, but that is not in this perspective) and the similarity of terrain.

Artillery was devastating in the Winter War, both Soviet (when it hit something) and Finnish (when munitions were available). The method mentioned was introduced in 1920's to Finnish artillery and I'm fairly sure Sweden had already copied it by 1941 (just like in the post-war period Finland was quick to adopt whatever Swedish methods possible).

Total number of artillery battalions in case of a full mobilisation is 44, plus probably about 10-15 battalions worth in older artillery in reserve.

Listing I've seen (and probably copied from the very good book on Swedish military preparedness during the Second World War whose name I've forgotten)

http://www-solar.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/~aaron/sweeds.html

mentions 39 for 1941. The older pieces would have been 19th century pieces unusable for modern conditions (as experienced by Finns in 1941).

There's not enough bases in Denmark (and those are liable to attack by Swedish coastal artillery) nor Norway to keep all Swedish 40+ bases (not even talking about the wartime emergency grass fields) covered.

Swedish coastal artillery, unless it has nuclear grenades, won't be able to cut off aerial operations entirely from Denmark and not even from Sjaelland.

WIth a devastated infrastructure in Själland and mines preventing the usage of large Swedish ports, I can't see the Germans coming that far into Scania. Landing is one thing, supplying a drive inland a completely different matter.

I wouldn't be that optimistic. By 1941 Germany had literally of hundreds of landing craft very suitable for crossing the Danish sound and ferrying military equipment and supply trucks and later on, rail cars, to Sweden proper. Much in similar ways as Germany did in smaller scale between Sicily and mainland Italy in 1943.
 
What of the Swedish navy? I have seen almost no mention of the fleet. Any invasion from across the Baltic or the Belt has to take the Swedish navy into account. How many warships does Germany have in service in May of 1941? I think Schranhorst and her sister are in France. Heavy cruisers are Prinz Eugen and Hipper. There is Bismarck as well. Hmm, does an invasion of Sweden save the Hood?

This scenario could also mean a temporary reprieve from U-boat attack for British convoys. I think Germany would pull back U-boats to the North Sea to help guard against a British attempt to support the Swedes.

The problem with Swedish surface fleet would be that it would have to operate without air cover and by early 1941 Luftwaffe was already quite devastating against ships as displayed by fate of RN in Crete operation. Only difference is that there's much more daylight. Moreover, German naval units deployed historically for Barbarossa would be more than match for Swedish navy even if Luftwaffe isn't taken into account.

The most problematic element of the Swedish Navy would undoubtely be it's submarines. In 1941 Swedish Navy had about 15 modern submarines and German ASW efforts were quite lacking. This would be one factor which would guide German invasion effort towards invasion over Norwegian border and over the Danish Sound instead of Baltic route.
 
How does an invasion of Sweden in May of 1941 affect the invasion of the USSR? The Swedish invasion would be in the same timeframe as the Balkan operations. Hmm, if paratroopers are used in Sweden, are less available for Crete?

The USA also needs to be considered. I think a German invasion of Sweden will weaken the isolationists' position. US operations in the Atlantic move eastward and become more hostile to Germany sooner than in real life.
 
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