Operation Mercury

**Operation Mercury** is a scenario in *Panzer Corps 2*.

## Briefings

This looks to be an especially dangerous operation you've volunteered our forces for, Mein General. I have more than a few concerns, and I implore you to not dismiss them so easily.

Our role is to support General Student's airborne invasion of Crete, focusing primarily on the western parts of the island.

**Primary Objective: Hold Maleme airfield at the end of the scenario.**

**Bonus Objective: Capture all Victory Hexes.**

**Bonus Objective: Destroy all 5 Allied aircraft based on Crete.**

My first and most pressing concern is with the naval transports that have been issued to us for the operation. In theory, we are supposed to use them to ship our panzers and other heavy equipment to reinforce the invasion but...

I have taken it upon myself to refuse to issue orders for our troops to board the transports. To all outside appearances, I merely I questioned the sea worthiness of them, and ordered a round of inspections before embarkation would begin.

But to speak honestly, and just between us, I think the risk of sailing blindly to Crete is too great. I suspect the Italians have underestimated the strength of the enemy presence in the region, and that their destroyer escorts will not be able to secure our safe passage.

Perhaps I am mistaken, and the Italians will find no naval challenge to their patrol of this area. If that is the case, I will release my hold on the embarkation orders immediately.

While we wait for the resolution to that situation... General Student is proceeding on schedule with his airborne operations.

His forces are focused on objectives within central Crete here...

And here.

While our heavy equipment waits, we had better muster as many of our Fallschirmjager and aircraft units as we have available to support the invasion.

Remember that when conducting invasion operations such as this one, the first and most important priority for our forces is to locate and secure a source of supply!

To victory, for Germany!

### Debriefing

Mein General, I have the report on the Crete operation for your immediate attention.

First off, General Student sends his appreciation for our assistance. It is very clear that this operation could have gone much, much worse, and I think he recognizes our part in preventing total disaster.

That said... casuality (Sic) numbers for Fliegerkorps XI are shockingly high. We lost quite a few veterans, and a significant amount of the transport aircraft used in the operation were heavily damaged or competely (Sic) lost. Even High Command seems to be taken aback at the cost of large scale airborne operations.

Even so, we have once again accomplished a major victory. The British have been completely ejected from the Balkans and have fled for Africa. What few Allied forces remain on Crete have laid down their arms in surrender. With Yugoslavia, Greece, and now Crete in our hands, we have completely secured Southern Europe against Allied incursions!

While we have been busy campaigning the Balkans, High Command has been gearing up for something much larger, and they are once again itching to rush your forces to yet another new front.

They have extended us another opportunity to train new recruits and also speak with several high ranking German industrial officials before our next combat operation though. It sounds like an extremely interesting opportunity, and I think we would definitely regret turning it down!

**Historically, the airborne invasion of Crete would be yet another German victory, but it would come at a staggering cost. Operation Mercury would prove to be the first, and last, German airborne operation of its size for the rest of the war. After Crete, German Fallschirmjager would only be deployed in small formations, and often serve alongside standard infantry forces.**

**General Kurt Student would lament that Crete had become "the graveyard of the German Fallschirmjager".**

## Walkthrough

*This article is a stub. You can help Panzer Corps Wiki by expanding it.*

## Locations

* Afrata

* Pirgos

* Maleme

* Khania

* Galatas

* Kastelli

* Topolia

* Lakkoi

* Soudha

* Khorafakia

* Sternes

* Kalami Fort

* Rethimnon

* Kefalas

* Afrata

* Pirgos

* Maleme

* Khania

* Galatas

* Kastelli

* Topolia

* Lakkoi

* Soudha

* Khorafakia

* Sternes

* Kalami Fort

* Rethimnon

* Kefalas

## Messages

* Mein General, we have received another offer to field test an experimental prototype. I cannot explain this sudden fascination to attach aircraft together like some sort of Frankenstein's monster, but this time it is Heinkel that has attached two 111s together! Once again, the result is an aircraft of exceptional range. The current offer will barely give us enough parts to keep a single squadron equipped, but if the design is successful perhaps in the future we can acquire more.

You have %d Commendation Points.

Would you like to use 5 Commendation Points acquire a collection of prototype He111z aircraft?

* ***Hauptmann Wagner:*** Mein General, our Italian escorts are reporting contact with some British Royal Navy forces. While they determine the strength of the enemy fleet, I will to continue to hold our naval transports in reserve. I promise to release the transports to your control as soon as the Italians have cleared the waterways between us and Crete.

* ***Hauptmann Wagner:*** It would appear that the only fleet that is going to be cleared out of the area is our Italian escorts. They have been totally overwhelmed by the presence of so many British capital ships. Under the circumstances, I cannot authorize the release of our naval transports to send our panzers and heavy artillery to Crete. They'll see the bottom of the Mediterranean before they see the shores of Crete!

We must rely exclusively on our aircraft and paratroopers for the entire duration of the operation.

* Bonus Objective to Capture all Victory Hexes completed.
Earned Commendation Points: 2
Total Commendation Points: %d.

* Bonus Objective to Destroy all 5 Allied aircraft based on Crete completed.
Earned Commendation Points: 1
Total Commendation Points: %d.

* ***Hauptmann Wagner:*** Mein General, our forces have seized control of a major British aircraft depot. From the looks of things, they were in the middle of preparing to evactuate quite a few planes from Crete when our forces arrived. All of the grounded fighters and bombers are still in fighting condition, and we've commandeered them all. You can now access them as captured equipment.

