Operation Mercury: The Invasion of Crete

publisherearly morning commonwealth soldier crete finish breakfast hundred german transport aircraftmdashsome towing glidersmdashrumble mediterranean island air suddenly fill parachute thousand elite german paratroopsmdashfallschirmjaumlgermdashdescende skythe invasion crete dramatic battle second world war nineday period mixed force commonwealth greek troop desperately try fight german assault despite appal casualty paratrooper gliderborne troop manage secure foothold critical maleme airfield open door german gebirgsjaumlger mountain troop land fire fallschirmjaumlger gebirgsjaumlger push commonwealth troop breaking point force deadly battle delay pursuitthis true soldierrsquos battle side desperate situation lack higherlevel control support german quickly secure usable airfield face annihilation entire airborne force commonwealth need crush german landing ormdashfaile thatmdashevacuate bulk force continue fight north africa syriathe german invasion crete stand landmark history airborne warfare point airborne operation tactical operation seize key objective advance ground force german invasion crete codenamed operation merkur strategic airborne operationalthough casualty mean crete hurrah german airborne major air assault set stage large future ally airborne operation mediterranean western europe asiaoperation mercury maintain level detail scale grand tactical series gts game player command division maneuver companysize unit fight desperate battle war gts rule operation mercury offer player team wide range scenario range single small map unit battle include german division commonwealth greek brigades operation mercury cover major airdrop fight island heraklion east rethymnon maleme suda bay south askifou plain scene major fight withdrawala commander allied force crete deny german precious airfield negate muchneede airlanding reinforcement quick victory operation war withdrawal heavy enemy pressure probably difficult perilous bulk force southern evacuation port german quickly force collapse commonwealth morale trigger withdrawalfeature include shift allied morale state base relative casualty key event trigger evacuation endgame victory condition random event include tank breakdown misdirect airstrike partisan attack option commonwealth naval support risk lose precious ship german air attacksthirteen scenario include separate onemap battle airdrop rethymnon heraklion malemecanea sector onemap battle new zealand counterattack retake maleme airfield threemap battle difficult german advance commonwealth delay withdrawal campaign map main event maleme askifou plain map hypothetical german precision drop german free drop scenario