Effects of capturing a battleship in combat

Khanzeer

Banned
Battleships have 1000+ people on them. A couple of frogmen isn’t enough to take one. You need at least a few hundred men, which you probably won't be able to frogmen on.
Even in port when they are about to embark on a mission ?
What about taking over just the main gun batteries of a battleship and targeting other ships in port ?
 
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Getting the frogmen from the water onto the ship would be a problem. One man armed with a Lanchester in the entrance way would be able to hold them off.
 
Even in port when they are about to embark on a mission ?
What about taking over just the main gun batteries of a battleship and targeting other ships in port ?

Part of the problem is that ships that big just can't go by opening the throttle and turning the wheel. If their in port and security is pretty low then they're probably at the lowest possible condition of readiness. Meaning that you're going to need a minimum of a couple hundred men (realistically more) probably a couple hours at least to get the beast ready to sail.
 
Even in port when they are about to embark on a mission ?
What about taking over just the main gun batteries of a battleship and targeting other ships in port ?

You have man the magazines, and retain control of the power plant to keep the turrets operating. I expect the electrical connections to the turret would have to be guarded as well. The ships crew would know where handy circuit breakers might be. The commandos would have a less perfect knowledge of that & other details.

Operating the ships boilers, turbines, electrical generators is a highly technical affair. The nature of naval architecture means each system has its own idiosycracies, even in the same class. Without the experience of ten and twenty year petty officers and the in-depth knowledge of the engineering officer you run a real risk of setting the engine room on fire or bursting high pressure steam pipes. Tripping a dozen or more circuit breakers at random locations through the ship is another show stopper.

Once the crew is subdued the two practical options are to: 1. Place explosives in the magazines or on live boilers & run away fast. 2. Call for the tow & depart the area at a stately 3 knots. Towing hulks is a slow, ponderous, and tricky affair. Currents, wind, tides, rocks and shoals are your enemies here
 
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Khanzeer

Banned
There was an attempt to capture a pakistani navy frigate few yrs ago apparently the militants planned to use its Chinese antiship missiles to target nearby US warships
Maybe such an action is easier and less labor intensive in modern [ post 1965 era] warships ?
 
I'm still thinking of the Kongo & Hiei off Guadalcanal. Had Callaghans cruiser force been unscathed by that battle would any of the USN leaders been crazy enough to hang around and try boarding?
Given the known desire of the Japanese to not surrender I doubt anyone would be willing to board a ship with crew knowledgeable of the internal passages, etc and try to capture it. If all else fails the magazine crews may decide to go out with a bang.
 
There was an attempt to capture a pakistani navy frigate few yrs ago apparently the militants planned to use its Chinese antiship missiles to target nearby US warships
Maybe such an action is easier and less labor intensive in modern [ post 1965 era] warships ?

Frigates are fairly small ships, tho the technical challenges have grown.
 
Given the known desire of the Japanese to not surrender I doubt anyone would be willing to board a ship with crew knowledgeable of the internal passages, etc and try to capture it. If all else fails the magazine crews may decide to go out with a bang.
yeah I feel the convo to see who is the point man would be interesting to say the least.
 
I still think Scharnhorst & Gneisenau taking over HMS Glorious is among your best bets for capturing a capital ship at sea in WW2
 
Many years ago I found a drawing that someone did of the Bismarck having been captured by the United States, and renamed the U.S.S. North Dakota. Even though I have been looking i have never been able to find that drawing again
 
Many years ago I found a drawing that someone did of the Bismarck having been captured by the United States, and renamed the U.S.S. North Dakota. Even though I have been looking i have never been able to find that drawing again
Number of years ago, I had posted either USS New York or Texas, both on neutrality patrols, would have been able to pound Bismarck pretty hard.
 
Except Bismarck could have just out paced them and got away. 21 knot ships find it hard to engage 30 knot ships.
Bismarck was capable of 30 knots on trials, not in North Atlantic combat load, and certainty not after PoW put a 14" under her belt
 

Ramontxo

Donor
Yes the Bismarck in its glorious and Titanic (yea I know) only cruise never give more than 28 knots. The usual explanation is that they sorted without a full load of fuel and then for battle damage. The POW did give 29 knots for a full day.
 
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