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Logic would suggest the primary threath would not be Germany, but Turkey, as some others already mentioned. This would mean the primary threath would be in the form of both fixed and mobile gunplatforms near the Dardanelles, including a possible clash with the battlecruiser Yavuz, the fromer German SMS Goeben, which had been refitted too and still carrierd ten 11 inch guns and was pretty heavily armored. The Greek old battleships were simply no match for such a vessel, no matte how refitted, since they were too small to carry both serious ordonance and protection to challange the Turkish vessel.

The best option would have been to scrap these old vessels and install their guns in shorbased bateries near ports, or near strategic locations, while smaller coastal craft would provide a mobile defense with the known hit and run tactic typical for torpedocraft. This was much cheaper and much more logical for a new nation (Greece was only independant for some decades in 1930.), with little resources and wealth and completely dependant of foreign powers for its national security, for most sorts of international politics. As a minor power Greece could not opt for a large defencebudget, and certainly not a large and expensive fleet.

Dave Bender wrote:

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During the 1920s war Greece was the aggressor. They wanted to annex the coastal region of Asia Minor which contained a lot of Greek settlements going back 3,000 years. If we assume that Greece still has plans to grab the Agean coast then they need mobile coast defense units. Hence my conclusion that coast defense ships might be more useful then shore batteries. If / when the Greek army gets a toe hold in Asia Minor the coast defense ships can move across the Agean to protect the beach head.

Not that I think 1930s Greece can afford such military adventures. You don't move the bulk of your military to Asia Minor while the Italians are sniffing around in the Balkans.

I agree with this partly, although the inclusuion of coast defense battleships is doubtfull, since these do not realy have the fightingpower needed to get entangled with opposing small forces, while smaller gunboats and torpedocraft can do so. Most logical would be some dozen or so small gunboats with some medium caliber guns for grounsupport and coastal defensive gunnery, in addition to the small torpedocraft operating inshore and between the many islands. Anything much bigger than some 2000 tons is much likely considered too large to be effective in these confined waters.

Secondly the opponsent would likely use simmilar small forces to fight these, against which the coast defense battleship has no change to survive in those confined waters, since ambush and hit and run tactics are very much likely to happen. Smaller and faster vessels are also more manouvrable and can dodge enemy vessels and weaponsfire more easily. (Do not forget the disastreous Dardanelles Campaign in 1916.) Battleships are sitting ducks against shorebateries in such enclosed waters and have no real purpose to be there at all. Simmilarly the Turkish Yavuz would not likely be risked in the Agean Sea as well and be confined to the Black Sea coast against a possible USSR attack or some other Black Sea actions.

At best the New Greek Navy would have to get a number of fast and hard hitting small destroyers or torpedoboats for anti shipping missions, as well as a number of small submarines in addition to some small medium calliber gunned gunboats for inshorework for defense and support. Much cheaper and far more effective than a few old battleships of the pre-Dreadnought period, that are costly to maintain and man, while far too vulnerable to damage in enclosed spaces.