Alternate WW1 German Raid on Scarborough etc

I was just looking at this article when I came across this AH possibility:

"Ingenohl had already exceeded the strict limit of his standing orders from the Kaiser by involving the main German fleet in the operation without mentioning to the Kaiser that he intended to do so.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Scarborough,_Hartlepool_and_Whitby#cite_note-13 At 5.30 a.m., mindful of the orders not to place the fleet in jeopardy and fearing he had encountered the advance guard of the British Grand fleet, he reversed course back towards Germany. Had he continued, he would shortly have engaged the four British battlecruisers and six battleships with his much larger force including twenty-two battleships. This was precisely the sort of opportunity which German strategy had been seeking to even the odds in the war. The ten British capital ships would have been heavily outnumbered and outgunned with likely significant losses. Their loss would have equalised the power of the two navies. Churchill later defended the situation, arguing the British ships were faster and could simply have turned about and run.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Scarborough,_Hartlepool_and_Whitby#cite_note-14 Others, such as Jellicoe, felt there was a real risk an admiral such as Beatty would have insisted upon engaging the enemy once contact was established.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Scarborough,_Hartlepool_and_Whitby#cite_note-15Admiral Tirpitz commented Ingenohl had the fate of Germany in his hand.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Scarborough,_Hartlepool_and_Whitby#cite_note-16"

So, what if the Main German Fleet's orders had been slightly less cautious and they had engaged Beatty's squadron?
 
The question is would Beatty and the battle squadron have actually taken on the entire HSF? The odds would have been very bad and while Beatty might have been foolish enough its unknown if Warrender would have pressed things but his lack of planning and control over Beatty didn't speak well.

Best chance from the German point of view is for Beatty to become engaged with the HSF screen, the BC's are else where but the Germans had lots of GTB's and might have be able to lure Beatty into a trap. Beatty had a bad habit of going hog wild after a target and letting his formation get stretched apart. So he could get a led unit mouse trapped by a bunch of torpedo boats and eat a fish or two. Beatty then calls Warrender for help, odds are giving very little details and 2nd BS steams into a fight with little information on numbers and location. If Beatty gets a lamed ship or two then Ingenohl could force a battle unless Beatty was willing to leave his cripples behind.

Ingenohl force was several knots slower than the RN force because of the PDN's and no BC's to match the RN BC force. If Warrender does get drawn into a fight there is no doubt as to the outcome. They have no screen to speak of, 4 AC and 4 CL vs. 2 AC, 5 CL and over 50 destroyers. Its the one and only time where the Germans would have not just a clear but crushing edge in light forces. Plus more capital ships. N Square would kick in and the RN force could get destroyed to a ship and deal maybe a quarter of their own losses in return. The Destroyers would be the wild card as they could have a massive impact or none depending on events.

Of course if you have just about anyone else here for the RN command team or Beatty actually shows some sense for once then I think the RN just avoids the HSF when its clear they are out in force and no battle happens.

Michael
 
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