Effects of the Invencible Armada trying to return through the Channel?
Alright, I was in the medic, and while waiting I started to read an history magazine that had an article of the "felicísima armada" ... it did not really had nothing new to me, but seeing the map of the path followed, including the many shipwrecks in both Scotland and Irish coasts, made me wonder a bit...
So I was thinking, what if they try to force the return to Spain through the Channel again instead of doing the circumnavigation of the isles?. They had a lot of damaged ships, and crossing unknown coasts with them is not very recommended ( of course that trying to cross an enemy fleet with them it is not too ).
So they decide to try the shortest but dangerous path, what would had happened? this time, IIRC they were downwind, and that was a serious advantage for those ships, but at the same time a disadvantage for the damaged ships, but again if there was shipwrecks they could try to reach the neutral France instead of an enemy coast.
How are their chances to cross it? worse than OTL? better? ...
And what are the reactions of the English? they recognize it as an enemy trying to breakthrough or do they think they are trying for a second round?