AHC: British Gotland and/or Bornholm?

[Northstar]

The British were, for not-insignificant parts of their history, quite reliant on the Baltic for their timber: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_timber_trade

The AHC therefore, is to have this timber trade result in the British seizing control of Gotland, Bornholm, or even, if you'd like, the Aland Islands.

Further, once this challenge has been achieved, how might this/these island(s) develop under British control? Might we see Bornholm become a Baltic Malta? If kept longterm, how might British control of this/these island(s) affect later conflicts?

Northstar

 

[HalfRottenHerring]

IMHO the bigger price for England would be to control one of the three straights that lead from the North Sea to the Atlantic. A lot more useful.
Bornholm, Gotland or Åland would all be at risk of getting cut off from a danish blockade. From what I understand those would be very effective given how narrow the waterway get.


But if we want to focus on the islands mention in the first post I could see that easily happen at some point. England has gotten involved in several spats between Denmark and Sweden. If one of those wars results in a more crushing defeat for one side or the other England might be in position to make some demands.

England holding one of those islands during the Crimean War would proboly result in a second front in the Baltic with whoever lost a island siding with Russia to get it back and maybe dragging other into war on England's side.

 

[Northstar]

IMHO the bigger price for England would be to control one of the three straights that lead from the North Sea to the Atlantic.

Maybe a better title would've been "AHC: British Baltic Island(s)" then.

Maybe this one would best meet your criteria: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Læsø

Northstar

 

[HalfRottenHerring]

Maybe a better title would've been "AHC: British Baltic Island(s)" then.

Maybe this one would best meet your criteria: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Læsø

Northstar

It's your thread, I'm not here to boss you around. I just wanted to point out some potential problems. For example, the straits wouldn't be as much of a problem if England had a solid alliance with Denmark.

That said Læsø looks pretty good because could make for a solid point to project power into the Baltic from. I don't know how good ports and how defensive the place is tho.