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The desirability of taking the islands is obvious, but the Italians in Libya are a much more important problem. Since the chronology calls for an all out assault on them very soon after the evacuation, it could well be that there are ont enough men/resouces/time to do in preparation for the conquest of Libya, an the project is defered until after the fall of Tripoli.

Men and ships are not really a problem. Ammunition for the French could be if the operation is launched too early.
But we could consider that Pantelleria is more important than Dodecanese for example.
Moreover, we don't want to play the Allies perfect ; they have to fail the first landings to understand they need specialized ships. So Pantelleria could be a failure and Sardinia+Rhodes costly victories.

Given the general surprise of Musso joining the war, it could well be that Pantelleria was quite weak early on, and would have been a cheap victory IF assaulted early, but by the time the allies get around to it, they find the Italians reinforced and the operation too much for the resources allocated to it. So the decission is taken to defer the operation again under the time pressure of the next major operation.

Pantelleria probably already has her coastal guns. The Allies don't have the bomb quantoty they will have in 1942/43 to force the surrender. So we can imagine a quick attempt (as in Narvik) and a stop after losses and no real success. But the fleet/aircrafts still pound the island so it becomes useless until Merkur.

Operation Corkscrew to take Lampedeusa can either take place at the same time as the original attack on Pantelleria or be delayed too.

Lampedusa is too weak and can be taken without problem.

This could/would prove to be quite an expensive choice, as it allows the Italians to implement Mark's strategy for them, Pantelleria is a perfect base to support the Italian's 'Strategic Triangle' between Pantelleria, Sicily and the Scirki Bank off Cape Bon. It allows MAS to make 'out and back' patrols from, and together with the other islands provides them with refuges if caught out in daylight.

Pantelleria is vulnerable to air and surface attacks coming from Tunisia. BTW, we have two MAS squadrons (8 units) rebased there in July. They try to intercept and Allied west-east convoy (AP-1).

I'm not sure the island would be so easy to neutralize, it seems a lot of the defenses survived the OTL heavy bombardment as did the garrison, who surrendered mostly from low morale and lack of water.

You can find a very complete description here : https://www.afresearch.or...play.aspx?rs=enginespage
Indeed, there was no lack of water : see page 63.
After the bombings, the guns were reduced by more than 50% : see page 62. Some defence was possible, but heavy shelling by the fleet and aircrafts during the landing would have be fatal to the Italians since the firing position weren't protected.

Plus the island is close enough to Sicily to allow a DD or old CL to make the run by night at high speed, and the allies are not going to have a lot of air power spare once the Greek campaign opens up. So there is a good chance the island would be able to sustain limited operations supporting MAS etc.

No entirely exact about the Allied airpower, which is much more important than in OTL. But your point abour MAS operation is correct. It is doubtful that the Germans will have the time to base radars on the island as in OTL.

As for the Kiwi landings - has anyone looked at this? I see why OTl they chose to try and pound the island into submission form the air, it is not a nice place to invade in the face of an active defense.

Look at the chrono on 18 March 42 for that : http://www.francefightson.../original/Chapter-51.htm

I've just spent a few hours going over it on Google Earth and doing a little basic reading. If it were me with an open call on resources, I'd try a daylight glider landing, but that is not very practical. As far as I can see there are only three viable approaches to the task.
1/ A copue de main on Pantelleria town.
2/ landing over the Kattibuale 'beach'
3/ hitting Scauri

All three are covered by heavy defenses, many many layers of defenses dating back to the damn Romans, with a very healthy dose of classical Vauban period work and at least one post-1850 pentagonal fort aligned to to face an approach from the 'beach'.

Thanks for the information.

I say 'beach' with a huge caveat, as I don't think its practical for any landing craft bigger than an LCVP or perhaps LCM, and even infantry are going to have a hard time landing. The surface slopes steeply, as far as I can tell it mostly big rounded stones the size of mans head, it is very exposed, quite short, and most probably swept by fire from the headland at the western end. There is a cluster of villa's on that headland that look to be laid out on old gun positions that would be well places to enfilade the shore. It is NASTY, not quite Anzac Cove class 'impossiable' as there seems to be room inland once off the beach, but certainly not an easy proposition.

In 1940, the only possibility is a frontal port attack (plus perhaps some paratroopers - the French have some). No British troop can be involved until Libya falls. In 1942, there will be heavy bombing and shelling in the previous weeks as in OTL.
We must also keep in mind that in 1942 the Italian morale will be low, this will explain (partly) the success.