OPERATION MARITA: THE INVASION OF GREECE DATE: OCTOBER 28 1940 – JUNE 01 1941

The Battle of Greece (also known as Operation Marita) is the common name for the invasion of Allied Greece by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany in April 1941. The Italian invasion in October 1940, known as the Greco-Italian War, was followed by the German invasion in

April 1941. German landings on the island of Crete in May 1941 came after Allied forces had been defeated in mainland Greece. These battles were part of the greater Balkan Campaign by German forces.

Following the Italian invasion on October 28 1940, the Greeks repulsed the initial Italian attack and a counter-attack in March 1941.

When the German invasion began on April 6, the bulk of the Greek army was on the Greek border with Albania, then a protectorate of Italy, from which the Italian troops had attacked. German troops invaded from Bulgaria, creating a second front. Greece received a small reinforcement of British, Australian and New Zealand forces in anticipation of a German attack. The Greek army found itself outnumbered

in its effort to defend against both Italian and German troops. As a result, the Metaxas defensive line did not receive adequate troop reinforcements and was quickly overrun by the Germans, who then outflanked the Greek forces at the Albanian border, forcing their

surrender. British, Australian and New Zealand forces were overwhelmed and forced to retreat, with the ultimate goal of evacuation. For several days, Allied troops played an important part in containing the German advance on the Thermopylae position, allowing ships to be

prepared to evacuate the units defending Greece. The German army reached the capital, Athens, on April 27 and Greece's southern shores on April 30, capturing 7,000 British, Australian and New Zealand personnel and ending the battle with a decisive victory. The

conquest of Greece was completed with the capture of Crete a month later. Following its fall, Greece was occupied by the military forces of Germany, Italy and Bulgaria.

Belligerents

Axis:

Germany

Italy

Supported by:

Bulgaria

Allies:

Greece

United Kingdom

Australia

New Zealand

THE METAXAS LINE

The fortification of the area informally known as the Metaxas Line was conceived as a defensive measure against Bulgaria. Bulgaria had

refused to sign the Balkan Pact signed by Greece, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Romania in 1934 which aimed at maintaining the geopolitical status quo in the region following World War I. The Metaxas Line was a series of independent forts along the Greek-Bulgarian border,

built on possible routes of invasion. Each fort's garrisons belonged to the division or brigade which controlled the respective border sector. The fortifications were built with the meager resources that Greece could muster, and exploited the terrain to its fullest.

Construction had begun in 1936; however, by 1941 the line was still incomplete.

The Battle of the Metaxas Line, also known in Greece as the Battle of the Forts, was the first battle during the German invasion of Greece. The Germans succeeded in capturing several individual forts but failed to breach the fortified Metaxas Line in general. The 2nd Panzer division (XVIII Mountain Corps) with an enveloping move crossed the Yugoslavian borders, overcame Yugoslav and Greek resistance and

captured Thessaloniki on April 9. The capture of Thessaloniki forced the Greek East Macedonia Army Section to surrender on April 10 and the Metaxas Line battle was over.

German General Wilhelm List, commander of the German forces attacking Greece, admired the bravery and courage of these soldiers. He

refrained from taking the Greek soldiers prisoner and declared that the army was free to leave with their war flags, on condition that they surrender their arms and supplies. He also ordered his soldiers and officers to salute the Greek soldiers. At the time, the Metaxas line

was poorly manned, as most of the Greek army was involved in the Greco-Italian War on the Albanian front.

Outnumbered on the ground and in the air the Greek and Allied forces were unable to deploy sufficient troops in any one area to halt the German advance. The defensive campaign was also hindered by poor communications between the Greek and Allied commanders, the

difficult terrain and the under-developed road and rail systems. Greek and Allied troops began to fall back as the Germans moved rapidly through the country, occupying Salonika on April 8.

By April 20, it was clear that the Allied forces could do no more than disrupt and slow the German advance. The Greek government

agreed that the force should be evacuated. On April 23 the Greek army itself surrendered. King George II of Greece and his government escaped to Crete.

The evacuation of Allied forces from Greece began on April 24 and continued for a week. Despite a severe shortage of Allied shipping,

more than 50,000 British, Australian, New Zealand and Polish troops were evacuated. All their tanks, heavy equipment and trucks were abandoned. Most of the troops were taken to Crete, but others were sent to Egypt.

A number of small, isolated groups and individuals were cut off from the Allied retreat and left behind in Greece. Many escaped with the assistance of the local population. Others became prisoners of war. 3,700 Allied and more than 15,000 Greek soldiers were killed in the

Battle for Greece.

On April 27, German troops occupied the Greek capital, Athens. Following the Greek surrender Germany, Italy and Bulgaria divided the country into 3 zones of occupation. German and Italian forces jointly occupied Athens. General Sir Alan Brooke, Churchill’s Chief of Staff,

regarded the decision to send reinforcement troops to Greece as a strategic blunder and Churchill himself remarked in September 1941 that it had been an error of judgment.

