Redbeard
Banned
Yes Battleships could do so, but certainly not the cruisers and destroyers needed to protect them. Battleships sailing on their own, were easy pickings ofr Allied submarines and aircraft, both form land and form aircraft carriers, which I already mentioned were likely to operate against them, as soon as they were noticed to be out of their ports. They will get bottled up easily, as the narrow strait of Gibraltar is not the sort of sea you can easily have free way of movement, when attacked there. Force H was Always there with one aircraft carrier at least, not even suggesting the Mediterranean Fleet was hunting them too.
hey might survive, but they cannot allow to get damaged, even moderate damage. Once hit by some for of weapon, they cannot longer continue, as they urgently needed to get back and get repaired, therefor being mission killed. It is the same as the Kriegsmarine had to deal with in the OTL, so the Regia Marina will equally have to deal with this mere fact.
Actually I think you very well could make a strong squadron capable of following the battleships:
Destroyers 1200 tons +:
Freccia class: 4600 nm at 12 knots
Folgore class: 3600 nm at 12 knots
Maestrale class: 4000 nm at 12 knots
Oriani class. 2190 nm at 18 knots (but same bunkerage as previous classes, so probably appr. 4000 nm range at 12 knots)
Soldati calss: 2200 nm at 20 knots (but same bunkerage as previous classes, so probably appr. 4000 nm range at 12 knots)
In short it seems like we can count on something like 3000 nm at 16 knots.
Cruisers:
Da Barbiano class: 3800 nm at 18 knots
Luigi Cadorna class 3000 nm at 16 knots
Montecuccoli class: 4100 nm at 18 knots
D'Aosta class: 3900 nm at 14 knots
Abruzzi class: 4125 nm at 12,7(!) knots
Trento class: 4160 nm at 16 knots
Zara class: 4480-5434 nm at 16 knots
The Italian designs certainly weren't "long rangers" but IMHO not as handicapped as we usually see it. Would be dreadful in the Pacific, but based in France and operating vs. the Home Fleet in a pre Sea Lion scenario or whatever I think they would do fine range wise. Some would probably take some buckling from the rough weather in the North Sea however.