* You choose to accept the offer. You now have %d Commendation Points.

* You choose to reject the offer. You still have %d Commendation Points

* Excuse the interruption, but there is an urgent matter regarding one of our best pilots. Major Galland has proven his excellence time and again, but it seems the time has come for him to advance beyond the cockpit. High Command would like to recall Major Galland from our roster and offer him a new position. I hear he could even be next in line for promotion to General of Fighters!

While it would be a blow to our roster to lose such an outstanding officer, we have been offered a huge amount of prototype Bf-109Gs as compensation.

Would you agree to release Major Galland from our services or refuse his promotion and fight to keep him in our ranks as a Major?

* Major Galland has left your service.

* You agree to let Major Galland go. 100 Bf-109G are now available as prototype equipment!

* You refuse to release Major Galland for promotion.

* Mein General, we have received another offer to field test an experimental prototype. I cannot explain this sudden fascination to attach aircraft together like some sort of Frankenstein's monster, but this time it is Heinkel that has attached two 111s together! Once again, the result is an aircraft of exceptional range. The current offer will barely give us enough parts to keep a single squadron equipped, but if the design is successful perhaps in the future we can acquire more.

You have %d Commendation Points.

Would you like to use 5 Commendation Points acquire a collection of prototype He111z aircraft?

* ***Hauptmann Wagner:*** Mein General, our Italian escorts are reporting contact with some British Royal Navy forces. While they determine the strength of the enemy fleet, I will to continue to hold our naval transports in reserve. I promise to release the transports to your control as soon as the Italians have cleared the waterways between us and Crete.

* ***Hauptmann Wagner:*** It would appear that the only fleet that is going to be cleared out of the area is our Italian escorts. They have been totally overwhelmed by the presence of so many British capital ships. Under the circumstances, I cannot authorize the release of our naval transports to send our panzers and heavy artillery to Crete. They'll see the bottom of the Mediterranean before they see the shores of Crete!

We must rely exclusively on our aircraft and paratroopers for the entire duration of the operation.

* Bonus Objective to Capture all Victory Hexes completed.
Earned Commendation Points: 2
Total Commendation Points: %d.

* Bonus Objective to Destroy all 5 Allied aircraft based on Crete completed.
Earned Commendation Points: 1
Total Commendation Points: %d.

* ***Hauptmann Wagner:*** Mein General, our forces have seized control of a major British aircraft depot. From the looks of things, they were in the middle of preparing to evactuate quite a few planes from Crete when our forces arrived. All of the grounded fighters and bombers are still in fighting condition, and we've commandeered them all. You can now access them as captured equipment.

* You choose to accept the offer. You now have %d Commendation Points.

* You choose to reject the offer. You still have %d Commendation Points

* Excuse the interruption, but there is an urgent matter regarding one of our best pilots. Major Galland has proven his excellence time and again, but it seems the time has come for him to advance beyond the cockpit. High Command would like to recall Major Galland from our roster and offer him a new position. I hear he could even be next in line for promotion to General of Fighters!

While it would be a blow to our roster to lose such an outstanding officer, we have been offered a huge amount of prototype Bf-109Gs as compensation.

Would you agree to release Major Galland from our services or refuse his promotion and fight to keep him in our ranks as a Major?

* Major Galland has left your service.

* You agree to let Major Galland go. 100 Bf-109G are now available as prototype equipment!

* You refuse to release Major Galland for promotion.

## Notes

* If players have at least 5 Commendation Points at the start of the scenario, they will be given the option to exchange 5 Commendation Points for 19 Strength Points worth of He 111Z Strategic bombers.
* If players have Adolf Galland as a hero by turn 18, they will be given the option to allow his promotion in exchange for receiving 100 Strength points worth of Bf 109G Fighters.
* Capturing Lakkoi will grant players 19 Strength points worth of Spitfire Mk.II Fighters and Beaufighter Mk.IF Tactical bombers in addition to 29 Strength points worth of Stirling Mk.I Strategic bombers.
* Notable allied formations:
	+ Fliegerkorps XI
* Notable enemy units:
	+ 2nd AU HW Inf, which is Level 1 and has 18 Strength points and a hero with the Ferocious Defense, Readiness, and Vigilant traits.
	+ 28th NZ HW Inf, which is Level 1 and has 16 Strength points and a hero with the Aiming Assistance and Crippling Blow traits.
	+ 53rd Vickers AA, which is Level 1 and has 12 Strength points and a hero with the Butcher and Fierce Fighter traits.
	+ HMS Dido, a Level 3 Light Cruiser that has 14 Strength points.
	+ HMS Fiji, a Level 3 Light Cruiser that has 14 Strength points.
	+ HMS Formidable, a Level 3 CV Illustrious-class that has 12 Strength points.
	+ HMS Gloucester, a Level 3 CL Leander-class that has 14 Strength points.
	+ HMS Orion, a Level 3 CL Leander-class that has 14 Strength points.
	+ HMS Valiant, a Level 3 Battleship that has 20 Strength points.
	+ HMS Warspite, a Level 3 Battleship that has 20 Strength points.
	+ Major General Freyburg, a Level 3 Daimler Dingo with 14 Strength points that has a hero with the Leadership, Resilient, Overwhelming Attack, and Artillery Support traits.
* Notable enemy formations
	+ Seafire CAP