M’44 SCENARIOS FOR OPERATION MARITA: THE INVASION OF GREECE

The Invasion of Greece campaign includes 21 standard scenarios, 2 Breakthrough (BT) scenarios and 2 Overlord (OL) maps. These scenarios chronicle the major engagements of the Greek campaign, and include only the best available in the Scenarios from the Front

(SFTF) files section on the DoW website.

The 8 scenarios which take place between September and October 1943 cover the period following Italy’s surrender and subsequent battles against their former allies in Greece. In this way, all M’44 scenarios available for Greece (excluding the Greco-Italian War and

Operation Mercury: The Battle for Crete scenarios – which are covered in 2 separate booklets) are included in this campaign booklet. No campaign rules are included; not all M’44 players have access to the Campaign books. Instead, simply tally up the number of medals

won in each scenario after playing both sides. Medal tally tables for all scenarios are included below.

These scenarios include 4 different armies. Although optional, it is suggested that you use the unofficial Battle of Nations rules when playing the sides of these armies.

OPERATION MARITA: THE INVASION OF GREECE

The 25 Invasion of Greece scenarios are divided into 2 smaller campaigns:

1. Operation Marita 2. Greece 1943

OPERATION MARITA

1. FEB 25 – 28: Battle for Kastellorizo 10. APR 13: The Sotir Rearguard

2. APR 06 – APR 07: Metaxas Line: Fort Nimfea 11. APR 13: Delaying Action on the Aliakmon River 3. APR 06 – APR 08: Metaxas Line: Fort Istimbey 12. APR 14: Olympus and Servia Passes 4. APR 06 – APR 09: Metaxas Line: Fort Echinos 13. APR 15: Crossing of Olympus Mountain

5. APR 06 – APR 09: Metaxas Line: Fort Lisse 14. APR 18: Pinios Gorge BT

6. APR 06 – APR 09: Metaxas Line: Fort Rupel 15. APR 22 – APR 26: Battle of Thermopylae **

7. APR 06 – APR 09: Attack on the Metaxas Line OL 16. APR 26: The Corinth Canal 8. APR 12: Vevi 17. APR 28: Battle of Kalamata Waterfront

9. APR 12: Klidi Pass

** Scenario notes:

1. Battle of Thermopylae: ANZAC is Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. You may choose which Battle of Nations army rules you wish to use – Australia or New Zealand.

There are a total of 238 medals if all 17 scenarios are played, 208 medals without the Overlord map, and 186 medals if only the standard scenarios are played.

SCENARIO (+ total medal count) P1…………. P2………….

1. Battle for Kastellorizo (8)

2. Fort Nimfea (12)

3. Fort Istimbey (14)

4. Fort Echinos (12)

5. Fort Lisse (16)

6. Fort Rupel (14)

7. Attack on the Metaxas Line (OL) (30)

8. Vevi (12)

9. Klidi Pass (12)

10. The Sotir Rearguard (12)

11. Delaying Action Aliakmon River (12)

12. Olympus & Servia Passes (12)

13. Crossing of Mount Olympus (14)

14. Pinios Gorge (BT) (22)

15. Battle of Thermopylae (12)

16. The Corinth Canal (12)

17. Kalamata Waterfront (12)

TOTAL MEDAL TALLY

GREECE 1943

1. OCT 03: Landing at Kos BT 5. SEPT 18: Capo Munta 2. OCT 03: Operation Polar Bear 6. SEPT 21 – SEPT 26: Kardakata & Ponte Kimoniko

3. OCT 03: Dodecanese: Battle of Kos OL 7. SEPT 21: Dilinata 4. SEPT 15: Monte Telegrapho 8. SEPT 26 – NOV 16: Battle of Leros

There are a total of 127 medals playing all scenarios, 103 medals without the Overlord map and 79 medals without.

SCENARIO (+ total medal count) P1…………. P2………….

1. Landing at Kos (BT) (24)

2. Operation Polar Bear (15)

3. Dodecanese: Battle of Kos (OL) (24)

4. Monte Telegrapho (12)

5. Capo Munta (12)

6. Kardakata & Ponte Kimoniko (14)

7. Dilinata (12)

8. Battle of Leros (14)

TOTAL MEDAL TALLY

There are a total of 365 medals with all scenarios included, 311 medals without the 2 Overlord maps, and 265 medals if only the standard scenarios are played.

INVASION OF GREECE P1…………. P2………….

1. Operation Marita

2. Greece 1943

FINAL MEDAL TALLY

Acknowledgments to the authors of the scenarios that make up this Operation Marita: Invasion of Greece compilation: jdrommel

secret_strategem Gabrielino77

francaises_libre hester24

This Operation Marita: The Invasion of Greece booklet was compiled by Semba