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So in 1909 Germany realizes it has lost the race for dreadnought construction with BG (which it did). So lets say they do not build the Bayern class (4 BB) and only build 2 of the Koing class (vs 4). This save 6 BB. The cost (as best as i can find it was 1,889,990 sterling vs 88,590 sterling for the Cruiser class U Boats).

Now i realize that the cruiser class U Boats were not constructed till 1916. However if the German's came to the realization that they needed to find another way to win a war vs GB or another naval force (France or Russia) they would still have a 10 BB force and a force to attack with what Jelloice felt was the greatest threat to the British Navy (torpedoes and mines).

Now in theory lets say 1. The German navy agreed to new strategy (hard) and 2. The Germans could advance by 8 years the use of a cruiser U Boat (basically it would not have to be the U 139 type but i like this best as to range / 6 tubes and number of torps) (doable). Then from a per cost standpoint they could produce 122 U Boats, while at production lest say they have 1/2 of that in 1914 (building docks etc).

So in 1914 the British centered their ships with virtually no defensive arrangement (book Dreadnought) at Scrapa Flow (in the book it references that they felt the U Boats could not travel that far) (which the existing U Boats could and did). Lets say that 60 of the new U Boats (see below) made a full out raid at night and then centered their offensive in the channel against British merchant and warships to try and keep the BEF out of France.

Thoughts ???? How would you overcome point 1 (switch out 6 BB to 122 or ? U Boats )





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Technical information for type U 139
Displacement:
(tons) 1930 (sf)
2483 (sm)
3050 (total)
Length: (m) 92,00 oa
71,50 ph
Beam: (m) 9,12 oa
5,75 ph
Draught:(draft) 5,27 m
Height: 11,2 m
Power: (hp) 3300 (sf)
1780 (sm)
Speed:
(knots) 15,8 (sf)
7,6 (sm)
Range:
(miles / knots) 12630/8 (sf)
53/4.5 (sm)
Torpedoes: 24
4/2 (bow / stern tubes)
Mines: No mines carried
Deck gun: 2 150mm
980 rounds
Crew: 62 men
Max depth: ca. 75 m
https://uboat.net/wwi/types/?type=U+139
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