Shadow Master
Banned
How would history have been changed if the bismark had been damaged in april of 1940, and required 6 months to repair and be readied to sortie again, so her next attempted breakout could not be until october or november 1941? I ask this because her sistership, Tirpitz, was commissioned 6 months after Bismark, and so one would suppose that such a delayed first (only) sortie could include both ships.
So my questions would be:
What could the German force be comprised by in addition to the two BBs.
What could the RN forces be composed by?
What would the resultant battle(s) look like, and what effect would the different possible outcomes have had?
Outcome #1, the Germans sink Hood, and inflict damage to other RN BBs, but recieve enough damage to both ships that they are forced to return to Germany.
Outcome #2, the Germans do as above, but at least one of them is still mission capable and continues out into the N atlantic.
Outcome #3, As above, but the second ship is sunk, instead.
Outcome #4, As above, but the survivor is forced to return to Germany.
Outcome #3, As above, but both ships are sunk.
I suspect that, in any outcome except #2, the German surface fleet is basically scrapped sooner than OTL.
Even in the case of outcome #2, say you now have 1-2 damaged German BBs trying to conduct commerce raiding missions in the N atlantic, what would the RN forces be comprised of, and would they succeed in intercepting the German BBs, or would they simply catch them in port and bomb them to oblivion in France?
Any thoughts?
So my questions would be:
What could the German force be comprised by in addition to the two BBs.
What could the RN forces be composed by?
What would the resultant battle(s) look like, and what effect would the different possible outcomes have had?
Outcome #1, the Germans sink Hood, and inflict damage to other RN BBs, but recieve enough damage to both ships that they are forced to return to Germany.
Outcome #2, the Germans do as above, but at least one of them is still mission capable and continues out into the N atlantic.
Outcome #3, As above, but the second ship is sunk, instead.
Outcome #4, As above, but the survivor is forced to return to Germany.
Outcome #3, As above, but both ships are sunk.
I suspect that, in any outcome except #2, the German surface fleet is basically scrapped sooner than OTL.
Even in the case of outcome #2, say you now have 1-2 damaged German BBs trying to conduct commerce raiding missions in the N atlantic, what would the RN forces be comprised of, and would they succeed in intercepting the German BBs, or would they simply catch them in port and bomb them to oblivion in France?
Any thoughts?