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...do a couple of patrols untill the spanish civil war ends...
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The civil war lasted upwards three years. That's more than a couple of patrols.
From a realism perspective, it could be done. One would just need to fill 1937 to 1939 with "stuff" like training patrols, or very extended periods of R&R, LOL! A potential yawn factor of 10 though.
But were one to stretch reality, then there's increased scope. In fact, I was thinking about this only yesterday when reading GE's thread. My thinking was that rather than withdraw U-33 and U-34 in Dec 1936, the Germans decide to increase the size of 2 Flotilla presence and send more boats, perhaps as a result of the Republicans not blaming a mine for the sinking of C-3, but blaming the Germans outright (first deviation from reality). New careers could start in Jan 1939 with Germany well involved (a good compromise which avoids long periods of "nothing" to fill in time) with something "dreamt up" to fill the 5 month gap between the end of the Civil War and beginning of the World War (perhaps some second deviation from reality).
I see the events in Spain as having good potential for creating an "alternate reality". I mean, let's suppose that Hitler agreed to Franco's (real life) demands in 1940 (well, why even 1940, no reason why it couldn't have been agreed to earlier - it is make believe after all) - Spain and all its colonies would then join the Axis.
The Spanish would subsequently invade Portugal with German military support, bringing Portugal and all its colonies in as an Ally.
Meanwhile, the Germans would then have clear passage to Gibraltar. Operation Felix would be put into effect much earlier (perhaps after Portugal falls). Through sheer attrition, Gibraltar would fall to the Axis after 3 months of heavy fighting.
In addition to Spain and later Portugal, Spanish Morocco, Spanish West Africa and Spanish Guinea all become potential places to locate u-boat bases.
Imagination could then apply the impact of this scenario across the whole war. Would Spain leave the Axis with Italy in 1943?
DISCLAIMER: I'm making this up simply for the purpose of outlining a possible "alternate reality" story. No political commentary or inference is intended.