Bismarck doesn't sortee

  • Thread starter Deleted member 1487
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Deleted member 1487

What if in May 1941 the Bismarck doesn't try to break out into the Atlantic? It would survive for years as a result and probably end up either in Kiel or Norway, perhaps going at Arctic convoys with the Tirpitz at some point. What does this mean for the naval war? Do the British keep even more naval assets pinned down to watch them? Does even more RAF effort go into bombing them? Does the RAF focus on the twins even earlier?
 
HMS Hood survives and the Prince of Wales has more time to work up as a fully functioning vessel.

It would probably go to Norway to threaten the Murmansk convoys and cause some disruption. If it does the RN will launch air attacks on its Norwegian anchorages as they did OTL on the Tirpitz.

The British will not have to maintain many more units because they still have the Hood. When the Americans join the war they may be asked to permanently station a Battleship at Scapa Flow as extra insurance.

In the end the Bismarck will be subjected to periodic mini sub attacks, air strikes and eventually long range bomber attacks just as the Tirpitz was. The ship would probably spend much of the war under some sort of repair.

Her final fate would be death by Tallboy.
 

sharlin

Banned
If she didn't sortee she could well be employed against the Soviet lend lease convoys when they start up which would force the Royal Navy to heavily escort them, bringing the escorts within range of land based aircraft.
 
Without doubt, the winner in this scenario is Great Britain. Hood survives and POW gets time to work up. Bismark stuck in Norway is a price worth paying
 

Kissinger

Banned
Prince of Whales and Rodney were sunk because the carrier meant for them was keeping an eye on Tirpitz. Imagine two Bismarcks and the wasted ships watching them!
 

Nietzsche

Banned
Mmm, even though the Tirpitz was in harbour the vast majority of its life, it's still one of the most successful ships ever launched. The stupid amount of resources sent to destroy it far outweighed its actual worth. If you can keep the Bessy and Tirpitz spaced out, you may well end up costing the British that much more.
 
Prince of Whales and Rodney were sunk because the carrier meant for them was keeping an eye on Tirpitz. Imagine two Bismarcks and the wasted ships watching them!

Prince of Wales (the country not a prince of sea mammals) and the Repulse not the Rodney.

AFAIK the carrier meant for them ran aground off Jamaica (the Indomitable) that was why there was no carrier.
 
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