So things seem to be back to square one: offense or recuperation.

However, it does not seem surprising that Rommel always wanted to attack at every opportunity, just as Kesselring had not been able to dissuade Rommel before.

Rommel was a stubborn man, if he made up his mind, he was afraid that even Hitler would not be able to change his mind, not to mention that Rommel had a plan of attack that he thought was perfect at this time.

"General!" Qin Chuan asked, "You actually had a plan for a long time, didn't you?" ”

General Stryker and the 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 coastline of the Cretan Sea and maintain law and order in Crete, the 1st Infantry Corps is stationed at Irac Airport, the two parachute regiments of the Italian 'Lightning Division' are stationed at Malemai Airport and Rethymnon Airport respectively, and the 90th Light Division is transferred to North Africa and incorporated into the Afrika Kops!" ”

General Stryk and the others looked at each other, there seemed to be no problem with such an arrangement, one regiment was enough to garrison one airfield, and the combat effectiveness of the Italian "lightning division" was not weak.

"So......" Colonel Slane asked, "is it the exchange of the 1st Corps for the 90th Light Division?" ”

This time the Germans on Crete had only the First Advance Corps, which seemed to be a little less.

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

Sure enough, Rommel said to Qin Chuan: "Second Lieutenant, didn't you say that we couldn't break through the British defenses? If at a time when three of our armored divisions are attacking the British line with all their might...... What will happen when suddenly a large number of paratroopers are airborne to the British line? ”

So everyone understood that Rommel ostensibly arranged the First Infantry Corps, the Italian "Lightning Division", to defend Crete, but in fact prepared them to be airdropped again, and this time to the rear of the British line.

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

"We can!" General Stryk said: "The range of the Italian transport plane is more than 1,300 kilometers, which is exactly the right time to go back and forth between Crete and Port Said!" ”

"I'm talking about fighters!" Colonel Slein said: "Italian transport planes are as slow as snails, and without fighter escort they will only be slaughtered!" ”

"Our fighters did not take off from Crete!" General Stryk said: "They took off from Alexandria to escort the transport planes, so they also happened to be able to carry out their duties!" ”

Colonel Slain couldn't help but let out an "oh", and then stopped talking.

It was a good plan, and Rommel apparently had calculated the flight path and range with precision.

In this way, when the Germans and the British are fighting on the front line, suddenly a division and a regiment will be airborne to Port Said, and once Port Said falls into the hands of the Germans, then the British army will lose all sources of supplies, which is a draw from the bottom of the kettle.

"What do you say, second lieutenant?" Rommel looked at Qin Chuan, with a smile on the corner of his mouth, as if he was very satisfied with his ability to defeat Qin Chuan in terms of strategy.

"That's a good plan, General!" Qin Chuan first had to admit this, if there was really no other way, this plan was indeed worth a try.

"But ......" Qin Chuan asked: "We have just captured Crete by airborne, will the British be wary of airborne?" ”

"They might be on guard!" Rommel said, "But war is always risky, isn't it?" ”

"You're right, General!" Qin Chuan said: "However, it will not be too risky for us to do this, because as we know, most of the paratroopers carry light equipment, and they need more favorable terrain cover, but there is a lack of such terrain in the desert, and they are easy to collapse under the attack of the enemy's mechanized troops, not to mention that it is very difficult to land in the desert area, because the airdropped materials must also be accompanied by drinking water." ”

"Yes!" Colonel Slein agreed: "The combat effectiveness of the paratroopers in the desert will also be reduced by a certain number of levels, and they will not even be able to disperse the battle, because the water source must be found, and the enemy can guard the water source and wait for us!" ”

"In addition to this, the British have air superiority!" "Although they have many warplanes stranded on the island of Malta, they will soon realize that the island of Malta is no longer meaningful, so they will try to transfer the planes to Port Said!" ”

"That's it!" Qin Chuan said: "Airlanding on Port Said or behind the British line will not be as easy as airdropping Crete...... The British radar will detect our fleet and take off to intercept it, and their warships will be waiting for us on the course, and even if we can fly over Port Said, we will not have many troops left. Even before we could be airborne, there were enemy mechanized units waiting for us on the ground! ”

"This is not going to happen!" Rommel objected: "Then we will launch a fierce attack on the defensive line to attract the attention of the British, and they will focus most of their attention and air power on our attack!" ”

"Even so!" Qin Chuan said: "I believe that the British also have enough time to react!" ”

"Yes, General!" "As far as our intelligence services know, the British's Type 11 radar is capable of detecting high-altitude targets at a distance of 90 kilometers and low-altitude targets at a distance of 40 kilometers," General Stryker said. ”

"We even captured a British anti-aircraft radar in Crete!" Colonel Slein said: "It's just that the British thought they were their own fighters flying to Malta, so they didn't give a warning!" ”

"No, they don't even need radar!" Qin Chuan said: "Because Crete is full of their spies, as soon as our transport plane departs, the British will know!" ”

There is no doubt that the National People's Liberation Army of Greece will actively provide intelligence to the British army.

"Our transport planes can't even get around it!" Qin Chuan continued: "Because Crete is 610 kilometers away from Port Said, the flight range of the Caproni transport plane is exactly one round trip, that is, ...... Once the fleet is discovered, it will only be waiting for death! ”

"All right, second lieutenant!" Rommel spread his hands and said, "Do you have any better suggestions?" Or do you stick to your idea, give up the offense and wait for death? ”

"Giving up the attack is not waiting to die!" Qin Chuan replied.